Race of the Day Preview / Timeform / 30 December 2008 / Leave a comment Free £25 Bet

Timeform provide the lowdown on the totesport.com Beginners' Chase (Class 4).

Only five have been declared for this race, which is the feature of Uttoxeter's card on the last day of 2008. By definition all five of the runners are maidens over fences, though four have filled second place at some point during their short chasing careers.

Showing the best form in finishing runner-up is Carruthers, winner of a Grade 2 novice hurdle at Warwick last year. The strength of that form was enough to make Carruthers joint favourite for the Spa Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, though he flopped in the testing conditions, the race won by one of those behind him at Warwick, Nenuphar Collonges. Sent over fences for his reappearance, Carruthers wasted no time in matching his useful hurdles form, jumping soundly when second to What A Friend- who subsequently beat Ballyfitz at Cheltenham's International meeting- over this course and distance in October. An exuberant front runner, Carruthers sets a high standard here and is entitled to improve from his promising chase debut.

Closest to matching Carruthers' form over fences is the most experienced member of the quintet in this sphere, Negus de Beaumont. Ferdy Murphy's charge made four starts over fences in 2007/8, finishing second in this race on his chasing debut twelve months ago. That day he pulled clear with the quirky Ma Yahab, jumping soundly and shaping as though he would improve for the run. That wasn't the case however, and Negus de Beaumont failed to complete in two of his subsequent three starts over fences, including when pulled up behind Comply Or Die in the Eider when last seen. The pick of his hurdles form- which includes sixth behind Wichita Lineman in the 2007 Spa- would give Negus de Beaumont a fine chance here, but that is a distant memory now and it isn't too likely that he will be able to come back to his best on his seasonal reappearance.

Having started this season over hurdles, Phardessa first jumped a fence in public earlier in the month, when she finished second in a similar event to this behind Sovereign King at Plumpton. The form of that race is hard to assess (the pair pulled a distance clear of the other two runners), though Sovereign King is undoubtedly a fairly useful sort having finished second in the EBF Final at Sandown in the spring. A winner last time she tackled three miles, stamina should not pose a problem for Phardessa.

Hopkins was a fairly useful hurdler last term, winning a handicap at Haydock in March from an official mark of 113 when he came home five lengths ahead of Blackpool Billy. Hopkins made his most recent chase start at Fakenham, where he finished second to Backbord having been off the bridle for the majority of the final circuit. It is quite conceivable that Hopkins wasn't suited by the tight track at the Norfolk venue and he can be reasonably expected to improve.

New Team, representing Robert and Sally Alner, is trying this trip for the first time and has much to find on both hurdle and chase form. He is hard to fancy.