Grade Two Coral Racing Club Novices' Chase Guide 2022

Harry Haskell | @HarryHaskell4

Newbury - November 25 2022
Newbury 13:55
2
Stan Sheppard

Sebastopol

J: Stan Sheppard
T: Tom Lacey
N/A
Age: 8
Weight: 11-9
OR: 146
Days: 20

Sebastopol is definitely has the most fencing experience in this field. If you have a cursory glance over his lifetime form figures, you’ll probably come to the conclusion that he just doesn’t like winning!

In all fairness, he almost always runs a solid race, though he does have a tendency to lie down and give in towards the business end of the race.

If he can make use of his experience, he may have a chance – but last time out you’d have thought it was his chase debut (jumped awfully), so he’ll need to bounce back.

DateCourseDistanceTypeWeightPosition
02/09/23NAB21.5Gd12-01
04/03/23NBY20Gd11-3F
25/11/22NBY20Gd11-91
05/11/22WCN20GF11-9PU
16/10/22KEM16Gd11-22
Newbury - November 25 2022
Newbury 13:55
3
Aidan Coleman

Camprond

J: Aidan Coleman
T: Philip Hobbs
N/A
Age: 6
Weight: 11-4
OR: 147
Days: 11

Camprond is one of the classier horses in this. He was fourth in last season’s Coral Cup at the Festival, and bettered that effort by winning a competitive Grade B handicap hurdle at Punchestown in April, readily pulling clear of some talented horses.

He made his chase debut at Exeter a few weeks ago, but he got as far as the first fence “Jumped badly right and unseated rider 1st”.

So we learnt little to nothing there. He’s a very good horse, though I wouldn’t back him on this after he failed to jump more than one fence last time out.

DateCourseDistanceTypeWeightPosition
14/04/23AIN20GS11-1115
15/03/23CHL21Sft11-13
04/02/23MUS15.5GS12-08
28/01/23CHL17Sft11-712
14/01/23KEM21Sft12-0BD
Newbury - November 25 2022
Newbury 13:55
1
Tom Bellamy

Beauport

J: Tom Bellamy
T: Nigel Twiston-Davies
N/A
Age: 6
Weight: 11-9
OR: 148
Days: 26

Beauport was a very useful hurdler, who ran to a higher level than most of these, though that’s in part due to racing in open-company.

He won on chase debut last time out in the Colin Parker Memorial Intermediate Chase at Carlisle beating Millers Bank by half a length.

He had some very useful horses in behind there too – so all in all – that was a very respectable effort first time up.

If he can build on that, the form book says he’s got a huge chance, but can he cope with the class of Stage Star?

DateCourseDistanceTypeWeightPosition
15/04/23AIN25GS10-12F
16/03/23CHL26Sft11-129
01/01/23CHL20.5Sft11-74
30/11/22HAY21.5Sft11-102
30/10/22CRL20Sft10-121
Newbury - November 25 2022
Newbury 13:55
5
James Bowen

Wonderwall

J: James Bowen
T: Richard Spencer
N/A
Age: 6
Weight: 11-4
OR: 134
Days: 288

Wonderwall showed promise in bumpers in his first season, he built on that by reaching a very decent novice hurdle level.

Though he only won the once, he was second in a useful novice at Newbury, and fell when travelling ominously well at Huntingdon at the last – so you can mark him up.

He has a good jumping family, and physically, he looks every inch a chaser. However, this is a very good race and it will be a tough start to life at a novice chaser.

DateCourseDistanceTypeWeightPosition
24/08/23CFD10St10-07
05/08/23DON10Sft9-122
11/07/23PON10Gd10-22
17/03/23CHL17Sft10-713
25/11/22NBY20Gd11-43
Newbury - November 25 2022
Newbury 13:55
4
Harry Cobden

Stage Star

J: Harry Cobden
T: Paul Nicholls
N/A
Age: 6
Weight: 11-4
OR: 143
Days: 24

Stage Star is without doubt the horse to beat. He was a G1 winner over hurdles and what he did on chase debut was certainly eye catching.

He ran at Warwick in a field of four, but his rivals there definitely don’t lack class. He made; West Cork, Interne De Sivola and Skytastic look decidedly average – they’re not.

Stage Star clearly has a huge engine, and he impressed with his fencing fluency. He was bought to be a chaser, and having sauntered home on his first try, he’s very, very hard to oppose here.

DateCourseDistanceTypeWeightPosition
13/04/23AIN20GS11-75
16/03/23CHL20Sft11-71
28/01/23CHL20.5Sft12-01
02/01/23PLU20Sft11-71
25/11/22NBY20Gd11-42