15:16
Mount Vines Novices' Handicap Steeple Chase (GBB Race)
Class 4, 2m4½f (2m4f72y), Chase, 4yo+, Rated 0-120, £5,809, 14 runners
- Going
- GOOD TO SOFT, Good in places (GoingStick: 5.0)
- Surface
- Turf
- Weather
- Sunny
Tip for this race
All today's tips ›Top Guy looks the call in a tightly packed Class 4 over 20 furlongs at Bangor-on-Dee, where fitness and a progressive profile count for plenty on the good to soft ground. He is rated 118, only a few pounds behind the top-rated Kel du Large on 123, and that gap is easily bridged by a horse who arrives sharper and still improving. Kel du Large is the obvious danger, with Mahland and Sign Again, both on 122, only narrowly behind him and the other key dangers. Top Guy's sharpness and upward trajectory give him the edge in a field of 14, so he is our selection.
Runners
Harry Skelton
Dan Skelton 18/77
Just Golden has finished in the first three in four of his last five, including a win two starts back, and has run over today's trip and going. However, he was unplaced last time out, returns after 227 days off and carries 170 lb, while our rating of 120 ranks him fifth of 14.
- Sire
- Flemensfirth (USA)
- Dam
- Golden Songbird (IRE) by Gold Well
- Owner
- The Late John Hales And Miss L Hales
- Foaled
- 7 Jan 2020
- Stable
- Alcester, Warwicks
- Trainer last 14 days
- 18 wins from 77 runs (23%)
- Trainer running to form
- 61%
- Ratings
- Perf 120
Toby Wynne
Mel Rowley 0/3
Mahland has won twice in his last five starts, including a victory two starts back, and he carries 167 lb with our ratings ranking him second of 14. The big risk is a 559-day absence, and he was pulled up last time out.
- Sire
- Mahler (GB)
- Dam
- Ebaniya (IRE) by Sinndar
- Owner
- Lady Dulverton
- Foaled
- 15 Apr 2018
- Stable
- Bridgnorth, Shrops
- Trainer last 14 days
- 0 wins from 3 runs (0%)
- Trainer running to form
- 50%
- Ratings
- Perf 122
James Bowen
Nicky Henderson 0/8
Laughing John won two starts back and three starts back, but he was unplaced last time out and returns after 182 days off. He has run over today's trip and going, and carries 166 lb off an official mark of 118, while our rating of 121 ranks him fourth of 14.
- Sire
- Postponed (IRE)
- Dam
- Mystery Code (GB) by Tobougg
- Owner
- Fortnum Racing
- Foaled
- 9 Feb 2021
- Stable
- Upper Lambourn, Berks
- Trainer last 14 days
- 0 wins from 8 runs (0%)
- Trainer running to form
- 58%
- Ratings
- Perf 121
Sam Twiston-Davies
Charlie Longsdon 4/12
Sign Again has run over today's trip and going and was third two starts back, while our rating of 122 ranks him third of 14 and sits above his official 117, so he's a leading threat. The risk is a 242-day absence and an unseated rider last time out, with 165 lb to carry.
- Sire
- Lucky Speed (IRE)
- Dam
- All Notoriety (IRE) by Shantou
- Owner
- Mrs D Fallows
- Foaled
- 28 May 2020
- Stable
- Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire
- Trainer last 14 days
- 4 wins from 12 runs (33%)
- Trainer running to form
- 33%
- Ratings
- Perf 122
Liam Harrison
Fergal O'Brien 4/24
Won last time out and has two wins in her last five starts, with a second and a third in that spell, and she has run over today's trip and going before; a 186-day absence and a hefty 165 lb hold her back, and our rating of 117 ranks her ninth of 14.
- Sire
- Passing Glance (GB)
- Dam
- Strong Westerner (IRE) by Westerner
- Owner
- Welfordgolf Syndicate
- Foaled
- 10 Apr 2019
- Stable
- Withington, Gloucs
- Trainer last 14 days
- 4 wins from 24 runs (17%)
- Trainer running to form
- 23%
- Ratings
- Perf 117
Jonathan Burke
Jamie Snowden 6/16
Kel du Large looks a leading threat, having won three starts back and been second two runs ago, while our rating of 123 ranks him top of 14 and he has run over today's trip and going. The risk is a 204-day absence and an unseated rider last time out.
- Sire
- No Risk At All (FR)
- Dam
- Princesse Selenia (FR) by Kapgarde
- Owner
- Tom Chadney And Friends
- Foaled
- 4 Apr 2020
- Stable
- Lambourn, Berks
- Trainer last 14 days
- 6 wins from 16 runs (38%)
- Trainer running to form
- 45%
- Ratings
- Perf 123
Theo Gillard
Donald McCain 2/12
Winning last time out and again four starts back, he arrives in good heart on form and has run over today's trip and going, but 192 days off the track and 164 lb on his back temper the enthusiasm. Our rating of 117 ranks him tenth of 14.
