16:35 Kelso

Sunday 26 May 2024

All14:1514:5015:2516:0016:3517:1017:45

Ponsse UK Novices' Handicap Chase

Off time: 16:35 | Winning time: 6m 20.5s

Goodtimes Badtimes⁷⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 12-0| J: Ryan Mania| T: A M Thomson| OR: 100

9/2

Off for nearly 2 years after finishing second here in May 2022. Well held in a recent comeback outing at this venue but that might have been needed and Ryan Mania seemingly prefers him to stablemate Baron Briggs now switching to fences for the first time.

Form: 13212/9-

Toucan Sam^t¹¹

Age: 6| Weight: 12-0| J: Alan Doyle⁽⁵⁾| T: A B Hamilton| OR: 100

6/1

Modest chaser who reverts to handicaps after finishing runner-up in 3m hunters at Hexham and Perth earlier this month. His mark looks workable based on the form he showed last time. Might be the answer.

Form: 26-3322

Grand Du Nord³³⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-10| J: C O'Farrell| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 96

7/2

Fair maiden hurdler who was runner-up in a 3m Wetherby handicap last month but hasn't reproduced that form in 2 visits to Hexham since. Switches to fences for the first time now.

Form: 8532/36-

Baron Briggs^t,p⁵⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 10-8| J: Danny McMenamin| T: A M Thomson| OR: 80

9/4

Started last season with 3 consecutive third-placed finishes in handicap chases (including here) but pulled up at Carlisle when last seen at the end of March. Ryan Mania on the stable's other runner.

Form: 3/3334P-

Izzy Bell^t¹⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 10-5| J: Peter Kavanagh⁽³⁾| T: M A Barnes| OR: 77

50/1

Has yet to better poor form over hurdles. Remains to be seen whether a switch to fences makes any difference.

Form: 6/P6PP-0

Derwent Dealer^p³⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 10-5| J: Henry Brooke| T: D Brooke| OR: 77

15/2

Just modest in bumpers and over hurdles and hasn't fared any better switched to fences after wind surgery this spring.

Form: P68/95P-

Dark Duomo^b,t⁷³

Age: 6| Weight: 10-2| J: Emma Smith-Chaston⁽³⁾| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 69

13/2

Poor maiden hurdler for Philip Hobbs & Johnson White and hasn't shown enough over hurdles/fences for present stable (tailed-off fourth last time) to make him of interest here.

Form: F44994-

Non-Runners

Jeteye¹²

Weight: 11-11| Age: 7

T: S England J: Craig Nichol

Forecasts

Baron Briggs (9/4), Jeteye (11/4), Grand Du Nord (7/2), Goodtimes Badtimes (9/2), Toucan Sam (6/1), Dark Duomo (13/2), Derwent Dealer (15/2), Izzy Bell (50/1)

TOUCAN SAM arrives in form and might prove the answer to this trappy-looking affair. Jeteye has a bit of a mixed record but his hurdle second last month shows he's capable from his mark and it wouldn't be any surprise were he to bounce straight back from his subsequent no show on chase debut. Goodtimes Badtimes is third choice.