15:05 Southwell

Monday 4 March 2024

All14:0514:3515:0515:4016:1016:40

Jumping For Fun Open Hunters' Chase

Off time: 15:06 | Winning time: 7m 28.50s

Aire Valley Lad^p²⁸

Age: 10| Weight: 12-6| J: Mr Gary Derwin| T: J J M Winston| OR: 96| D

100/1

Tricky customer who won a 3m Newcastle handicap chase for Sue Smith in November. Predictably not in the same form twice since and faces a stiff task on these terms now hunter chasing for a new stable.

Form: 8001P8

Stratagem^t⁶⁵⁰

5/2

Useful sort who hasn't been seen since making all in a C&D hunter in May 2022. Has had wind surgery since. From a top yard so fitness unlikely to be an issue and sure to have a big say if he retains his ability.

Form: 3P12/41-

Wick Green^p³²

Age: 11| Weight: 12-6| J: Mr P Mason⁽⁵⁾| T: B Pauling| OR: 122| CD

11/4

Fairly useful chaser with a consistent record for this stable, running well for fourth in a useful Wincanton hunter last month.

Form: 133484

Go Steady^p,t³⁷

Age: 12| Weight: 12-2| J: Mr Sean P O'Connor⁽⁷⁾| T: I P Popham| OR: 116

8/1

Dual handicap chase winner last season but has been performing only respectably over hurdles/fences for Dan Skelton this season. Likely to find a few too strong on hunter debut.

Form: 2-72455

Drop Flight¹³

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: Ben Sutton⁽³⁾| T: S Loxton| OR: 115

11/2

Placed on 4 times in hunter chases last season but doens't seem, in the same form this winter, finishing well held in 2 handicap hurdles for (for Noel Williams) before pulling up in a Taunton hunter 13 days ago.

Form: 2P2-66P

Haven't Time¹³

Age: 10| Weight: 11-12| J: Miss Lucy Turner| T: Miss S McQueen| OR: 105| D

10/1

Winning pointer. In process of running well when falling in hunter chase at Ludlow on Rules debut in January 2022 but hasn't built on that in 4 subsequent starts (including hurdles), finishing a well-held fifth in a Taunton hunter 13 days ago.

Form: FF/878-5

Polish^p³²

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: Tom Broughton| T: F O'Brien| OR: 116| D

9/2

Runner-up in handicap hurdles/chases on first 5 starts this season but recent efforts not so good, including disappointing when switched to a hunter at Wincanton last month. The refitting of cheekpieces needs to help spark a revival.

Form: 22273P

Non-Runners

Gaboriot⁷⁵

Weight: 12-6| Age: 8

T: O Greenall & J Guerriero J: Mr George Cowley

Caryto Des Brosses²⁹

Weight: 12-2| Age: 12

T: D Kemp J: Mr D Peters

Dickie Diver³⁶

Weight: 11-12| Age: 11

T: J Whyte J: Mr Rupert Wilks

Forecasts

Stratagem (5/2), Wick Green (11/4), Polish (9/2), Caryto Des Brosses (9/2), Gaboriot (5/1), Drop Flight (11/2), Go Steady (8/1), Haven't Time (10/1), Dickie Diver (50/1), Aire Valley Lad (100/1)

CARYTO DES BROSSES arrives fit from a point run last month and can land this race for the second year in succession. The returning Stratagem is another who has tasted hunter success over C&D and will be a big threat if retaining anything like his old ability. Gaboriot had a productive spell in handicap chases towards the end of 2023 and looks best of the rest.