- Sire
- Sageburg (IRE)
- Dam
- Double Dream (IRE) by Double Eclipse
- Owner
- Mrs L Maclennan
- Foaled
- 9 Jun 2020
- Stable
- Cholmondeley, Cheshire
- Trainer last 14 days
- 2 wins from 12 runs (17%)
- Trainer running to form
- 36%
- Ratings
- Perf 117
- Wind surgery
- w 2
Tristan Durrell
Dan Skelton 18/77
Top Guy is our pick on profile: he was third last time out just 15 days ago, and he has a win three starts back, while having run over today's trip and going before. A sixth two starts back is the one blemish, and 163 lb is a hefty burden.
- Sire
- Court Cave (IRE)
- Dam
- Matt Wood (IRE) by Woodborough
- Owner
- Jdj Racing
- Foaled
- 2 Mar 2020
- Stable
- Alcester, Warwicks
- Trainer last 14 days
- 18 wins from 77 runs (23%)
- Trainer running to form
- 61%
- Ratings
- Perf 118
Peter Kavanagh
Joel Parkinson & Sue Smith 1/4
Pulled up last time out and off for 220 days, Glen Road is yet to win in his last five, though a second two starts back shows he can go close, and he has run over today's trip and going before. Carrying 163 lb off 115, he looks a midfield type, with our rating of 120 a modest positive.
- Sire
- Sageburg (IRE)
- Dam
- Arts Theater (IRE) by King's Theatre
- Owner
- Mrs S Smith
- Foaled
- 11 Feb 2019
- Stable
- High Eldwick, W Yorks
- Trainer last 14 days
- 1 wins from 4 runs (25%)
- Trainer running to form
- 59%
- Ratings
- Perf 120
Charlie Deutsch
Venetia Williams 0/0
Col du Pre' is hard to fancy after 247 days off and ranked 11 of 14 on our figures, yet he is winless in his last four only because he was second last time out and third two starts back. Carrying 163 lb is a stiff ask.
- Sire
- Taj Mahal (IRE)
- Dam
- Claire Song (IRE) by Singspiel
- Owner
- Tina Taylor
- Foaled
- 29 Mar 2021
- Stable
- Kings Caple, H'fords
- Trainer last 14 days
- 0 wins from 0 runs (None%)
- Ratings
- Perf 117
Ben Jones
Ben Pauling 1/17
Jhentong Enki is hard to fancy after a 214-day absence and an unplaced run last time out, though he did win two and three starts back, and has run over today's trip. Carrying 160 lb is a stiff ask, and our figures rank him 12th of 14.
- Sire
- Buck's Boum (FR)
- Dam
- Ulster Noire (FR) by Martaline
- Owner
- Foxtrot Racing Jhentong Enki
- Foaled
- 11 May 2019
- Stable
- Naunton, Gloucs
- Trainer last 14 days
- 1 wins from 17 runs (6%)
- Trainer running to form
- 49%
- Ratings
- Perf 113
Kevin Brogan
Laura Horsfall 0/3
Second last time out and a winner two starts back, so the form reads well, and he has run over today's trip and going before. Against that, he's off 210 days and carries 160 lb, while our rating of 119 ranks him only seventh of 14.
- Sire
- Masterstroke (USA)
- Dam
- Escort'woman (FR) by Robin Des Champs
- Owner
- Friends United
- Foaled
- 21 May 2020
- Stable
- Towcester, Northants
- Trainer last 14 days
- 0 wins from 3 runs (0%)
- Trainer running to form
- 30%
- Ratings
- Perf 119
Joeybottles t CD
187 days
5yo, 11-3, OR 109 74515-
J: Jack Tudor · T: Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero
Jack Tudor
Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero 1/12
Joeybottles has a win two starts back, but he was only fifth last time out and returns after 187 days off, which makes him hard to fancy under 157 lb. He has run over today's trip and going, and our figures still rank him 13th of 14.
- Sire
- Harzand (IRE)
- Dam
- Feabhra (IRE) by Beneficial
- Owner
- The Pipeline Crew
- Foaled
- 26 Mar 2021
- Stable
- Oldcastle, Cheshire
- Trainer last 14 days
- 1 wins from 12 runs (8%)
- Trainer running to form
- 29%
- Ratings
- Perf 113
- Wind surgery
- w 1
Sean Bowen
Rebecca Curtis 3/9
Douglas Hyde is winless in his last five and was eighth last time out, after a long 221-day absence that raises fitness doubts, though he was second two and three starts back and has run on today's going. Carrying 156 lb, he is hard to fancy, and our figures rank him last of 14.
- Sire
- Affinisea (IRE)
- Dam
- Late Night Deed (GB) by Midnight Legend
- Owner
- Farnhams Rymers Streets Locketts
- Foaled
- 5 Apr 2020
- Stable
- Newport, Pembrokeshire
- Trainer last 14 days
- 3 wins from 9 runs (33%)
- Trainer running to form
- 47%
- Ratings
- Perf 112
Draw in brackets. Headgear: b blinkers, v visor, h hood, t tongue strap, p cheekpieces, e/s eye shield; ¹ first time. C course winner, D distance winner, CD course and distance winner. Form reads oldest to newest.