15:40 Exeter

Friday 8 March 2024

All13:4014:1014:4015:1015:4016:10

Keystone Group Handicap Chase

Off time: 15:42 | Winning time: 6m 50.2s

Supervisor⁸^{(ex 7)}

Age: 10| Weight: 12-3| J: Ned Fox⁽⁵⁾| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 96| D

11/4

Low-mileage 10-y-o put it all together when opening his account in a handicap chase at Ludlow (23.8f, heavy) back from a 10-month absence last week. Obvious claims under a penalty, provided the relatively quick turnaround doesn't prove to be problematic.

Form: P32/F-21

Game Socks^p³⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 12-0| J: Charlie Hammond| T: R & J & J Insole| OR: 100

9/1

Off the mark at third attempt in this sphere in 6-runner handicap at Worcester (23f, good to soft) in June 2022. Hasn't really fired in 3 starts since returning from 17 months off in December but he's dangerous to completely rule out having slipped to an attractive mark.

Form: 421-4P4

Unblinking^t⁶⁹

Age: 11| Weight: 11-9| J: Jordan Nailor| T: R Bevis| OR: 95

12/1

Gained breakthrough over fences at Hereford (25f, good) last February and while that wasn't a particularly strong contest, he has found just one too good in deeper races on 2 of his 3 subsequent starts. One for the shortlist.

Form: 4P-2272

Inchagoill Lady^t¹⁰³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-7| J: Bryan Carver| T: K Pickard| OR: 93WS

28/1

Placed both outings in Irish points and runner-up on second start over hurdles at Hereford last January. However, has offered little since, including on her stable/seasonal debut in November, and she's probably best watched now switched to fences on the back of another break/wind op.

Form: 3/028P-P

Bampton Star^p1,t²⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: Lorcan Williams| T: J Scott| OR: 86

3/1

Little to shout about following first 4 starts over hurdles but there was improvement on his handicap debut at Lingfield (23f, soft) where he chased home the bang in-form Major Fortune (winner twice again since). Will be a threat if able to build on that now tackling fences with cheekpieces added.

Form: 0P53-2

Wind Tor⁶¹

Age: 12| Weight: 10-6| J: Miss Chloe Emsley⁽⁷⁾| T: P Gundry| OR: 78| CD

11/4

Made the frame 4 times in staying handicap chases last spring and she clearly likes it here (form figures over this C&D read 113). Runner-up in an open point in January, so won't be found wanting fitness-wise, and this 12-y-o may well have a part to play.

Form: 334-332

Bignorm^p¹⁹

Age: 12| Weight: 10-2| J: Benjamin Poste| T: Mrs R Gasson| OR: 72

9/1

Sole success from 31 career starts was gained almost 3 years ago and while his latest third off this mark at Southwell (24.3f, heavy) was a creditable effort, one suspects that he will again find one or two too good.

Form: 385443

Firefly Lane^t²³

Age: 8| Weight: 10-2| J: Ellis Collier⁽⁷⁾| T: J D Frost| OR: 64| D

22/1

Winning pointer but has achieved little so far under Rules and looks up against it from out of the weights.

Form: 32P0-6P

Non-Runners

Our Friend Mo¹⁷

Weight: 10-12| Age: 6

T: J & A O'Neill J: Jonjo O'Neill Jr.

Forecasts

Supervisor (11/4), Wind Tor (11/4), Bampton Star (3/1), Game Socks (9/1), Bignorm (9/1), Unblinking (12/1), Our Friend Mo (12/1), Firefly Lane (22/1), Inchagoill Lady (28/1)

Given that SUPERVISOR's racecourse appearances have hitherto been few and far between, it remains to be seen how well he'll cope with this relatively quick turnaround following his wide-margin Ludlow success last week. That said, the 10-y-o looked on good terms with himself that day and he makes plenty of appeal from a handicapping standpoint given that he's 5 lb 'well-in' under a penalty. Chase-debutant Bampton Star, Unblinking and Wind Tor can scrap it out for minor honours.