13:15 Newbury

Saturday 5 March 2022

All13:1513:5014:2715:0215:3716:1216:47

Play Pick 6 And Win 1000 Veterans' Handicap Chase

Off time: 13:15 | Winning time: 6m 55.60s

Kauto Riko^p,t³⁵

Age: 11| Weight: 11-9| J: Kieren Buckley⁽⁵⁾| T: T R Gretton| OR: 139

9/4

Low-mileage veteran who won listed chase at Kelso 2 years ago. Ran his best race for a while in face of a very stiff task in Cotswold at Cheltenham last month and will find this much more suitable.

Form: 0/4P-2P4

Image of Stars that are filled with the colour gold

Prime Venture^p⁷

Age: 11| Weight: 11-7| J: Adam Wedge| T: Evan Williams| OR: 137| D

6/1

Thorough stayer who got back on track with win in Series Final (18/1) at Sandown (3m, heavy), albeit seen to good advantage. Excuses back over timber since but 7 lb rise for Sandown win demands more.

Form: 50-8P17

Minellacelebration^t1¹⁰⁸

Age: 12| Weight: 11-6| J: Benjamin Poste| T: Katy Price| OR: 136| D

10/1

Just respectable efforts at best this season and signs of further decline both starts in the autumn. Now 4 lb below last winning mark but others still preferred. Tongue strap on 1st time.

Form: U-34547

Encounter A Giant²⁰

Age: 10| Weight: 11-0| J: Alex Edwards⁽³⁾| T: A Ralph| OR: 130

10/1

Multiple point winner who more than confirmed promise of belated Rules debut with easy win in maiden chase at Hereford. However, didn't show a great deal after 26 months off at Exeter 3 weeks ago.

Form: 121U1/P

Saint Xavier^p,t⁴⁸

Age: 10| Weight: 10-11| J: Lily Pinchin⁽⁵⁾| T: R Hobson| OR: 127

15/2

More miss than hit for present stable and needs to shrug off a below-par run at Kelso. However, given a short break since then and not taken lightly on the pick of his form this season.

Form: P-51644

Christmas In April^b³⁰

Age: 10| Weight: 10-11| J: Brendan Powell| T: C L Tizzard| OR: 127| D

6/1

Useful chaser who returned to form from out of the blue when winning at Newton Abbot off 2 lb higher in May. Good second at Carlisle 6 month later but well held since.

Form: 4-12P85

Indy Five³⁸

Age: 12| Weight: 10-5| J: Stan Sheppard| T: David Dennis| OR: 121| C

7/2

Benefited from return to positive tactics when winning similar event at Doncaster. Poor at Sandown next time but quickly back on track when second at Catterick, again going with enthusiasm. Respected.

Form: 3-651P2

Non-Runners

Aso²⁰

Weight: 11-12| Age: 12

T: Miss V Williams J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Kauto Riko (9/4), Aso (3/1), Indy Five (7/2), Prime Venture (6/1), Christmas In April (6/1), Saint Xavier (15/2), Minellacelebration (10/1), Encounter A Giant (10/1)

KAUTO RIKO often keeps much better company than this, including when seeming to excel himself in face of a very stiff task in the Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham 5 weeks ago, and is potentially on a very handy mark back in a handicap up against opposition that are on the decline. Aso has been eased 5 lb since his latest third at Exeter and can place again, with Saint Xavier best of the others.