14.45 Chepstow

This looks a pretty hot novices chase by the track standards with several pushing towards the 150 mark already over fences and one of those, NOW MCGINTY (best price 5-1), is fancied to press forward his experience already gained over the larger obstacles. 

A creditable second to the very smart The World’s End on his chase bow over today’s C&D back in October, Dr Newland’s gelding, unfortunately, got no further than the second on his next start when he took off too soon and landed in the ditch in front of the stands at Huntingdon. Confidence seemingly unaffected, the son of Stowaway popped around Uttoxeter in a good frame of mind on his latest outing and although he wasn’t quite good enough to cope with Crucial Role in the latter stages, the time figure suggested he’d still put up a decent shout. 

Now McGinty - 1pt e/w @ 5/1

15.20 Chepstow

EVIDENCE DE THAIX (best price 5-2) was made to work hard for her first UK success at Exeter last time out, but she was ultimately well on top in the closing stages and given the subsequent exploits of the runner-up that day, Philip Hobbs’ mare appears to have got into her first foray into handicap company on an extremely lenient mark.

Runner-up at Lingfield on her opening bow since leaving the French provinces, the daughter of Network was strongly fancied to make in second time lucky at the West Country venue and after settling a good deal better despite the absence of the hood, she found plenty for pressure to send her supporters home happy.

Moreover, not only was her speed figure very good 29 days ago, the horse she beat, Our Dot’s Baby, has gone to advertise the form in no uncertain terms at Newbury the other day and given that Jeremy Scott’s useful mare is officially rated 123, the assessor may have dropped a proper clanger pitching this four-year-old mare in here off a 3lb lower perch. 

Evidence De Thaix - 2pts @ 5/2

18.30 Dundalk

A slow start when over five lengths is forsaken usually means curtains for the individual concerned, so the fact that NISIOR DONN (NAP) (best price 4-1) somehow managed to rescue the situation to force a dead heat here last week suggest she may have more in hand than the slight raise in the ratings she was given and she rates nap material as a result.

Those who like to play in-running must have thought it was money for old rope standing Gavin Cromwell’s mare at massive prices when she flopped out the gates and found herself languishing in a long last at halfway seven days ago, but to their horror, not only did she make up the lost leeway, she finished off her race that strongly she inflicted plenty of damage to the intrepid layers by nicking a slice of the pie in the shadows of the post.

Clearly in extremely rude health to be capable of pulling off such a feat, just a clean break here tonight should enable the daughter Intense Focus to run out a much more comfortable winner on this occasion.

Nisior Donn - 2pts e/w @ 4/1