Strings & Things Rated Novice Chase

Off time: 16:20 | Winning time: 4m 9.70s

Gracchus De Balme⁴⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: J J Slevin| T: J P O'Brien

9/4

Useful hurdler. 1 win from 1 run this season. Useful winner at 16f over hurdles. Evens, career best when winning 7-runner novice chase at Roscommon (16.4f, soft) 40 days ago. Open to progress.

Form: 213/FF-1

Riaan³⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott

11/4

Useful chaser. 1 win from 1 run this season. Career best when winning 11-runner novice chase at Wexford (19.8f, heavy, 6/1) on debut over fences 37 days ago. Should improve.

Form: 5101P-1

The Dasher Conway³⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-7| J: Keith Donoghue| T: Mrs G Callaghan| OR: 126

7/1

Fairly useful chaser. 1 win from 3 runs this season. Latest win in chase at Tramore in June. 9/2, good second of 8 in handicap chase at Kilbeggan (19f, good to soft) 36 days ago.

Form: 4F0-132

Uncle Phil^h,t¹⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins| OR: 128

5/1

Fairly useful chaser. 1 win from 3 runs this season. Latest win in chase at Kilbeggan in June. Last of 6 in novice chase at Wexford (19.6f, soft, 7/2) 16 days ago, finding nothing.

Form: P33-U16

Great Bear²²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-2| J: Darragh O'Keeffe| T: H De Bromhead| D

11/4

Promising type. Useful winner at 17f over hurdles. Second of 8 in novice chase at Killarney (17f, good to soft, 2/1) on debut over fences 22 days ago. Open to improvement.

Form: 355/102

Forecasts

Gracchus De Balme (9/4), Great Bear (11/4), Riaan (11/4), Uncle Phil (5/1), The Dasher Conway (7/1)

GREAT BEAR looked a natural when runner-up on his chase bow at Killarney and can go one better in receipt of weight. Riaan made an impressive winning start over fences at Wexford and is the obvious threat in a race in which none of the 5 can be ruled out.