16:35 Uttoxeter

Saturday 4 May 2024

All16:0016:3517:1017:4518:1818:5319:25

Adept GRP Cabinets Handicap Chase

Off time: 16:35 | Winning time: 5m 33.64s

Nocte Volatus^t⁵⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 11-13| J: Cameron Iles⁽⁷⁾| T: T Lacey| OR: 120

16/5

Losing run is mounting up but the handicapper is showing mercy and he would be a danger to all if reproducing the level of form he showed in handicaps at Chepstow in October (and also when third at Newcastle in December). Trip/ground fine.

Form: 2/23346-

Lesser¹¹²

Age: 10| Weight: 11-11| J: Finn Lambert⁽³⁾| T: R T Phillips| OR: 118| D

11/1

Point/bumper winner who looked a good prospect when landing brace of novice hurdles during first half of 2021. Unsurprisingly shaped as if needing first start for 33 months at Wetherby in January (weakened quickly) and this promises to reveal more. Chase debut.

Form: 1111/8-

Fern Hill³⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 11-10| J: Harry Bannister| T: B I Case| OR: 117| C| D

9/2

This mark is a good one judged on his reappearance third to Nassalam but he's run abysmally on all 4 outings since, tried in various types of headgear in the process. Needs to bounce back in a major way.

Form: 4/3PP67-

Sporty Jim⁵⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: Charlie Hammond| T: B R Summers| OR: 114

20/1

Low-mileage 7-y-o who bounced back to form when second of 7 in handicap hurdle at Market Rasen (23f, soft) in February. First-time cheekpieces (omitted here) didn't have the desired effect when beaten 25 lengths into third at Wincanton the following month and has since changed yards.

Form: 31/5P23-

Mumbo Jumbo^t,v1⁷⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-6| J: Joe Anderson⁽⁵⁾| T: Miss E C Lavelle| OR: 113

13/2

Yet to win a race of any description and his most recent efforts have been underwhelming. On the upside, his mark is on the slide and he would have a fighting chance back down in trip here if reproducing the form of his Exeter third in November. Visor applied.

Form: 2/U3PP4-

Magic Dancer^p,t¹¹⁰

Age: 12| Weight: 11-6| J: R Patrick| T: Kerry Lee| OR: 113

16/1

Form nosedived after he landed a Cheltenham handicap at the beginning of his 2022/23 campaign, and this veteran is probably worth taking on, for all that he has slipped to a dangerous mark.

Form: 135/PP5-

Texard²⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 11-3| J: Philip Armson⁽³⁾| T: R J Armson| OR: 110| C

15/8

Lost his way for David Pipe but has gradually recaptured his form since joining present yard and he was a runaway winner of a 17.2f Market Rasen handicap last month. Moving back up in trip shouldn't be an issue and a 10 lb rise is unlikely to prevent him from going in again.

Form: PF/4631-

Post No Bills²¹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-2| J: Benjamin Poste| T: R Potter| OR: 109| D

20/1

Bagged 3 handicap chases in 2023, readily making all at Plumpton (17f, good) for latest success in September. However, he hasn't put his best foot forward in 2 starts since returning from a break in March.

Form: 321345-

Forecasts

Texard (15/8), Nocte Volatus (16/5), Fern Hill (9/2), Mumbo Jumbo (13/2), Lesser (11/1), Magic Dancer (16/1), Post No Bills (20/1), Sporty Jim (20/1)

TEXARD quickened away from his rivals in good style at Market Rasen and, if in a similar mood here, he should have little trouble shrugging off a 10 lb rise in the weights. Nocte Volatus is capable of a bold show, while Lesser is an intriguing candidate on this chase debut and Mumbo Jumbo could have a part to play, too.