Racing TV Novices' Handicap Chase (GBB Race)

Off time: 14:10 | Winning time: 6m 23.60s

Jimmy The Digger⁶⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-6| J: R Patrick| T: H D Daly| OR: 120| BF

11/2

Made light of 11-month absence to open his account in 2½m handicap hurdle at Uttoxeter in June and followed up on chase bow a month later. Not so good since but this longer trip should eke out extra.

Form: P/23-113

Image of Stars that are filled with the colour gold

Present Chief²¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: K Brogan⁽³⁾| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 120| BF

9/2

Fairly useful winning hurdler who shaped with a good deal of encouragement when third under a patient ride at Worcester on chasing debut. Unable to build on that next time but remains with potential.

Form: 4308-33

Starsky^p1³⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 119| BF| D

2/1

Winning start for this yard in Warwick handicap in May and made an encouraging start over fences when narrowly denied at Worcester 5 weeks ago. Cheekpieces go on and he's open to improvement.

Form: 140-132

Hunny Moon³⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: P J Brennan| T: F O'Brien| OR: 118

3/1

Fair bumper winner who got off the mark over hurdles in weak affair at Wetherby in March. Responded well to double her tally when scoring at Perth and needed experience on return/chase bow last month.

Form: 22141-3

Tide Times¹⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: R T Dunne| T: Ian Williams| OR: 114| D

9/2

Justified support on handicap debut at Ascot (23.5f) last November but little impact since, tailed off after a break at Cheltenham 19 days ago. Needs to get back on track on this chase debut.

Form: 318P6-8

Forecasts

Starsky (2/1), Hunny Moon (3/1), Tide Times (9/2), Present Chief (9/2), Jimmy The Digger (11/2)

Tough to rule any of the quintet out but preference is for STARSKY. Dan Skelton's charge was collared late in the piece on his chase debut at Worcester last month and, with improvement firmly on the cards, he's taken to go a place better sporting first-time cheekpieces. Hunny Moon heads the dangers having shaped as if the run was needed on chase debut 5 weeks ago, ahead of Jimmy The Digger.