11:52 Southwell

Monday 16 December 2024

All11:5212:2212:5213:2213:5214:2214:5215:22

Golf And Gallop Package Handicap Chase

Off time: 11:52 | Winning time: 6m 53.70s

Ali Star Bert⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 12-0| J: J M Quinlan| T: S A Harris| OR: 100| CD

8/1

Three-time 3m chase winner (including twice over C&D) in the mud last season but ran too badly to be true at Wetherby (24.2f, heavy) 9 days ago, labouring badly under circuit out. Immediate bounce back needed.

Form: U2-P52P

Safe Destination³⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: Toby McCain-Mitchell⁽⁷⁾| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 96| D

11/2

Not the most reliable but returned with a career best to win at Market Rasen in September and backed it up with a good second at Fontwell (26f, good to soft) last month, so warrants respect.

Form: 1P55-12

Unblinking^t²³⁶

Age: 11| Weight: 11-6| J: Finn Lambert⁽³⁾| T: R Bevis| OR: 92

80/1

Gained breakthrough over fences at Hereford (25f, good) in 2022/23 season and was runner-up 3 times last season. However, he ended that campaign out of sorts so tough to know what mood he'll return in.

Form: 2272PP-

Valence D'Aumont^p1²²

Age: 10| Weight: 11-2| J: Sean Quinlan| T: J Parkinson & S Smith| OR: 88

17/2

Tumbled down the weights and finished a well-beaten third on both outings last month. This is his first crack at 3m over fences and headgear is applied for the first time for the yard. Handicapper drops him a further 3 lb.

Form: 9P4-533

Mistymal^p1³⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 10-13| J: Alan Johns| T: Tim Vaughan| OR: 85| BF| D

7/4

Irish point winner who made a winning chasing debut in 8-runner handicap at Hereford in October, forging clear run-in. Went like the best horse at the weights bidding to follow up when finishing a close third there (25.2f, good) last month and remains of interest. Headgear applied.

Form: 0254-13

Casting Aspersions^t²⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 10-10| J: J J Burke| T: Noel Williams| OR: 82

14/1

Runner-up both completed starts in points but only modest form shown over hurdles. Tongue tie replaced the usual hood but fared no better sent chasing on handicap debut at Ffos Las recently, so easy to look elsewhere.

Form: 27-05P0

Jessmae^p1¹⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-7| J: Lee Edwards| T: Henry Oliver| OR: 79| D

9/4

Successful just once from 8 starts between the flags and well held all 3 starts over hurdles. Offered a bit more tried chasing when runner-up at Market Rasen (21.4f, soft) just under 3 weeks ago and needs to build on that here. Cheekpieces applied.

Form: 2/244-02

Non-Runners

Ballynaheer²

Weight: 11-9| Age: 5

T: David Dennis J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Mistymal (7/4), Jessmae (9/4), Safe Destination (11/2), Ballynaheer (6/1), Ali Star Bert (8/1), Valence D'Aumont (17/2), Casting Aspersions (14/1), Unblinking (80/1)

Preference is for MISTYMAL, who made a winning debut in this sphere on return at Hereford in October and went like the best horse at the weights when narrowly denied back there just under 5 weeks ago. First-time cheekpieces go on, and he can get the better of Safe Destination, who isn't the most reliable but looks better than ever this season. Jessmae showed more than previously on his recent chase debut, so he rounds off the shortlist.