15:25 Chepstow

Wednesday 27 December 2023

All12:0012:3013:0513:4014:1014:5015:2515:55

New Bet-In-Race With Coral Handicap Chase

Off time: 15:29 | Winning time: 4m 29.36s

Witness Protection²¹³

Age: 10| Weight: 12-2| J: G Sheehan| T: M Keighley| OR: 127| CD

15/2

Dual hurdles winner who made it third time lucky over fences over C&D in November 2021. Lightly raced since and shaped as if amiss when last seen at Uttoxeter (20f, good to soft) 7 months ago. Best watched given his profile.

Form: 21/P4-6P

Not Available^b,t³⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 12-1| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: M Sheppard| OR: 126| CD

12/1

Useful chaser who hit the target 3 times last season, including when running away with a 5-runner C&D handicap in a first-time visor in April. However, subsequently pulled up at Kempton and this season's efforts with cheekpieces refitted have not been inspiring. Blinkers back on.

Form: 41-P685

Zambezi Fix³³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-9| J: Robert Williams⁽³⁾| T: B J Llewellyn| OR: 120| CD

7/2

Notched second success over hurdles when landing handicap here in February. Creditable second at Lingfield (2m, good to soft) last month but turned in a rare below-par effort in a better race at Ascot 10 days later. Attentions now turned back to the larger obstacles.

Form: 364-324

Showbusiness^t³³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Alan Johns| T: Tim Vaughan| OR: 116| D

6/1

Belatedly off the mark over hurdles at Punchestown in May 2022 for Gordon Elliott. Well held at Ffos Las 12 months later on yard debut but produced an encouraging chasing debut back from another lay-off when runner-up over C&D last month. Pulled clear of the rest that day and can figure.

Form: 62/31-52

Greenrock Abbey^p¹⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-2| J: R Patrick| T: Kerry Lee| OR: 113| D

3/1

Took well to fences last season, winning 2 of his 6 starts. Made an encouraging return when runner-up at Sandown (15.4f, soft) earlier this month and every chance that will have blown away any cobwebs. Leading claims

Form: 31233-2

You Say Nothing³⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 11-2| J: Jack Tudor| T: Christian Williams| OR: 113| D

18/1

Limited to just 4 starts last term but won 2 of those, including a 2m handicap at Ffos Las (soft) in May. Shaped as if as good as ever after 7 months off before getting tired/falling late at Ludlow last month and he could get involved provided that tumble hasn't left a mark.

Form: 2/515-1F

Walkinthewoods²⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 10-7| J: Adam Wedge| T: Evan Williams| OR: 104| BF| CD

11/4

Off the mark over timber at this track (2m) in October 2022 and doubled his tally at Ffos Las in May. Narrowly denied on first 2 starts back this term (including at Ffos Las on chase bow last month) but probably found the race coming too soon at Taunton 8 days later. Back down to 2m.

Form: 24-1225

Non-Runners

Aggagio¹¹³

Weight: 11-6| Age: 5

T: G & J Moore J: Caoilin Quinn

Forecasts

Walkinthewoods (11/4), Greenrock Abbey (3/1), Zambezi Fix (7/2), Aggagio (9/2), Showbusiness (6/1), Witness Protection (15/2), Not Available (12/1), You Say Nothing (18/1)

Having taken well to fences last season, GREENROCK ABBEY made a very encouraging return to action when finishing runner-up at Sandown earlier this month, and with that outing sure to have blown away any cobwebs, Kerry Lee's 7-y-o is fancied to notch a third victory over the larger obstacles. You Say Nothing took a heavy fall late at Ludlow last month, but he rates a big threat with that run under his belt, with chasing-debutant Aggagio rounding off the shortlist.