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14:00 Leopardstown

Saturday 1 February 2020

All12:5013:2514:0014:3515:1015:4516:20

ERSG Arkle Novice Chase (Grade 1)

Off time: 14:00 | Winning time: 4m 15.0s

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Selected odds by:

Bapaume^t⁴⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: R M Power| T: W P Mullins| CD

9/2

Improved from his chasing debut when disappointing (sent off evens) at Fairyhouse in November to win a Beginners' Chase at Naas in fine style. Just about Grade 1 level over hurdles and worth a crack at this level.

Form: 4-34271

Cash Back^h²⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 11-10| J: D E Mullins| T: W P Mullins| OR: 153| D

10/3

Placed in Grade 2 company over hurdles and has looked even better in his two starts over fences. Will need to step up on the level of form he's shown so far but he looks a natural over the larger obstacles and entirely unexposed.

Form: 2/12-511

Gallant John Joe^p³⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: B Browne| T: O McKiernan| D

25/1

Runner-up to Melon on chase debut over C&D but perhaps flattered by the proximity to the winner given his rival's bad mistake at the last; open to improvement.

Form: 317-952

Melon³⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-10| J: P Townend| T: W P Mullins| CD

4/1

Runner-up to Fakir D'Oudairies on chase debut and then got the better of Gallant John Joe over C&D last time, despite making a bad error at the last; needs to jump better if he's going to win this.

Form: 2F-7021

Notebook^t³⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 158| CD

5/4

Built like a chaser and has improved enormously for the switch to fences, unbeaten in three starts and very impressive when getting the better of Fakir D'Oudairies in a C&D Grade 1 last month; likely capable of more progression here.

Form: 20-2111

Royal Rendezvous^h³⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 11-10| J: M P Fogarty| T: W P Mullins| OR: 148| D

14/1

Beaten a long way by Notebook and Fakir D'Oudairies last time out when third of five in a Grade 1 and hard to imagine him reversing that form line; down the order on jockey bookings and others preferred.

Form: 111-P13

Non-Runners

Fakir D'Oudairies³⁷

Weight: 11-5| Age: 5

T: J P O'Brien J: M P Walsh

Forecasts

Notebook (5/4), Fakir D'Oudairies (2/1), Cash Back (10/3), Melon (4/1), Bapaume (9/2), Royal Rendezvous (14/1), Gallant John Joe (25/1)

Grade 1 Novice Chase at this venue at Christmas looks like the form line to focus on and there's every chance NOTEBOOK can confirm the form with Fakir D'Oudairies and remain unbeaten over fences after a mightily impressive display last time out. Cash Back could prove to be the best of the Mullins quartet.