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14:25 Ascot

Saturday 4 November 2017

All12:4013:1513:5014:2515:0015:3516:05

Byrne Group Handicap Chase (Listed)

Off time: 14:26 | Winning time: 4m 4.9s

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Selected odds by:

Theinval^p¹⁸⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: J McGrath| T: N J Henderson| OR: 148| D

6/1

For some his recent form figures might be off-putting, but in all fairness, he has locked horns with the likes of Double W's, Cloudy Dream and Two Taff's. Versatile in terms of trip, and with the ground ideal, this looks a reasonable starting point.

Form: 132227-

Max Ward²¹²

Age: 8| Weight: 11-11| J: N D Fehily| T: T R George| OR: 147| D

7/1

Back for a new trainer last term (after a lengthy break) and did well in his first season over fences, with the high point being a 5L success at Kempton in March (2m4f+ good). 13lb above his last winning mark.

Form: 13F214-

Quite By Chance²¹¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-8| J: T J O'Brien| T: C L Tizzard| OR: 144| CD

7/1

Finished well behind Theinval (third) when 13th of 24 in the Grand Annual at Cheltenham in March, but safest to ignore his effort in the Topham the following month. 9lb higher than when beating Noche De Reyes by 6L in this contest in 2016.

Form: 246F0P-

Marracudja^h,t¹³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 141| BF

4/1

Keen front runner who has proved strongest on sharp right handed tracks (dual Wincanton hurdles winner). Back with a reasonable effort at Kempton recently when headed late on and beaten 1½L by Oliver's Hill (2m2f good). Shorter trip a massive plus.

Form: 42P22-2

Festive Affair^p,t¹²⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 11-4| J: Aidan Coleman| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 140| D

20/1

Finished 7L third to Quite By Chance in this contest in 2016, but went onto win three races thereafter, climbing 15lb in the weights from this time last year. 6lb higher than when beating Hammersly Lake by 1½L at Uttoxeter in July (2m good).

Form: 317-141

Calipto¹⁹⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-2| J: B J Cooper| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 138| D

5/1

Hasn't seen all that much action since leaving Paul Nicholls for £24,000 in August 2016, but that was possibly purposely to protect his mark for Cheltenham (sixth to Rock The World in the Grand Annual in March). Place possibilities.

Form: 1338/6F-

Somchine¹⁹⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 11-0| J: A Thornton| T: J W Mullins| OR: 136

16/1

Winner at Wincanton on Boxing Day (2m soft) on a landmark afternoon for his rider, and concluded his campaign in fair order with a 5+L third to Vaniteux at Ayr in April (2m good). Career best effort required on seasonal reappearance.

Form: 31PU13-

Chris Pea Green⁵⁹⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 10-9| J: J E Moore| T: G & J Moore| OR: 131| D

10/1

Both of his chasing successes came in hock deep ground at Plumpton in December 2014, and off the track since the Cheltenham Festival in 2016, it would be a monumental training performance to bring him back competitive in this contest.

Form: 2F4U3P/

Little Pop^h,t¹⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 10-3| J: Jamie Bargary⁽³⁾| T: N A Twiston-Davies| OR: 125| BF| D

16/1

Grand sort in his grade over the minimum trip on decent ground, so connections will be watching the weather anxiously with rain forecast. 7lb above his last winning mark (Worcester in late September), and needs a career best in a stronger contest.

Form: 133112

Exitas¹³

Age: 9| Weight: 10-1| J: James Bowen⁽⁷⁾| T: P W Middleton| OR: 123| D

11/2

On the up since early September, winning twice, Stratford (2m1f good) and Kempton (2m2f good). 8lb above his last winning mark, where he beat Volt Face by a head, but that horse did little for the form at Sedgefield on Thursday.

Form: 5521F1

Non-Runners

Speredek²²⁶

Weight: 10-13| Age: 6

T: N J Hawke J: S Bowen

Forecasts

Marracudja (4/1), Calipto (5/1), Exitas (11/2), Theinval (6/1), Quite By Chance (7/1), Max Ward (7/1), Speredek (8/1), Chris Pea Green (10/1), Somchine (16/1), Little Pop (16/1), Festive Affair (20/1)

Quite By Chance and Festive Affair arrive in this contest for the second successive year, with the Tizzard trained runner a 6L victor in 2016 from a 9lb lower mark. The Jonjo O'Neill trained runner made the frame in finishing 7L third, but progressed quickly throughout the remainder of the season winning on three occasions. However, in the shape of MARRACUDJA, they face a rival for whom this is probably his Gold Cup. A fast, fluent hurdler, he has proved at his most effective on sharp right-handed courses (dual Wincanton scorer), and with the forecast ground conditions seemingly ideal, he promises to be much stronger than when narrowly denied by Oliver's Hill at Kempton. He'll prove a very tough nut to crack over this slightly reduced trip, and rates as a most confident selection.