14:45 Stratford

Sunday 23 April 2023

All13:4514:1514:4515:1515:4516:1516:4517:15

David Spencer 60th Birthday Cup Novices' Handicap Chase

Off time: 14:45 | Winning time: 4m 56.1s

Miltiades⁴²

Age: 7| Weight: 12-0| J: R Patrick| T: H D Daly| OR: 100

8/1

Still a maiden and he failed to build on reappearance Catterick second when well held at Hereford/Warwick. Makes chase bow (fell sole start in point).

Form: 454-29P

Post No Bills²⁰⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 11-9| J: S Bowen| T: R Potter| OR: 95| BF

10/3

Point winner who was narrowly denied in a pair of Cartmel handicaps since switching to fences. Quickly back to form when second at Sedgefield when last seen in September, his rider having to contend with a slipping saddle after the second last. Claims if ready to go.

Form: 522282

Blackcauseway^t²⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-8| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 94

9/1

Successful sole start between the flags and placed twice from 4 starts in maiden hurdles last term. Yet to show much switched to fences this season, though.

Form: 63-2PP4

Line Of Descent^t⁵⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: Jonjo O'Neill Jr.| T: W Greatrex| OR: 92

4/1

Has taken well to fences, placed all 5 starts, latest when third of 7 in handicap chase at Plumpton (17f, good to soft, 4/1) 55 days ago. Should go well again.

Form: 722333

Conceal^p¹⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-5| J: C J Todd| T: Billy Aprahamian| OR: 91

16/1

Sent off 50/1 when scoring over fences on second start for this yard at Uttoxeter. Backed that up with a creditable third at Uttoxeter but finished well held at Huntingdon on Boxing Day. Freshened up after and showed enough to suggest he's back in form when badly hampered here 2 weeks ago.

Form: 4-8136U

Coconut Tudor¹¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: Peter Kavanagh⁽⁵⁾| T: J Mackie| OR: 91

16/1

Showed fair form over hurdles in Ireland last spring but has struggled this term, including sole start over fences.

Form: 98PP5P

Hidalgo Conti³³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: Mr Charlie Case⁽⁷⁾| T: Mrs F Kehoe| OR: 89

18/1

Showed a bit of ability in 3 runs but opening mark demands more.

Form: 4-F4546

Peckinpah²⁶⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-2| J: Charlie Hammond| T: B R Summers| OR: 88

28/1

Stripped fitter for reappearance when fourth at Stratford (17f) on chase debut but let down by juming there next time and this long-standing maiden is easy enough to oppose.

Form: 40P-54F

Supasunrise^p³⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: Finn Lambert⁽⁵⁾| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 86

6/1

Mixed record over hurdles but opened account in this sphere when taking Huntingdon handicap (19.9f) on Boxing Day. Solid third at Hereford (20.9f, heavy) next time but last 2 runs suggest he's gone off the boil.

Form: 241385

Alghazaal^p,t¹³⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 10-13| J: Lily Pinchin⁽³⁾| T: C E Longsdon| OR: 85

12/1

Fairly useful on the Flat and while he's not proven as good over hurdles so far, he bettered this season's previous efforts when fifth of 14 at Taunton (16.5f, good to soft) in December. Eased 3 lb ahead of chase bow.

Form: 777-545

O'Grady's Boy^p¹⁵³

Age: 12| Weight: 10-4| J: Tabitha Worsley⁽³⁾| T: G Hanmer| OR: 76

40/1

Modest maiden hurdler/chaser at best but has gone the wrong way this season.

Form: U4-7PPP

Broadoak¹⁸

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

17/2

Lightly-raced 8-y-o who has been going the right way sent chasing this season, a late mistake proving costly when runner-up in handicap at Wincanton. Couldn't repeat that form there next time but type to bounce back.

Form: 6-0P324

Non-Runners

Keplerian⁵⁴

Weight: 11-7| Age: 6

T: F O'Brien J: C Brace

Forecasts

Post No Bills (10/3), Line Of Descent (4/1), Supasunrise (6/1), Keplerian (13/2), Miltiades (8/1), Broadoak (17/2), Blackcauseway (9/1), Alghazaal (12/1), Coconut Tudor (16/1), Conceal (16/1), Hidalgo Conti (18/1), Peckinpah (28/1), O'Grady's Boy (40/1)

LINE OF DESCENT has been placed in better races then this since switched to fences this season so could be the answer. Post No Bills has finished second in 3 of his 4 starts over fences and should be in the mix again if ready to go, while Conceal shaped as if back in form before being hampered at Plumpton 2 weeks ago.