14:12 Chepstow

Saturday 9 December 2023

All11:5512:2713:0213:3714:1214:4715:2015:50

Coral Racing Club Novices' Limited Handicap Chase (GBB Race)

Off time: 14:13 | Winning time: 6m 37.8s

Hurricane Highway²⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: Adam Wedge| T: Evan Williams| OR: 125| D

5/2

Point winner who built on a promising hurdling debut last winter when opening his account in a Ffos Las novice last December. Departed before the race began in earnest on return/chase debut at Exeter where he was pitched in against some potentially smart novices. Intriguing candidate.

Form: 1/512-U

Hurlerontheditch^t³¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: David Bass| T: K Bailey & M Nicholls| OR: 122| BF

6/1

Placed all 4 starts in hurdles and, having undergone a wind op, he had the race at his mercy when coming down at the final fence on chase debut at Warwick (3m, heavy). Clearly a promising novice and very much of interest here, despite being hit with a 10 lb rise.

Form: 12/333-F

Grove Road¹⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: Nick Scholfield| T: A Watson| OR: 122

12/1

Sedgefield bumper winner who looked a promising stayer in the making when winning a brace of novice hurdles in late 2022. Reappearance third in a Ffos Las handicap (3m, heavy) was no backward step, but will need to improve for the switch to fences if he's to take this.

Form: 1/1125-3

Ballydisco²⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Mr Ben Sutton⁽⁷⁾| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 120| CD

10/1

Improved for switch to handicaps/step up in trip last season, winning in the mud at Ffos Las in March and added to that over 3m here the following month. Entitled to come on for his reappearance spin back at Ffos Las last month, but needs to raise his game now switched to fences.

Form: 63171-6

Sporting Ace⁴⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: J M Quinlan| T: N B King| OR: 115| C

6/1

Solid record in bumpers and held form well over hurdles despite proving expensive to follow during a busy 2022/23 schedule. Probably needed the run on chasing debut at Huntingdon but, even so, he looks vulnerable here.

Form: 22224-7

Lagonda¹⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 10-13| J: Shane Quinlan⁽³⁾| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 114| CD

13/2

Dual point winner who went close on chase debut at Exeter in February before finishing fifth of 15 in a mares' listed handicap hurdle at Newbury. Shade disappointing on second start in this sphere at Warwick recently, though, and better will certainly be needed here.

Form: 43251-5

Iberio^p²⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-11| J: Ben Jones| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 112| BF| D

3/1

Bumper winner who opened his account over hurdles at Taunton (3m, heavy) in March. Some encouragement both starts over fences and could produce a bigger effort when sharpening up in the jumping department.

Form: 5214-47

Non-Runners

Pimlico Point¹⁹

Weight: 11-6| Age: 6

T: Kerry Lee J: R Patrick

Take Your Time⁴⁹

Weight: 11-2| Age: 8

T: P F Nicholls J: Angus Cheleda

Forecasts

Hurricane Highway (5/2), Iberio (3/1), Take Your Time (9/2), Pimlico Point (5/1), Sporting Ace (6/1), Hurlerontheditch (6/1), Lagonda (13/2), Ballydisco (10/1), Grove Road (12/1)

There was plenty to like about TAKE YOUR TIME's performance when making a winning start over fences at Newton Abbot and a 3 lb rise is negligible given that he was a hurdles winner here off a 9 lb higher mark than this in 2021. The 8-y-o shades preference ahead of Hurlerontheditch, who had the race in safe-keeping when coming down at the final fence at Warwick. Pimlico Point also made a promising start to his chase career and merits respect, while Hurricane Highway is worth a second look, too.