FIFTH RACE 3.50

THE VIRGIN BET HANDICAP STEEPLE CHASE (CLASS 4)

for five yrs old and upwards ™ Total prize fund £13400

Owners Prize Money. 1st £5412, 2nd £2705, 3rd £1353, 4th £677, 5th £338. (Penalty Value £7076.54)

Weights raised 1lb and paragraph 34 of the Weights and Handicapping Code complied with where applicable

Leading course trainer (17-22): G L Moore (11 wins from 154 runners, 7%) runs OZZIE MAN

Trainer-in-form (last 14 days): G L Moore (6 wins from 37 runners, 16%) runs OZZIE MAN colours no horse age st-lb

Weightwatcher: MISTER MURCHAN won off a handicap mark of 113, his rating is now down 8lb to 105. Longest Traveller: JUST DON’T KNOW trained by Paul Robson, Hawick, 354 miles.

1 SOUTHERN SAM (GB) (115) 5/13//32-2

9 12-0

Br B g Black Sam Bellamy (IRE) - Pougatcheva (FR) Harry Bannister J

O Tim Syder Richard Bandey, Kingsclere T

B J B Property Developments (Midlands) Ltd

Tote S

TIMEFORM VIEWVerylightlyracedforhisageandranwellafteranother9-monthabsencewhenchasinghomeFrenchParadoxe(winneragainsince)atWetherby (24.2f,soft)inNovember Clearlygoeswellfreshandremainsunexposedinthissphere,sothereisplentyofcauseforoptimism. TFRHHHHI BHA119

2 JUST DON’T KNOW (IRE) (7) 4-22141 D 10 11-13

Br B g Kalanisi (IRE) - Desperado Queen (IRE) Craig Nichol J

O Border Caravans Ltd Paul Robson, Hawick T

B L. W. Doran

TIMEFORMVIEWSuccessfultwicelasttermandnotchedsecondwinofthecurrentcampaignatAyr(3m)lastweekend, looking very much in control before his sole rival fell at the second-last. Bold show likely. TFRHHHHH BHA118

3 HARLEM SOUL (GB) (44) 061315

Br Ch g Frankel - Giants Play (USA)

5 11-12

Jordan Nailor J

O Syd Hosie Syd Hosie Sherborne T

B Newsells Park Stud Sherborne Utilities Ltd, Steven James Hosie S

TIMEFORM VIEW Has taken well to chasing for a Flat-bred, scoring twice over 2 1/2m at Wincanton in December. However, he struggled off this mark at the same course last time and stamina has to be taken on trust now upped in trip TFRHHIII BHA121

4 EDE’IFFS ELTON (GB) (28) 4-PF344 BF 9 11-10

Br B g Geordieland (FR) - Ede’iff Harry Cobden J

O Mr A. Lees Robert Walford, Blandford T

B Mr A. F. Lees Tote S

TIMEFORM VIEW All 3 career wins have come over fences at Wincanton but proved a major let-down on first run following a wind op there last month. Others make greater appeal. TFRHHIII BHA115

5 PUTDECASHONTHEDASH (IRE) (44) P51-PF0 10 11-7

Br B g Doyen (IRE) - Be My Adelina (IRE) Daryl Jacob J

O Goodfellers Racing Keiran Burke, Whitcombe T

B Michael P. Keane Planning Base Ltd S

TIMEFORM VIEW Signed off last season on a winning note at Plumpton but, having failed to complete on first 2 starts this time round, he was well beaten at Wincanton last time. Probably best to look elsewhere.

6 NORTHERN POET (IRE) (23) 32/-1P41

TFRHIIII BHA112

8 11-5

Br B g Yeats (IRE) - Crowning Virtue (IRE) James Davies J

O The Hope Springs Syndicate Nick Gifford, Findon T

B David Russell Avtrade Limited S

TIMEFORM VIEW Bumper/hurdles winner who stepped up on his chase debut when landing a 5-runner Huntingdon handicap (2 1/2m) last month, despite not travelling well for much of the race This is more demanding up 3lb TFRHHHII BHA110

7 ANIMAL (IRE) (5) 3-63302

Br B g Arcadio (GER) - Fantine (IRE)

7 11-3

Charlie Hammond J

O James Rimmer & Chris Ames Suzy Smith, Littlehampton T

B Ms Ciara Browne Tote S

TIMEFORM VIEWOpened chase account from 3lb lower mark at Fakenham last January and arrives here on the back of a near-miss at Stratford (22.6f) wherestayedonwellintheclosingstages.Unexposedatthistripandshouldbeinthemix,providedthisdoesn’tcometoosoon.

