OLBG 'Chasing Excellence' Novices' Chase (GBB Race)

Off time: 14:15 | Winning time: 4m 10.93s

Leading Choice³⁹⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 11-2| J: Sean Houlihan| T: Nicky Martin| D

25/1

Fair winning hurdler who ran below form on both starts in 2024/25. Should make a chaser but faces no easy task at the weights.

Form: 2136/49-

Personal Ambition^b1⁶⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-2| J: Ben Jones| T: B Pauling| OR: 133

9/4

Grade 2 hurdle winner who has shown useful form over fences but struggling for form at present, again running poorly when a well-beaten last of 5 in Grade 2 at Ascot latest. Blinkers now tried.

Form: 23P-4P5

Quebecois^t²⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-2| J: H Cobden| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 139

2/5

Dispatched pair of subsequent winners in 3m novice handicap hurdle at Ayr last spring. Resumed with promising second on Exeter chase debut in November and very much back on the up after a blip a Sandown when second in Timeform Novices' Handicap at Cheltenham last time. Open to further improvement.

Form: 321-242

Non-Runners

Old Cowboy³⁸

Weight: 11-9| Age: 6

T: G & J Moore J: Freddie Mitchell

Forecasts

Quebecois (2/5), Personal Ambition (9/4), Old Cowboy (5/1), Leading Choice (25/1)

QUEBECOIS got firmly back on the up when second in the Timeform Novices' Handicap at Cheltenham last time and can make the most of a good opportunity on his way to better things. Old Cowboy was said to have bled in the aftermath of his Kempton fall but remains open to improvement nonetheless.