Timeform Daily: The Boylecasino.com Novices' Chase, Cheltenham, 1.55

/ Timeform / 12 December 2008 / Leave a Comment

Seven runners go to post for the fourth race on the card, a novices' chase over two miles and five furlongs worth £22,000 and open to four year olds and upwards.

The ratings are headed by Nigel Twiston-Davies's Buck The Legend. He has been successful on two of his three outings over fences, improving on each start, and was an impressive winner of a nine-runner novice handicap at Newbury two weeks ago, beating Kilcrea Asla by thirteen lengths. He looked very well and produced a stunning display, impressing with his bold and accurate jumping and well on top at the line. He is open to further improvement.

Coral Cup winner Naiad du Misselot will attempt to break his duck over fences at the third time of asking, having been runner-up on both previous outings this season. He was three and a quarter lengths behind Palomar at Kelso on the latest, although the trip was short of his optimum and the pace steady, circumstances unlikely to see him at his best. Back up in trip, he is capable of better still.

Irish raider Slash And Burn is still a maiden after ten starts over the bigger obstacles. He put in improved efforts when runner-up at Ascot both starts this season, beaten one and a half lengths by Massini's Maguire on the latest, again jumping left. Despite his recent improvement, he has plenty to find on the ratings.

Alan King's Katess has shown fairly useful form on both her starts over fences. She won a seven-runner mares maiden at Fontwell on her debut by 8 lengths from Aimigayle but failed to improve on that form at Wincanton next time, again failing to convince with her jumping.

Keith Goldsworthy's Hold Em has taken well to chasing, winning a novice at Huntingdon in December before being placed in Grade 2 races on both subsequent starts. He is reliable but, like Slash And Burn, isn't as open to further improvement as others in the field.
Jim Old's Kildonnan faces a stiff task making his debut in this company and his hurdles form was some way below that shown by others in the field. Rodrigo Gonzales shaped as if amiss on his second start over fences at Hexham last time, having looked as if he would be better for the experience in a maiden at Exeter on his chasing debut.