16:18 Uttoxeter

Saturday 12 February 2022

All12:5013:2513:5814:3315:0815:4316:1816:53

Brit Plant Direct Handicap Chase (Div 2)

Off time: 16:18 | Winning time: 6m 48.13s

The Toojumpa²³

Age: 9| Weight: 11-10| J: B S Hughes| T: F O'Brien| OR: 98

7/1

Heavily backed to make winning yard debut at Worcester (23f) in October. Solid enough efforts in defeat the last twice and she should make her presence felt once more.

Form: P-1UU24

Bobmahley⁷⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: Alan Johns| T: Tim Vaughan| OR: 95| BF

16/5

Returned from a year off with 2 fine second-placed efforts this winter, most recently at Doncaster in November. Runs off same mark here and is proven at this grade so looks the one to beat.

Form: 53/34-22

Rockhamtom^p³⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: C Gethings| T: A Wintle| OR: 93

22/1

Lightly-raced hurdler who failed to surpass modest form for Philip Hobbs. Made the frame in a couple of Irish points since but well held in Hereford handicap hurdle on Rules return. Chase debut.

Form: 880-248

On The Platform⁴³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: Lee Edwards| T: J Groucott| OR: 88

7/2

Made the frame all 3 starts over fences, though he didn't quite get home over C&D on heavy ground on his most recent outing in December. Had shaped like a stayer before, so worth another go here.

Form: 64-1243

Earcomesbob²³

Age: 7| Weight: 10-9| J: Archie Bellamy⁽⁷⁾| T: P A Pritchard| OR: 83| D

4/1

Only modest form under Rules but it's early days, his two third-placed efforts since switching to handicaps showing he can be competitive from his current mark.

Form: 73-P233

Bignorm^p⁴³

Age: 10| Weight: 10-8| J: Benjamin Poste| T: Mrs R Gasson| OR: 82

9/1

Won at Leicester last season but hasn't matched that form in 2 starts this year, off the bridle long way out and only passing beaten horses when second over C&D in December. Needs to step up on that.

Form: 3213-42

Motown Lake^p1,t³⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 10-6| J: Jack Tudor⁽³⁾| T: Christian Williams| OR: 80| BF

7/2

Gambled on when making chasing debut at Wincanton last month but fell when weakening out of it before the home turn. Connections perservere with longer trip here.

Form: 42-900U

Non-Runners

Bitasweetsymphony²

Weight: 11-12| Age: 7

T: S Allwood J: Non Runner

Chase The Wind⁴²

Weight: 10-12| Age: 13

T: Miss J E Foster J: Craig Nichol

Forecasts

Bobmahley (16/5), Motown Lake (7/2), On The Platform (7/2), Earcomesbob (4/1), The Toojumpa (7/1), Bitasweetsymphony (8/1), Bignorm (9/1), Chase The Wind (14/1), Rockhamtom (22/1)

Thorough-stayer BOBMAHLEY has proven his capabilities in this grade from similar marks and seemingly has fewest questions to answer about his current level of ability or suitability for this sort of test, so he gets the verdict ahead of the lightly-raced Earcomesbob and On The Platform, who is worth another go at this trip granted less testing ground.