13:45 Musselburgh

Monday 6 December 2021

All12:1512:4513:1513:4514:1514:4515:15

Scottish Racing Academy Christmas Jumper Novices' Handicap Chase

Off time: 13:45 | Winning time: 5m 42.09s

Dequall⁴⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Jamie Hamilton| T: W Coltherd| OR: 103| BF

7/1

Off 5 months before creditable fifth of 10 in handicap hurdle at Kelso (25.8f) 44 days ago. Makes chase debut now, and he's much respected.

Form: 413-525

Dora De Janeiro²⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 11-11| J: J Kington| T: S G West| OR: 102| C

10/1

Off 7 months before last of 11 in handicap hurdle at Ayr (20.4f) 20 days ago. Sent over fences now, and this dual hurdle winner is no forlorn hope with reappearance run under her belt.

Form: 62218-0

Chesterville^h¹⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-9| J: Nathan Moscrop⁽³⁾| T: R Menzies| OR: 100

17/2

Ex-Irish winning hurdler. Only ninth of 13 in handicap chase (18/1) at Hexham (15.6f, good to soft) 19 days ago for her new yard, so others more persuasive.

Form: 138269

Raddle And Hum^h³²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: Miss Becky Smith⁽³⁾| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 97

14/1

Off the mark in 20f handicap hurdle at Market Rasen in June. Below par both runs since however so now goes over fences with a bit to prove.

Form: BP-3186

Gun Merchant¹⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 11-1| J: Sean Quinlan| T: Mrs A C Hamilton| OR: 92

3/1

Had breathing op before showing improved form to open his account in 4-runner handicap chase at Newcastle (23.4f) 18 days ago. Expected to be bang there despite 3 lb rise.

Form: 638P81

Holme Abbey³⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 10-13| J: Danny McMenamin| T: N G Richards| OR: 90

11/1

Improved when shedding maiden tag in a Hexham novices' handicap chase in May. Off 4 months before last of 6 in Kelso handicap last time, so should strip sharper here.

Form: 7-U1546

Gripper^b³⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 10-13| J: D R Fox| T: W Young Jnr| OR: 90

33/1

Fair 2m winner over hurdles, but he's unreliable and came in last of 7 in handicap chase here 37 days ago, never travelling well. Blinkers back on with plenty to prove.

Form: 235F57

Lastofthecosmics^p,t³³

Age: 6| Weight: 10-11| J: C O'Farrell| T: I Jardine| OR: 88

12/1

Modest 20f winner over hurdles but he beat only one on his chasing bow in 20f handicap here 33 days ago. Lots more is required.

Form: 3/133-86

Permission Granted^p¹⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 10-7| J: Craig Nichol| T: R Dobbin| OR: 84| C

4/1

Arrives in top form over hurdles, scoring at Ayr before second of 12 in 3m handicap at Newcastle. Needs considering now sent over fences.

Form: 26-6312

Ashjan^p³⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 10-5| J: Edward Austin⁽⁷⁾| T: Miss S E Forster| OR: 82

12/1

It's now twenty three runs since his last win in 2018, and below-par fourth of 6 in handicap at Kelso (17.1f) 30 days ago. Back up in trip with more needed.

Form: 4-2F554

Elixer^p²⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 10-0| J: Thomas Willmott⁽⁵⁾| T: F P Murtagh| OR: 73

10/1

Remains a maiden after 30 runs, but he comes here in good nick, third in 27f Sedgefield handicap 25 days ago. Cheekpieces back on but 4 lb out of the handicap.

Form: 665343

Non-Runners

Shanbally Rose⁷⁵

Weight: 10-0| Age: 7

T: R Dobbin J: Dylan Johnston

Forecasts

Gun Merchant (3/1), Permission Granted (4/1), Dequall (7/1), Chesterville (17/2), Elixer (10/1), Dora De Janeiro (10/1), Holme Abbey (11/1), Lastofthecosmics (12/1), Ashjan (12/1), Raddle And Hum (14/1), Shanbally Rose (20/1), Gripper (33/1)

GUN MERCHANT showed the benefit of wind surgery when gaining his breakthrough success at Newcastle last month and is fancied to defy a 3 lb rise in the weights in a race where lots have question marks against them. Permission Granted comes here at the top of his game over hurdles so is feared most on his first go in this sphere, with fellow chasing debutant Dequall another to consider.