13:30 Catterick

Tuesday 17 December 2024

All12:3013:0013:3014:0014:3015:0015:29

Support The Injured Jockeys Fund Novices' Handicap Chase

Off time: 13:30 | Winning time: 4m 45.74s

Not Staying Long²¹⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 12-0| J: Henry Brooke| T: P Neville| OR: 100| C

6/1

Winner of 25.3f novice hurdle here during first stint with Patrick Neville in February 2023 and improved when landing a mares' Ayr handicap over a similar trip for Mike Smith last winter. Below par since, though, and needs to get back on track now switched to fences having rejoined former yard.

Form: 43145-7

Image of Stars that are filled with the colour gold

Natural Ability^t³³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-11| J: Danny McMenamin| T: C Grant| OR: 97

85/40

Maiden hurdler/chaser in Ireland who shaped well on the first of 2 starts for Adrian Keatley at Sedgefield (16.4f, good) in September. Finally opened his account starting out for this yard over the same C&D last month and 5 lb rise looks manageable, so he's to consider.

Form: 08-04P1

Presenting Pete¹⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-9| J: K Brogan| T: J Mackie| OR: 95

4/1

Modest handicap hurdler who put in a good shift when runner-up on chase debut at Sedgefield (21f, good to soft) in October. Has failed to build on that in 3 subsequent starts in this sphere but couldn't rule out off this reduced mark (now 10 lb below latest winning hurdles mark) all the same.

Form: 442545

Hazard Collonges²⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: James Davies| T: G Hanmer| OR: 91

16/1

Still looking for first success but been cut plenty of slack by assessor and shaped well when 1¾ lengths last of 4 to Imperial Rule over this C&D last month. Down another 3 lb and reproduction of that effort will see him competitive.

Form: PPP-U44

Largy Valley^t⁴¹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-13| J: David Bass| T: C E Longsdon| OR: 85WS

8/1

Overcame greenness to make a winning debut in Ayr bumper for Stuart Crawford in 2022. It's been all downhill since, though, and he'll need to leave the level of form he showed over hurdles well behind in order to make a successful start in this sphere.

Form: P16/9-78

Baby Chou^t²¹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-13| J: Jonathan England| T: S England| OR: 85

40/1

Successful on one of her 4 starts between the flags but she hasn't shown enough under Rules to warrant serious consideration here.

Form: 4-07464

Goguenard²⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 10-8| J: Kielan Woods| T: D J Jeffreys| OR: 80| CD

14/1

Progressed well switched to handicap hurdles last season, again showing a good attitude when scoring for the third time at Stratford (2¾m, heavy) in March. However, there have been very few positives to take from his 3 subsequent appearances, including on chase debut at Market Rasen last time.

Form: 12109-P

She Has Notions^v⁵⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 10-5| J: Daire James McConville⁽⁷⁾| T: M Keighley| OR: 77

4/1

Left previous efforts behind when scoring at Worcester in July but isn't the most consistent and typically failed to back that up on next 2 starts. Better effort when third with visor refitted at Ludlow last time but whether he will be in the same form here is anybody's guess.

Form: 5P-1P53

Non-Runners

Ivegotdapower⁴⁶

Weight: 11-9| Age: 6

T: D McCain Jnr J: Theo Gillard

Hawkseye View¹⁷

Weight: 11-8| Age: 5

T: J Parkinson & S Smith J: Sean Quinlan

Forecasts

Hawkseye View (2/1), Natural Ability (85/40), She Has Notions (4/1), Presenting Pete (4/1), Not Staying Long (6/1), Largy Valley (8/1), Goguenard (14/1), Hazard Collonges (16/1), Ivegotdapower (16/1), Baby Chou (40/1)

If HAWKSEYE VIEW at least matches the form of his recent Newcastle second he will prove a tough nut to crack. Indeed, a last-fence mistake probably cost him that race and a 2 lb rise is negligible. Having raised his game when scoring on debut for this yard last month, Natural Ability is an obvious threat and Hazard Collonges also makes some appeal having taken a step forward over this C&D last time.