Weatherbys Chatteris Fen Juvenile Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 15:01 | Winning time: 3m 57.56s

Samuel Spade¹⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 11-8| J: Kielan Woods| T: B Pauling| D

9/1

Fair handicapper on Flat (stays 11.5f) for David O'Meara who was sold for 47,000 gns and took well to this new discipline at the first attempt when scoring at Kempton last month, likely to have beaten Chaos Control further if he hadn't blundered the last. More to come.

Form: 1

Casi Crudo¹⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Bryan Carver| T: A M Hales| OR: 116

25/1

Much improved from hurdling bow when landing 7-runner juvenile at Market Rasen early last month and matched that form when runner-up to Start In Front at Wetherby since. Will need to take it up a notch to feature here though.

Form: 312

Chaos Control¹⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: C Gethings| T: S Edmunds

8/1

Fairly useful handicapper on Flat who made winning debut for current yard at Wolverhampton (12.2f) in November and nearly followed up on hurdling bow when 1½ lengths second of 9 to Samuel Spade at Kempton recently. Open to improvement.

Form: 2

Despereaux⁵⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: David Noonan| T: Mrs J Williams| CD

8/1

Held every chance when ran out at last on hurdling debut at Ffos Las in October but made amends 5 weeks later when scoring in C&D novice (good to soft) just under 8 weeks ago. Place claims probably the best he can hope for today.

Form: R1

Perseus Way^p¹⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: J E Moore| T: G & J Moore| OR: 125| D

10/11

Fairly useful on Flat, battling well to win a Newbury handicap in September. Ran a cracker pitched into a Grade 2 on hurdle debut when runner-up at Cheltenham then easily landed short odds at Leicester. Better form when going close in a Chepstow Grade 1 last time so looks the one to beat.

Form: 213

Polyphonic^h¹⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Mitchell Bastyan| T: M F Harris| OR: 119

16/1

Fairly useful 11f winner on Flat and sold from Karl Burke 42,000 gns in October. In need of the experience on hurdling debut at Leicester but left that form behind fitted with a hood when bolting up at Fontwell (17.7f, soft) on Boxing Day. More to come.

Form: 31

Start In Front¹⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Nathan Moscrop| T: R Menzies| OR: 120| D

9/2

Fairly useful Flat winner who matched the pick of his French form (for K. Tavares) as he made a successful start for new connections after 8 months off at Wetherby (16f, heavy) 17 days ago, impressing with some accurate jumping. Worth considering.

Form: 55-361

Forecasts

Perseus Way (10/11), Start In Front (9/2), Despereaux (8/1), Chaos Control (8/1), Samuel Spade (9/1), Polyphonic (16/1), Casi Crudo (25/1)

Cases can be made for most of these but PERSEUS WAY took his form up a notch when finishing a close third in a Grade 1 at Chepstow over the Christmas period and with Gary Moore having tasted success in this corresponding event 12 months ago, he's taken to repeat the feat today. Last-time-out winners Polyphonic and Samuel Spade both warrant plenty of respect with better to come so they can chase home the selection in that order.