14:50 Catterick

Thursday 28 December 2023

All12:3013:0513:4014:1514:5015:23

Better Betting With Sky Bet Handicap Chase

Off time: 14:57 | Winning time: 7m 11.60s

Mister Bells^p³⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 12-0| J: Emma Smith-Chaston⁽³⁾| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 102

16/1

Successful in first-time cheekpieces at Market Rasen (21.4f) in March but patchy form since, tailed off on all 3 starts since returning from a 4-month break. Now 2 lb below his last winning mark but others more persuasive.

Form: 16-2605

The Paddy Pie¹³

Age: 10| Weight: 11-12| J: Ross Chapman| T: J Parkinson & S Smith| OR: 100

9/2

Hinted at a revival when fourth of 6 in handicap chase at Warwick (20f, good) in October but merely underlined his inconsistency at Wetherby next time. Not disgraced from a career-low mark when fourth at Doncaster just under 2 weeks ago and dropped another 3 lb since.

Form: 5UP4P4

Crixus's Escape^p³⁰

Age: 10| Weight: 11-11| J: Theo Gillard| T: G Boanas| OR: 99

11/1

Runner-up twice off significantly higher marks in early 2022 but struggled badly last season and finished weakly on both starts since returning from 7 months off. Career-low mark to contend with here and this slightly shorter trip could also help.

Form: P5PP-33

Ribeye⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-7| J: Craig Nichol| T: P Atkinson| OR: 95

11/1

Made a cracking start over fences, value for extra when winning Hexham handicap in May. Friendless in the betting and turned in a rare poor effort after 7 months off at this track (15.7f, good to soft) 9 days ago and he's now hiked back up in distance.

Form: 133-138

Ballylinch⁴²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: B S Hughes| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 90| BF

10/3

Winning pointer who improved on his hurdles form when making a winning start over fences in 8-runner event at Sedgefield in October. Matched that form when runner-up there last month and he's a player again from unchanged mark.

Form: 2-48312

Sigurd⁴⁰

Age: 11| Weight: 11-2| J: Sean Quinlan| T: Miss J E Foster| OR: 90| CD

25/1

Dual C&D winner who wasn't disgraced on the book after 12 months off but never landed a blow at Wetherby (24.2f, heavy) just under 6 weeks ago. Down another 2 lb and could run into a place.

Form: 451/6P-6

Elleon^t³⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-0| J: Jonathan England| T: S England| OR: 88

3/1

Yet to win over jumps but is as consistent as they come and picked up from where he left off 8 months prior when a close third at Newcastle (23.4f, good to soft) 5 weeks ago. In the mix again.

Form: 22222-3

Harry Du Berlais^p⁴²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: Jamie Gambin⁽⁷⁾| T: N Kent| OR: 88

11/1

Won a Market Rasen handicap chase last November but has found life tougher since, including pulling up on his last 2 starts. Tongue tie off, cheekpieces back on.

Form: 57-U3PP

Catlin²⁶²

Age: 8| Weight: 10-2| J: Harry Bannister| T: N Kent| OR: 74

7/1

Scored over fences at Newcastle last November but failed to fire on her final 2 starts last term. Needs to put her best foot forward returning from 8 months off the track.

Form: 6143P4-

Voice Of Hope³¹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-2| J: Tabitha Worsley⁽³⁾| T: M Young| OR: 71

33/1

Winning hurdler in Ireland but remains a poor maiden over fences, again finishing tailed off at Ludlow last month. Easily passed over.

Form: 238-P58

Tumbling Dice^p¹⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 10-2| J: Alan Doyle⁽⁵⁾| T: W Young Jnr| OR: 69| CD

200/1

Little impact since scoring over fences for Sue Smith back in January 2022. Can only be watched from out of the weights.

Form: 578P-P0

Non-Runners

Oceans Red³³

Weight: 11-2| Age: 7

T: O Greenall & J Guerriero J: Non Runner

Enforcement²¹

Weight: 10-2| Age: 8

T: M Keighley J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Elleon (3/1), Ballylinch (10/3), The Paddy Pie (9/2), Oceans Red (11/2), Catlin (7/1), Crixus's Escape (11/1), Harry Du Berlais (11/1), Ribeye (11/1), Mister Bells (16/1), Enforcement (25/1), Sigurd (25/1), Voice Of Hope (33/1), Tumbling Dice (200/1)

A few in with a squeak but preference is for BALLYLINCH, who matched his winning chasing debut form at Sedgefield when finishing runner-up there 6 weeks ago and Micky Hammond's lightly-raced 6-y-o can go in again from an unchanged mark. Second choice is Oceans Red, who went close to exploiting a lower hurdles mark when narrowly denied at Huntingdon last month, with the consistent Elleon also fancied be in the mix again.