Grade Two Kingmaker Novices Chase Guide 2022

A real handful of a 7 year old, For Pleasure spent plenty of time on the flat for James Barrett before moving to Alex Hales’ yard and tackling hurdles.

Unable to win in any of his juvenile outings meant he retained his novice status and things suddenly clicked into place when he won a hat trick of races off low marks.

His biggest success came when beating Third Time Lucki at Cheltenham in a Grade 2. Getting loose on the lead the field failed to reel him in before the winning post.

He rounded out a busy novice campaign poorly. Unable to back up his win he finished a distant 3rd in the Supreme and 5th in the Top Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree, 5 lengths behind Third Time Lucki.
His time over fences hasn’t been straightforward either.

Falling on his debut at Warwick, he brought down Edwardstone. He then couldn’t live with that same rival 12 days later and was beaten easily by 15 lengths.

He did score on his next outing over fences however to make all against lesser rivals. However when last seen in the Lightning Novices’ Chase at Doncaster he fell when under pressure and about to be overtaken by Third Time Lucki.

The likely pace angle for the field he’ll likely be passed by the market principles as things hot up. Two falls over fences already too make him hard to trust.

He looks well held on form behind Third Time Lucki and Edwardstone.

Heading the market for Alan King is 8 year old Edwardstone.

Unable to score in bumper company, the gelding moved into the novice hurdle ranks and won a couple of low grade races before being narrowly beaten in a Grade 2 Supreme Trial. Rounding out the season with a decent 6th in the Supreme behind Shishkin.

Last season saw him come 5th in the Greenwood hurdle before a single outing over fences saw him unseat his rider and a season over the bigger obstacles was immediately shelved.

He went on to put in some mighty performances in deep handicap races. Coming 3rd in the Betfair Hurdle, 5th in the county hurdle and 3rd in a Grade 3 at Aintree.

More mature and with his handicap mark ruined, connections tried their hand at chasing again and he was mightily unlucky to be brought down by For Pleasure here at Warwick in a novice chase.

Undeterred, connections sent him out over the same track and trip only 12 days later where he got off the mark over fences in style to beat Stepney Causeway with ease.

His big test over fences came in the Henry VIII chase against Third Time Lucki but a string of errors by the latter saw Edwardstone stroll to a 16 length Grade 1 victory.

Last seen winning the Wayward Lad at Kempton, he has the best form in the books and has scored in two graded chases already.

This 7 year old won a brace of bumpers for Harry and Dan Skelton before being an eye-catching 4th in the 2020 Champion Bumper.

A winner of 3 novice hurdles during his first campaign over timber made him look smart and he likely would’ve won the Scottish Supreme had he not made a race ending error at the last flight where he sprawled on landing.

He looked to be the Skelton plot job for last year’s county hurdle but weakened up the hill to be 6th place behind Belfast Banter. He was unable to live with the same rival in the grade 1 novice hurdle at Aintree to round out his season.

Taken to fences in October, Third Time Lucki made the perfect start to life as a chaser as he jumped 4 rivals silly around Cheltenham. He backed that up with another impressive performance at Cheltenham to take Grade 2 honours.Again his jumping being his lethal weapon.

Sent off favourite for the Henry VIII chase, Harry Skelton tried to press on early but saw his mount lose all rhythm down the back straight and he faded away tamely up the straight to be beaten 16 lengths by Edwardstone.

Last seen bouncing right back to form, Third Time Lucki put in a lethal performance at Doncaster to see off Do Your Job and faller For Pleasure in a small field.

He’s going to have to be foot perfect to reverse the form with Edwardstone but his win at Doncaster shows he’s still in fine fettle.

Trained by Venetia Williams, 7 year old Brave Seasca is very lightly raced and only made two appearances over hurdles. Beaten in a maiden at Exeter, he then won a low grade novice hurdle at Huntingdon before being put away for the summer.

Debuting in a novice handicap chase at Chepstow, he shaped like he desperately needed the run and experience as he trailed home a distant 6th. However with that run in the books he then easily won a string over novice handicap chases. A mark of 121 massively underestimated him and he left the smart enough looking Tokay Dokey for dead.

A 7lbs rise from the assessor didn’t slow him down and he won again despite going up in class.

Last seen being tested in open company, an 11lbs rise by the handicapper was taken in his stride and he beat last year’s Grand Annual winner Sky Pirate with ease over this course and distance.

Another hefty rise in the weights see’s him now rated 145 so he’s well worth a go at this level.

Having beaten an established chaser last time out he can make his presence felt.

Going left handed is his ideal and he’s handled any ground he’s faced so far. The question is can he transition out of handicaps into graded company.