14:52 Chepstow

Saturday 2 April 2022

All13:0813:4214:1714:5215:2716:0216:3717:07

bet365 Novices' Handicap Hurdle (Div 2)

Off time: 14:55 | Winning time: 4m 50.71s

Teddy The Knight³⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Benjamin Poste| T: A Wintle| OR: 98

11/1

Modest in bumpers and while there have been positives to glean from his efforts in maiden company, the switch to handicap company will need to prompt improvement if he's to make an impact here.

Form: 57-844

Floy Joy^t⁹⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-11| J: Jonjo O'Neill Jr.| T: C L Tizzard| OR: 97

3/1

Bumper winner who signed off last term with an improved handicap debut second at Newton Abbot. Has failed to build on that in three starts so far this season, but better ground here will help and he needs considering.

Form: 152-055

Nostalgica¹⁷⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: David Noonan| T: C J Down| OR: 95WS

33/1

Positive enough start over hurdles last year, runner-up in mares' novice events at Taunton and Newton Abbot. However, she was well held at Exeter when last seen in October and since undergone a wind op.

Form: 2-2464

Post No Bills⁶⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: Danny Burton⁽⁵⁾| T: R Potter| OR: 93

4/1

Dual point winner who appears to have been brought along steadily with handicaps very much in mind. Opening mark is reasonable and improvement could be on the way.

Form: 212675

Brandy Cove⁵³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-3| J: Isabel Williams⁽³⁾| T: Evan Williams| OR: 89

20/1

Fair start to hurdles career when second in a four-runner Hereford novice in October, but beaten a long way on each of his two subsequent appearances.

Form: 0240

Benito⁹²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Thomas Bellamy| T: T Lacey| OR: 88| BF

85/40

Seemingly improved for step up to 20.3f when third of 16 in a Newcastle handicap on penultimate start. Rather disappointing at Warwick next time, but testing conditions there may not have been ideal and he's worth another chance.

Form: 69-6035

Bells Of Stamford⁵⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 10-10| J: Alan Johns| T: Tim Vaughan| OR: 82

18/1

Hard to draw any real positives from what he's shown in a bumper and three novice hurdles.

Form: 0588

Blue Heather^t²³

Age: 8| Weight: 10-7| J: Miss Thomosina Eyston⁽⁷⁾| T: B Lund| OR: 79

33/1

Runner-up three times in bumpers for Gavin Cromwell in 2019, but little to shout about over hurdles to date.

Form: P-48058

Cheer's Delboy^p¹¹⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 10-7| J: Tabitha Worsley⁽³⁾| T: R Dickin| OR: 79

14/1

Placed on a couple of occasions over hurdles, including when third at Huntingdon in November. However, followed that with a lesser effort at Ludlow and record in this sphere stands at 0-13.

Form: 28PU38

Ivy Avenue^p⁷³

Age: 5| Weight: 10-6| J: David Bass| T: W Greatrex| OR: 78

22/1

Will need to leave form in maiden/novice hurdles well behind now pitched into a handicap, but that's by no means beyond the realms of possibility given her exploits on the Flat. Market check advised.

Form: 060

Sevenofus^t1¹⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-1| J: James Best| T: N P Mulholland| OR: 73

16/1

Successful between the flags in October, but she has yet to trouble the judge under Rules and it's easy enough to look elsewhere.

Form: 109807

Lightning Bug¹⁷²

Age: 5| Weight: 10-0| J: Charlie Hammond| T: Miss S Smith| OR: 70

50/1

Just one piece of worthwhile form to her name in this sphere and she was pulled up at Hereford when last seen in October.

Form: 7P-P46P

Forecasts

Benito (85/40), Floy Joy (3/1), Post No Bills (4/1), Teddy The Knight (11/1), Cheer's Delboy (14/1), Sevenofus (16/1), Bells Of Stamford (18/1), Brandy Cove (20/1), Ivy Avenue (22/1), Nostalgica (33/1), Blue Heather (33/1), Lightning Bug (50/1)

The vote goes to POST NO BILLS, who shaped with some encouragement when sixth on hurdles debut here in December. He has failed to build on that in two subsequent starts, but he wasn't knocked about at Catterick last time and better is expected now switched to handicap company. Floy Joy will be a danger to all if able to get back on track, while Benito also merits consideration and Ivy Avenue needs a second look in the betting.