15:15 Exeter

Sunday 1 January 2023

All12:2012:5513:3014:0514:4015:1515:50

Happy New Year Handicap Chase

Off time: 15:15 | Winning time: 5m 6.10s

Calvinist⁴⁹

Age: 10| Weight: 12-0| J: Shane Quinlan⁽³⁾| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 104| BF

25/1

Modest winner at 14f on flat. Evens, first run since leaving Kevin Frost when last of 4 in handicap chase at Fontwell (21.6f, good) on debut over fences 49 days ago. More is needed.

Form: 146P-74

Barrowmount^h²⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: M G Nolan| T: J W Mullins| OR: 100

50/1

33/1, only seventh of 10 in handicap chase at Taunton (23f, good to soft) on debut over fences 24 days ago. Needs a big step forward.

Form: 13-FP87

Ambion Hill²⁸⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-6| J: Thomas Bellamy| T: J Tizzard| OR: 96| BF

9/1

7/4, respectable second of 6 in handicap chase at Wincanton (15.7f, good). Off 9 months but he's not taken lightly from a tempting mark.

Form: 3/42F32-

Imperial Joe¹¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: Sean Houlihan| T: T Dennis| OR: 94| BF| C

13/2

Returned with Newton Abbot win but below form fourth of 13 in handicap chase at Taunton (18.2f, good to soft) 11 days ago. Enters calculations if shrugging off latest effort.

Form: 165-124

Bebraveforglory⁵²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-3| J: Mr Lewis Gordon⁽⁷⁾| T: Evan Williams| OR: 93| BF

4/1

Resumed with success at Stratford but raced too keenly when fourth of 8 in handicap chase at Taunton (23f, good, 13/8) 52 days ago. Player if settling better back in trip and eased 1 lb.

Form: 5133-14

Eurowork⁴⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 11-2| J: Tom Buckley⁽³⁾| T: N J Hawke| OR: 92| CD

8/1

C&D winner. Below form fifth of 9 in handicap chase (20/1) at Hereford (20.9f, soft) 47 days ago though so he needs to bounce back.

Form: PP/661-5

Arctic Footprint³¹

Age: 9| Weight: 10-9| J: James Davies| T: C J Down| OR: 85

16/1

Maiden hurdler who came in below form eighth of 13 in handicap hurdle at Wincanton (24.7f, 80/1) 31 days ago. Makes chase debut with plenty to prove.

Form: 72445/8

Just Go For It⁴⁷

Age: 10| Weight: 10-8| J: Charlie Price⁽³⁾| T: M Hunt| OR: 84

11/2

Poor winner at 22f over hurdles. Only fair third of 9 in handicap chase at Hereford (20.9f, soft, 6/1) on debut over fences 47 days ago. Needs to build on it now.

Form: 7423-33

Kingcormac³²

Age: 7| Weight: 10-8| J: T J O'Brien| T: J Tickle| OR: 84

15/2

Lightly-raced maiden under NH rules. First run since leaving Nigel Hawke when third of 11 in handicap chase (33/1) at Ludlow (20f, good to soft) on debut over fences 32 days ago. Needs to back it up now.

Form: P6758/3

Flash Gorcombe⁴⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 10-8| J: Paul O'Brien| T: R Walford| OR: 84

28/1

Lightly-raced maiden under NH rules. Thirteenth of 15 in novice hurdle at this course (16.7f, good to soft, 400/1) 48 days ago. Much more is required on his debut over fences.

Form: U-23800

Dont Be Robin^p²⁶⁰

Age: 11| Weight: 10-5| J: Lorcan Murtagh⁽³⁾| T: Mrs R Ford| OR: 81

33/1

Scored off 2 lb higher at Plumpton last season but typically in-and-out after and returns with others preferred.

Form: 167644-

Lightonthewing⁴²

Age: 8| Weight: 10-4| J: James Best| T: Mrs S Gardner| OR: 80

4/1

Shaped with plenty of encouragement after 8 months off over hurdles here 6 weeks ago and on a good mark if taking to chasing.

Form: 75356-3

Broadoak³⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 10-2| J: David Noonan| T: Mrs F M Shaw| OR: 73

33/1

Lightly-raced maiden. Had wind op before only eleventh of 15 in handicap hurdle (66/1) at Taunton (19f, good to soft) 38 days ago. Makes chase debut with more to do.

Form: P06-0

Non-Runners

Magnificent Ben²⁷

Weight: 10-8| Age: 8

T: N P Mulholland J: N F Houlihan

Forecasts

Lightonthewing (4/1), Bebraveforglory (4/1), Magnificent Ben (4/1), Just Go For It (11/2), Imperial Joe (13/2), Kingcormac (15/2), Eurowork (8/1), Ambion Hill (9/1), Arctic Footprint (16/1), Calvinist (25/1), Flash Gorcombe (28/1), Dont Be Robin (33/1), Broadoak (33/1), Barrowmount (50/1)

BEBRAVEFORGLORY is fancied to quickly resume winning ways given this shorter trip should suit and he has been eased 1 lb in the weights. Magnificent Ben rates the chief threat on the back of his good Lingfield second while the returning Ambion Hill is another to consider for the Tizzard team.