13:30 Haydock

Saturday 21 December 2024

All11:4512:2012:5513:3014:0514:4015:15

Betfred 'Bet Builder' Handicap Chase

Off time: 13:30 | Winning time: 4m 29.50s

Netywell²⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 12-0| J: P W Wadge| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 128| CD

4/1

Consistent type who registered the first leg of a hat-trick last winter when landing this race by a wide-margin 12 months ago. Looked rusty back over this C&D on his seasonal reappearance and, with the cobwebs now blown away, he has to enter calculations.

Form: 31114-3

Xcitations²⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: Paul O'Brien| T: Mrs P Sly| OR: 126| D

15/2

It's been a struggle since his latest success at Sandown last November but he boasts a healthy strike rate over fences (5-19) and is now 8 lb below that winning mark. Dangerous to discount with last month's C&D reappearance spin under his belt.

Form: 3U764-5

Red Rookie²¹⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 11-10| J: G Sheehan| T: Miss E C Lavelle| OR: 124| D

13/2

Winless last season but performed with credit on final 2 starts of that campaign, making the frame in 3m handicap chases at Uttoxeter. Drop back in trip no bad thing (all 5 career wins in various race-types gained at around 2m) and he's lurking on a potentially handy mark.

Form: 43743-4

Cerendipity⁶⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-8| J: Nick Scholfield| T: J Parkinson & S Smith| OR: 122

11/2

Crucially produced a better round of jumping when running out an authoritative winner on final start of last season at Bangor. Shaped as if needing his Wetherby return in October and worth noting he's won second time out for each of the last 2 seasons.

Form: PF351-6

Royal Mer^t²⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: Jack Tudor| T: D Pipe| OR: 120| D

9/1

Notched 5 handicap wins during first campaign over fences in 2023/24, completing a hat-trick in good style at Wincanton in April. However, he ended that campaign on a downer (pulled up at Ayr) and he hasn't shown much in 2 starts so far this season.

Form: 111P-46

Findthetime³⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-5| J: Sam Coltherd| T: W Coltherd| OR: 119| D

12/1

Landed a pair of small-field handicaps last winter for Nicky Richards and got back on track for his current yard when second of 6 in handicap chase at Hexham (15.6f, good) in June. However, he was safely held back from a break last month and others make more appeal on this occasion.

Form: 414-P24

Intimate¹⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: Ned Fox⁽³⁾| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 114| D

10/3

Took form to a new level over hurdles when successful at Hereford on final run of last season. Good start in this sphere when chasing home a race-fit rival on his reappearance at Sandown (15.4f, good to soft) and he should make a bold bid to go one better here.

Form: 23651-2

Sunnyvilla²⁴⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 10-13| J: Danny McMenamin| T: N G Richards| OR: 113

13/2

Notched third success over fences for Donal Hassett in Ireland when landing a Cork handicap in April. Decent third at Limerick 18 days later and should win races for this new yard, albeit he'll need to be at the top of his game back from an 8-month absence in order to take this.

Form: P84413-

Forecasts

Intimate (10/3), Netywell (4/1), Cerendipity (11/2), Sunnyvilla (13/2), Red Rookie (13/2), Xcitations (15/2), Royal Mer (9/1), Findthetime (12/1)

INTIMATE made a promising start over fences when finding only Mount Tempest too good at Sandown and, with the likelihood of better to come from this 6-y-o, he looks the way to go. Next on the list is Cerendipity, who is bidding to win second time out for the third consecutive season, while last year's winner Netywell and Xcitations also warrant consideration.