14:45 Worcester

Sunday 3 September 2023

All14:1014:4515:2015:5516:3017:05

John Cordell Memorial Handicap Chase

Off time: 14:45 | Winning time: 5m 54.02s

Dreamsundermyfeet^p¹⁴⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 12-0| J: Adam Wedge| T: M Keighley| OR: 100

20/1

Dual chase winner in 2021/22 (including here) but proved rather frustrating last term, pulled up when last seen at Huntingdon (23.6f, good to soft) 5 months ago. Has tumbled in the weights but arrives with enough to prove.

Form: 33323P-

Cresswell Queen^h,t¹⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 11-1| J: Harry Reed| T: Mrs D A Hamer| OR: 87| BF

11/2

Stepped up on her reappearance over hurdles when getting back to winning ways in handicap chase at Newton Abbot (25.8f) in June. Has remained in form since, fourth without carrying much of a win threat at Stratford (27.5f, good) 10 days ago.

Form: 6-51324

If I Say³³

Age: 6| Weight: 10-9| J: Cian Chester⁽¹⁰⁾| T: C E Longsdon| OR: 81| C

8/1

Off the mark in handicap hurdle here last September and back on track over fences when runner-up at this course (20f, good) last month, no match for a well-backed winner but beating the rest convincingly.

Form: 47-8232

Justshortofabubble^p,t¹²

Age: 6| Weight: 10-9| J: Ben Jones| T: G Harris| OR: 81| D

10/3

Finally got off the mark in 9-runner handicap chase at Stratford (22.6f, good to soft) last month and wasn't far off following up despite having been shoved back up the weights at this course (20f, good to soft) 12 days ago. In the mix again.

Form: 735212

Saxon Queen^p1¹²

Age: 6| Weight: 10-8| J: S Bowen| T: P & M Bowen| OR: 80

7/2

Unreliable individual but she scored at Newton Abbot in June and has backed it up with couple of solid runner-up efforts, going down by just a head back there (26.5f, good) 12 days ago. Cheekpieces go on for her chasing debut and she's one to keep an eye on for an in-form yard.

Form: 50/2122

Tom O'Roughley^b,t⁶⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 10-7| J: Sean Houlihan| T: Sheila Lewis| OR: 79| CD

25/1

C&D winner last September and made a winning return at Warwick in May. However, he proved very easy to back and ran as if amiss when pulled up at this track (20f, good) a couple of months ago so will need to leave that effort well behind.

Form: 14-1U4P

Findusatgorcombe^p²⁴²

Age: 11| Weight: 10-7| J: Paul O'Brien| T: R Walford| OR: 79

6/1

It's now thirteen runs since his last win in 2020 and ran poorly when last seen at Hereford (25.2f, soft) 8 months ago. Starts out for new yard on potentially very lenient mark and market support would look significant.

Form: 8P/462P-

Joyful Kit¹⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 10-7| J: David Noonan| T: H Brown| OR: 79

25/1

Sketchy jumper of hurdles but fared a bit better when third here on chasing debut. Went a long way to confirming that effort at Market Rasen (23.9f, good to firm) just over a fortnight ago but remains opposable for win purposes.

Form: P8-4933

Ya Know Yaseff^b1,t⁵⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 10-3| J: Jack Tudor| T: D Pipe| OR: 75

11/1

Having unseated on her first 2 starts over fences, wasn't disgraced under a forcing ride when fourth at Exeter (24.2f) in March. Ran no sort of race back over hurdles after 4 months off (had wind op) over C&D in July so hard to have much confidence after that. Blinkers on.

Form: 92UU4-P

Div Ine Tara¹¹⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 10-2| J: Liam Harrison| T: F O'Brien| OR: 70

10/1

Made the frame on a couple of occasions in bumpers. Yet to better poor form over hurdles, held again at Huntingdon (25f, good, 5/1) 4 months ago. However, she's in top hands and this switch to chasing could see her make more of an impact.

Form: 0/3747-7

Forecasts

Justshortofabubble (10/3), Saxon Queen (7/2), Cresswell Queen (11/2), Findusatgorcombe (6/1), If I Say (8/1), Div Ine Tara (10/1), Ya Know Yaseff (11/1), Dreamsundermyfeet (20/1), Joyful Kit (25/1), Tom O'Roughley (25/1)

Several of these arrive with a bit to prove including FINDUSATGORCOMBE, who hasn't been seen for 8 months but starts out for Robert Walford on potentially very lenient mark. He gets the tentative nod ahead of Justshortofabubble, who has struck up a fine partnership with this rider and is expected to be bang there once again. The Peter/Sean Bowen combination landed this event 12 months ago and Saxon Queen is one to look out for making her chasing debut.