Timeform Daily: Uttox 5th Oct - 16:10 novice chase

Race of the Day Preview / Timeform / 04 October 2008 / Leave a Comment

With the jumps season starting to get into full swing, some of the country's biggest yards are represented among the eleven-strong field in this novice chase over two miles and five
furlongs.

Champion trainer Paul Nicholls sends I'msingingtheblues for his first start over larger obstacles. The son of Pisolet Bleu won a Grade 2 novice hurdle at the Open Meeting
last year before showing his best form when seventh in the County Hurdle from an official mark
of 136. His hurdles form is a stone ahead of anything this lot have achieved over fences thus
far, though he will be stepping up appreciably in trip here and has shown a tendency to race
keenly.

Although yet to shine on his two chase outings (sixteen months apart) thus far, at his best Mistanoora possesses hurdling form which is comparable to Nicholls' charge. However, he missed the whole of 2007/8 and his jumping was again far from fluent when he finished third behind St Mellion Freeway in a novice chase at Stratford last month. Stamina won't be a problem, but there are plenty of other question marks for Mistanoora's supporters to concern themselves with.

Jamie Snowden will be looking to upstage the more illustrious yards with Ocean Du Moulin, who possesses the best chase form in the field. Not out of the first two in his
four starts this term, he won a five-runner event at Startford in July despite looking awkward
under pressure. He has also been known to jump to the right on occasions, and that would
undoubtedly cost him ground on a left-handed track such as Uttoxeter.

David Pipe saddles Learning The Blues, who remains a maiden over fences after seven outings. He has shown a fair level of form since being fitted with a visor, and looked to be running his best race on his third start this term, only to come down two out when still in
with a chance. He needed early reminders that day, and that serves as a warning surrounding his rather suspect attitude, which has seen him look ungenuine on several occasions of late.

The lightly-raced Bering's Express comes here on the back of his first steeplechase victory at Bangor in September, where he was better value for the three-quarters of a length by which he defeated Lester Leaps In. His best hurdles form suggests there may be more to come from him over the larger obstacles, though there'll need to be if he's to defy a penalty in this potentially stronger affair.

Brize Norton won on his second start for Victor Dartnall in July having arrived from Ireland. That victory came at this course by ten lengths over the disappointing De Soto and
he's got more on his hands this time, though it's worth pointing out that Brize Norton is a strong-travelling sort who may be of greater interest to in-running bettors.