15:00 Ffos Las

Thursday 30 May 2024

All14:2815:0015:3516:0816:4017:10

Remembering Phillip 'Mick' Martin Handicap Chase

Off time: 15:00 | Winning time: 4m 50.37s

Dan's Chosen^p³⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: Sean Houlihan| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 110

12/1

Triple chase in 2023, jumping fluently for latest of them in October. Presumably having a pipe-opener back over hurdles after 6 months off at Taunton 5 weeks ago and better expected now.

Form: 141315-

Steppenwolf^p,t¹²⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Jack Tudor| T: D Pipe| OR: 110| DWS

13/2

Winning hurdler/fair maiden chaser for Gavin Patrick Cromwell (sold 21,500 gns in February). Opposable off current mark starting out for new connections.

Form: F6U355-

Ballinsker^p³⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 11-11| J: Isabel Williams⁽³⁾| T: Evan Williams| OR: 109| CD

13/2

Took advantage of a much-reduced mark returned to fences in 7-runner handicap (14/1) at this C&D (good to soft) 38 days ago, the refitting of cheekpieces back down in trip and less testing ground having a positive effect. Remains potentially well treated up 3 lb.

Form: 386PP1-

Magic Dancer^p,t²⁶

Age: 12| Weight: 11-10| J: R Patrick| T: Kerry Lee| OR: 108

10/1

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: 35/PP5-4

Exmoor Forest⁴⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: David Noonan| T: N J Hawke| OR: 105

6/1

Winner of Warwick maiden hurdle last season. In-and-out since, though his fourth at Chepstow on chasing debut offered encouragement, so he's worthy of consideration with improvement on the cards.

Form: PP4934-

Jack The Savage^t¹⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: K Brogan| T: L Horsfall| OR: 103

15/2

Won 2m handicap hurdle at Huntingdon in October. Failed badly to back that up next 2 starts and it was a rather hollow second at Hereford on return. Not an obvious chasing type.

Form: 4/U150-2

Blue Shark¹²⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: Jonjo O'Neill Jr.| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 102| C| D

14/1

Highly progressive over hurdles in 2022/23 but badly out of form last season so plenty to prove switched to fences.

Form: 1687PP-

Iron Heart^v⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: Adam Wedge| T: P & M Bowen| OR: 102| BF| D

9/1

Back to form back over hurdles when readily scoring at Market Rasen and backed that up with good second back over fences at Bangor. Possibly found his recent busy spell catching up with him at Huntingdon since but turned out relatively quickly again.

Form: 845-125

Boston Joe^t¹²

Age: 8| Weight: 11-2| J: S Bowen| T: Miss R Curtis| OR: 100| BF| C

5/2

Remains a sketchy jumper over fences but capitalised on some lenient handicapping to enhance his good course record here in 11-runner handicap chase (16f, good to soft, 9/2) earlier this month. Pulled up quickly at Bangor 11 days ago but presumably all is well.

Form: 5345-1P

Forecasts

Boston Joe (5/2), Exmoor Forest (6/1), Steppenwolf (13/2), Ballinsker (13/2), Jack The Savage (15/2), Iron Heart (9/1), Magic Dancer (10/1), Dan's Chosen (12/1), Blue Shark (14/1)

BALLINSKER bounced back to form re-united with this rider when scoring over C&D last month and remains potentially well treated up 3 lb. Exmoor Forest offered plenty to work on starting out over fences when fourth at Chepstow and rates the main threat ahead of Dan's Chosen, who should be much closer to form after his comeback spin over hurdles.