15:40 Doncaster

Saturday 2 March 2024

All13:3014:0514:3515:1015:4016:1516:50

Grimthorpe Handicap Chase (GBB Race)

Off time: 15:47 | Winning time: 7m 9.55s

Does He Know^p1²¹

Age: 9| Weight: 12-0| J: David Bass| T: K Bailey & M Nicholls| OR: 149

20/1

Smart winning chaser at his best and he looked rusty after 11 months off when pulled up at Wetherby on Boxing Day. Up against it next 2 starts but should make more of an impact here. Headgear applied.

Form: F13-P45

Ashtown Lad^p1⁸⁴

Age: 10| Weight: 11-3| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 138| D

12/1

Built on an encouraging hurdles return when winning Becher Chase at Aintree last season, notably travelling/jumping fluently. Pulled up last 3 starts, however, including in this year's renewal of Becher Chase. Headgear on.

Form: 123P-PP

Certainly Red²⁸

Age: 10| Weight: 11-0| J: M Goldstein| T: Mrs L Richards| OR: 135

6/1

Likeable sort who completed a hat-trick last season. Generally better than the result this term, good 1½ lengths second of 8 to Java Point at Sandown (24.2f, good, 4/1) 28 days ago, finishing well despite an error-strewn round of jumping. Player off same mark.

Form: 97-4352

Undersupervision^p⁸⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 10-13| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 134| CD

11/2

Showed benefit of his reappearance run when third in big-field amateurs' handicap at Cheltenham (25f). Didn't fancy it tackling the National course for the first time at Aintree since but winner of this 2 years ago and only just edged out last year, so expected to bounce back.

Form: U2P-P3P

Flash Collonges^p,t⁷⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 10-11| J: Bryony Frost| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 132

25/1

Got off the mark in this sphere at Newbury (23f) in March and still in touch when falling 19th in Scottish Grand National at Ayr following month. Might have needed the run after 8 months off when well held at Ascot but has work to do from his present mark in any case.

Form: 2231F-0

Docpickedme^p,t³⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 10-10| J: Lee Edwards| T: R Hobson| OR: 131| C| DWS

10/1

Multiple winner over hurdles/fences for Harry Whittington and ran a cracker on return for new yard when narrow second at Warwick (25.5f). Disappointed next 2 starts but back to form with a bang with a career-best win at Wetherby last month. Respected up 4 lb and back up in trip.

Form: PP-2771

Hidden Heroics⁶⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 10-7| J: Miss Heidi Palin⁽⁷⁾| T: D Skelton| OR: 128| D

14/1

Winner of first 2 starts over fences last season, making all in small-field novice handicaps at Exeter and Cheltenham. Went through a quiet spell after but resumed winning ways at Ludlow in December. Struggled back in a class 2 at Kempton since, however.

Form: 5P6F16

Half Shot²⁸

Age: 10| Weight: 10-5| J: Henry Brooke| T: I Jardine| OR: 126

9/1

Dual winner last season and produced a career best when getting back to winning ways at Musselburgh in November. Shaped as if still in good form next 2 starts but may find this too competitive.

Form: 7-2U134

Some Scope^t³⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 10-4| J: G Sheehan| T: R Hobson| OR: 125| C

3/1

Irish point/hurdles winner who continued theme of race-by-race progress over fences when scoring with something in hand here (3m) 5 weeks ago. 10 lb higher now but has more to come so should make a bold bid for the hat-trick.

Form: 41-P511

Charlie Uberalles³⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 10-2| J: Sean Quinlan| T: Mrs Dianne Sayer| OR: 123

9/2

Dual 3m chase winner in 2022 and bounced back to form away from the mud when third in Premier Handicap here (3m) last month. Remains lightly raced for his age so warrants respect.

Form: 441-3P3

Non-Runners

Kinondo Kwetu¹²⁶

Weight: 11-9| Age: 8

T: S England J: Jonathan England

Erne River³⁵

Weight: 11-2| Age: 9

T: N Kent J: Charlie Hammond

Java Point²⁸

Weight: 10-9| Age: 9

T: Henry Oliver J: Ben Jones

Forecasts

Some Scope (3/1), Charlie Uberalles (9/2), Undersupervision (11/2), Certainly Red (6/1), Java Point (7/1), Erne River (8/1), Half Shot (9/1), Docpickedme (10/1), Ashtown Lad (12/1), Hidden Heroics (14/1), Does He Know (20/1), Flash Collonges (25/1), Kinondo Kwetu (25/1)

SOME SCOPE is a chaser on a steep upward curve so is taken to defy a 10 lb rise and complete the hat-trick. Java Point has made a promising start for this yard and remains on a good mark on old form after his Sandown win, so is next best ahead of Undersupervision, who went close to winning this for the second year in succession 12 months ago.