Sidgwick Memorial Novices' Handicap Chase (GBB Race)

4YO plus | Class 4 | 1m 7f 133y | 5 Runners | Turf

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Selected odds by:

Caithness³⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 12-1| J: D R Fox| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 121| D

Comfortable all-the-way winner of maiden/handicap over hurdles at Kelso last year. Hit-or-miss over timber since but made an encouraging start after 4 months off when head-second of 5 to The Churchill Lad on chase debut over C&D (good) 5 weeks ago. Can turn the tables with that rival here.

Form: 3606-32

The Churchill Lad^h²²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-13| J: Ross Chapman| T: R Menzies| OR: 119| CD

Hit the target 3 times over hurdles and perfect start in this sphere when seeing off 4 rivals over C&D last month, beating Caithness by a head. Ran creditably behind a rejuvenated second-season novice at Carlisle since and should continue to give a good account.

Form: 673312

One More Stroke^t1²⁰⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: B S Hughes| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 115

Made a promising start over hurdles last season, winning novices at Catterick and Carlisle. Done for finishing speed but still ran well in handicap at Newcastle (16.9f, heavy) when last seen in April and chasing could be just his bag. Tongue tie goes on.

Form: 22/2113-

Ballyfort^h,t¹³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-1| J: Bruce Lynn| T: N W Alexander| OR: 107

Shaped with plenty of promise in novice hurdles last season and was presumably having a pipe-opener after 7 months off when a never-dangerous eleventh of 15 on handicap debut at Kelso (16.2f, good to soft) recently. Attentions now turned to chasing (maiden in Irish points).

Form: 3/5635-0

Dream Jet³⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 10-11| J: Craig Nichol| T: B Ellison| OR: 103

Fair hurdler who opened his chase account at Market Rasen in July, overcoming a slipping saddle. Good efforts since, placed again but not seeming at his best after just 3 days off when third of 5 to The Churchill Lad at this C&D (good) 5 weeks ago. Not out of things from 2 lb lower.

Form: 212433

Forecasts

The Churchill Lad (5/2), Caithness (11/4), One More Stroke (3/1), Dream Jet (4/1), Ballyfort (8/1)

Cases can be made for all the quintet, but the suggestion is CAITHNESS, who went down by a head to the race-fit The Churchill Lad on chasing debut over C&D 5 weeks ago and can turn the tables now 1 lb better off with that rival here. One More Stroke, who was runner-up on both starts in Irish points earlier in his career, rounds off the shortlist making his return/chase bow fitted in a tongue tie.