8 OZZIE MAN (IRE) (40) 2-1132P D BF

TFRHHHII BHA108

7 11-3

Br B g Ask - Parkdota (IRE) David Noonan J

O Mr Paul Hunt Gary Moore, Horsham T

B Mrs Mary O’Connor

Heart Of The South Bloodstock S

TIMEFORMVIEWWinneroffirst2startsinthissphereandlostlittlecasteindefeatwhengoingcloseatHuntingdon(21/2m)onpenultimatestart.Pooreffort whentriedinavisoratFontwelllasttimebutcouldmakehispresencefeltifabletobouncebackinachangeofheadgearhere. TFRHHHII BHA108

9 MISTER MURCHAN (IRE) (47) 4/62-5P5

D 10 11-0

Br B g Westerner - So Supreme (IRE) Niall Houlihan (3) J

O The Winterlee Partnership Richard Rowe, Pulborough T

B Grange Stud Southern Cranes & Access Limited S

TIMEFORMVIEWHasdippedbelowlastwinningmarkbutverylightly-racedinrecenttimesandhasfailedtofireoneach of his 3 starts so far this season. Hopes pinned on first-time cheekpieces sparking a revival. TFRHIIII BHA105

10 UALLRIGHTHARRY (IRE) (47) 2P-P514 D 11 10-13

Br B g Craigsteel - Enchanted Valley (IRE) Brendan Powell J

O Mrs S. Stanier Karen Jewell, Sittingbourne T

B Desmond Devereux Tote S

TIMEFORM VIEW Runner-up 4 times last season and got his head in front for the first time since October 2019 when scoring in decisive fashion at Plumpton in December. He’s not the most reliable on the whole, though, and was below par next time. TFRHHIII BHA104

11 I’M A STARMAN (GB) (26) 62-4P03 10 10-5

Br Ch g Schiaparelli (GER) - Strathtay Sam Twiston-Davies J

O Mr Mark Rimell Mark Rimell, Witney T

B Mrs M. R. T. Rimell

TIMEFORM VIEWDualhurdleswinner whobettered hisprevious chaseefforts bysome waywhen third of12 infirst-time blinkersat Carlisle (2 1/2m) last month. Remains on an attractive mark and could have a part to play back up in trip here. TFRHHHII BHA96

DECLARED RUNNERS 11 2022: CERTAINLY RED 8 11 11 Marc Goldstein 2-1 (Lydia Richards) 6 ran

Sheepskin Cheek Pieces worn first time by No 8, 9. Blinkers worn by No 11. Tongue Strap worn by No 4, 5.

Sheepskin Cheek Pieces worn by No 4, 5, 10

Stewards Note:

SOUTHERN SAM: Following its run on 23/11/2022 it was reported that the horse lost a shoe

HARLEM SOUL: Following its run on 2/2/2023 it was reported that the horse was unsuited by the shorter trip

EDE’IFFS ELTON: Following its run on 18/2/2023 it was reported that the horse suffered interference in running.

OZZIE MAN: Following its run on 6/2/2023 it was reported that the trainer could not explain the poor run.

Probable S.P’s: 4-1 Southern Sam (GB), 11-2 Just Don’t Know (IRE), 7-1 Animal (IRE), 8-1 I’m A Starman (GB), 17-2 Ozzie Man (IRE), 10-1 Northern Poet (IRE), 12-1 Uallrightharry (IRE), 14-1 Ede’iffs Elton (GB), 20-1 Harlem Soul (GB), 28-1 Mister Murchan (IRE), 33-1 Putdecashonthedash (IRE)

PLAY SMARTER

The reliable JUST DON’T KNOW didn’t achieve much when allowed to come home alone at Ayr last weekend, but he looked firmly in control at the time of his sole rival’s departure and further success could be on the cards. The lightly-raced Southern Sam is an obvious danger, resuming from a break on the same mark as when chasing home a progressive type on his reappearance at Wetherby, while I’m A Starman also enters calculations, along with Animal.