14:52 Fontwell

Sunday 26 December 2021

All11:5712:3213:0713:4214:1714:5215:27

Southern Cranes And Access Handicap Chase

Off time: 14:52 | Winning time: 7m 52.26s

Percussion²⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Harry Reed| T: L Morgan| OR: 108| BF

11/2

Wasted little time over hurdles and found just one too good on chase debut at Southwell (20.4f). Failed to build on that over the same C&D last month, but may do better now faced with a stiffer test.

Form: 4424

Just A Whim¹⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-11| J: Mr James King⁽³⁾| T: L Horsfall| OR: 107

14/1

Opened her account over hurdles at Uttoxeter in July and fair start in this sphere when third in a 4-runner C&D handicap 19 days ago. Down 3 lb, but others look stronger all the same.

Form: 2-51563

Bill And Barn¹⁸

Age: 10| Weight: 11-3| J: Kevin Jones⁽³⁾| T: M F Harris| OR: 99| BF| D

9/2

Opened chase account at Plumpton last month and almost doubled his tally over fences at Lingfield (2½m) recently. This step back up in trip will serve him well and another bold show is on the cards.

Form: 4/23122

Bleue Away^t¹⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: Ben Godfrey⁽⁵⁾| T: A J Honeyball| OR: 96

3/1

Dual point scorer who has hit the crossbar on both starts over fences, including over C&D recently. Remains open to improvement as a chaser and she's high on the shortlist.

Form: 85-2232

Simply Supreme³¹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-9| J: Tabitha Worsley⁽⁵⁾| T: N J Gifford| OR: 91

22/1

Runner-up in a point and also hit the crossbar on Rules debut in Ffos Las bumper last term. No show in 3 subsequent starts over hurdles, but worth a second look now upped in trip for this chase debut.

Form: P2/24-P8

Nessfield Blue^v³⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-8| J: J E Moore| T: P G Murphy| OR: 90| CD

9/4

Arguably flattered when finally opening Rules account over C&D in October, proving a length too strong for Heavy. Still, he backed that up when second at Ffos Las next time and couldn't rule out.

Form: PP4-512

Ivilnoble^p¹³

Age: 8| Weight: 10-4| J: Mr Ben Ffrench Davis⁽⁷⁾| T: D J S Ffrench Davis| OR: 86

6/1

Just the one win to his name from 14 starts in this sphere, but arrives here on the back of a string of decent efforts at up to 19.8f and moving back up in trip could be a good thing.

Form: P89244

Chivers¹³

Age: 10| Weight: 10-2| J: Daniel Sansom⁽³⁾| T: D Steele| OR: 84| C

50/1

Runner-up all 3 starts over fences during 2019/20 campaign, but offered little back from a 21-month absence at Plumpton recently.

Form: U2522/0

Forecasts

Nessfield Blue (9/4), Bleue Away (3/1), Bill And Barn (9/2), Percussion (11/2), Ivilnoble (6/1), Just A Whim (14/1), Simply Supreme (22/1), Chivers (50/1)

A few in with chances but this can go to BILL AND BARN. Milton Harris' charge is going through a good spell at the moment and this step back up in trip could be just what he requires to notch a second success over fences. It's still early days with Percussion, so he's fancied to give the selection most to think about faced with this stiffer test, with Bleue Away next on the list.