Dance Through The Decades Christmas Parties Novices' Handicap Chase

Off time: 13:47 | Winning time: 4m 7.11s

Ballyearl^h¹⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-13| J: Alice Stevens⁽³⁾| T: L Morgan| OR: 98

20/1

A fair 2m hurdles winner at his best for Henry de Bromhead. Not disgraced on second run for new yard with fifth of 7 in handicap hurdle at Stratford (2m, good to soft) 16 days ago. Retried over fences now (pulled up on chase debut) with more needed.

Form: 60-P8P5

Image of Stars that are filled with the colour gold

Kalkaroo¹⁸⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-8| J: G Sheehan| T: Billy Aprahamian| OR: 93| BF

11/8

Consistent sort who scored over hurdles at Market Rasen (2m) in February and was largely in good heart in handicap hurdles subsequently. Goes chasing here and not without interest.

Form: 61323-7

Synchronist^t¹⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-8| J: S Bowen| T: Mrs S J Humphrey| OR: 93| CD

5/2

Won a pair of 2m handicap hurdles in 2024/25 but he has failed to take to this discipline, trailing in a remote last of 5 in handicap chase at Market Rasen (19f, good to soft) 16 days ago. Needs to take a major step forward.

Form: 33444-5

Kupka Vallis^h1,t²⁷³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: Ned Fox⁽³⁾| T: C Boultbee-Brooks| OR: 88

17/2

Lightly-raced maiden hurdler. Pulled up in handicap here (2½m, soft) in February. Hooded for her chase debut with her fitness to prove after 9 months off.

Form: 8U4/35P-

Walk The Plank^p1¹¹⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 10-3| J: Charlie Hammond| T: C Hobson| OR: 74| D

10/3

Well backed and much improved on third chase start when opening account at Huntingdon (2m) in March. Had excuses next 2 outings but a well-beaten eighth of 10 in handicap chase at Uttoxeter (2m, good to soft) in July. Cheekpieces go on for first time now and handily weighted if back on his A-game.

Form: 5P1-458

Non-Runners

Joyau Allen¹

Weight: 12-7| Age: 7

T: Jamie Snowden J: G Sheehan

Forecasts

Kalkaroo (11/8), Joyau Allen (11/8), Synchronist (5/2), Walk The Plank (10/3), Kupka Vallis (17/2), Ballyearl (20/1)

All of these arrive with a question to answer so it could pay to side with largely reliable hurdler KALKAROO to make a winning start in this sphere. Joyau Allen can also play a prominent role starting out over fences under the care of Jamie Snowden, while Walk The Plank is weighted to go well if back to his best.