'We weren't surprised he won' - can 25-1 New Year's Day scorer follow up?

Friday: 2.20 Sedgefield
Best Odds At Vickers.Bet Everyday Handicap Chase | 2m3f65yd | 5yo+ | Sky

This is a race in which the market is dominated by two horses who enjoyed rather different fortunes on New Year's Day.

While failed to follow up a previous win and was turned over at odds of 5-4 at Catterick, less than an hour earlier had got off the mark at odds of 25-1 with a runaway success on his chase debut at Musselburgh.

The latter who, annoyingly for the purists, carries the same name as Oliver Sherwood's multiple Grade 1-winning hurdler of the 1990s, has never been sent off at single figures in his life, but that is all set to change here.

The problem for punters is trying to decide whether to trust him, while he is 3lb well-in, he is hardly renowned for consistency.

Having shown some promise in his first five outings, he would almost certainly have won at odds of 40-1 over hurdles at Catterick in March (1-5 in running) had he not fallen at the last, but he then failed to run anything like as well in four runs before popping up 12 days ago.

Tom Creen is easier to trust. Having enjoyed a spell pointing in the spring (finished with a win), he was off the mark over this course and distance in fine style in November and may simply have not stayed when second at Catterick upped to 3m1f.

Jennie Candlish (right): trainer of ZuckerbergCredit: John Grossick Racing Photography

The opposition ranged against the pair includes four other course winners, the most interesting of which is surely , a runaway winner on his last visit to the track, and successful on the Flat at odds of 28-1 at Southwell when last seen in December.

He's 10lb higher than he was here in November, but has been more than 20lb higher than his new mark in the past and is still only a seven-year-old.
Analysis by Paul Kealy

What they say

Stuart Coltherd, trainer of Ard Chros and Graystown
I don’t like running two in the same race but there are not many races they can run in. The race isn’t ideal for Ard Chros but hopefully he can pick up some prize-money. The last time Brian Hughes rode Graystown he won on him so hopefully he can follow up.

Sandy Forster, trainer of Ashjan
He probably needs to come down the handicap a bit more as he was quite successful last year. He likes the track and hopefully can run a better race.

Alan O’Keefe, assistant to Jennie Candlish, trainer of Zuckerburg
He pulled a shoe off so couldn’t run at Southwell the other day but he’s fine now and likes it at Sedgefield. Hopefully he can get some of the great prize-money they are putting on.

Roger Fell, trainer of Large Action
He’s the only chaser we have and we weren’t surprised that he won first time over fences at Musselburgh as he’s such a massive horse. He’s come out of that in good shape but I doubt he’ll be 25-1 this time around.

Ben Haslam, trainer of Cash Again
Fair play to Sedgefield for putting on a 0-110 race for nearly £17,000 and hopefully we can come home with some of it. He likes the track and won’t mind any further rain as he’s effective on heavy.
Reporting by David Milnes

Sign up here. Minimum deposit requirement. Free bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of qualifying bets. Minimum odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Time limits and T&Cs apply. Commercial notice: This article contains affiliate links. Offers are handpicked and come from operators that our experts have first-hand experience of. Opening an account via one of these links will earn revenue for the Racing Post, which will be used to continue producing our award-winning coverage of horseracing.