| No. |
|
Selection |
Form |
|
Guide |
|
|
|
- Farceur Du Large
- Maj Will Kellard / Jamie Snowden
|
|
137
|
4/5 |
Farceur Du Large
Ex-Irish gelding who won this quite comfortably 12 months ago on his first start for Jamie Snowden and followed up in February's Royal Artillery Gold Cup (again under Major Will Kellard); the horses he beat in both those races went on to win handicaps and he too ran well to be fifth in the Midlands National; the glaring concern is the very laboured return he made in a Newbury handicap, yet none of his rivals offered a lot more on their final starts.
|
|
|
|
- Hold That Taught
- Sgt Nick Oliver / Miss V Williams
|
|
135
|
11/2 |
Hold That Taught
In late 2023 he won 3m handicaps at Ascot (good) and Bangor (heavy); confined to just two runs since then and some 342 days apart, with the latest at Newbury devoid of much promise; however, he's not the only one in here with a lot to prove and the ability is there.
|
|
|
|
- Black Gerry
- B Durrell / G & J Moore
|
|
135
|
13/2 |
Black Gerry
Has a strike-rate of 5-17 over fences but last season was by and large underwhelming and he was tailed off in a 2m3f Ascot handicap last month when wearing cheekpieces; the returning blinkers might not be a bad thing but he's become a hard horse to predict at the best of times and there are stamina concerns over this far (twice pulled up over 3m under rules).
|
|
|
|
- D'jango
- Nathan Rahman / Miss V Collins
|
|
133
|
12/1 |
D'jango
Got himself back on track in hunter chases last year for this yard, winning at Warwick win (3m, soft) in January and later fourth at the Cheltenham Festival; those efforts entitle him to serious consideration; has been absent since May when off colour.
|
|
|
|
- Fil D'ariane
- Mr Douglas White / Douglas White
|
|
123
|
15/2 |
Fil D'ariane
Faces a tall order at the weights but that was also the case 12 months ago when finishing a 15l third to Farceur Du Large at odds of 80-1; however, that was on the back of an encouraging run between the flags, whereas now he has to bounce back from a non-completion at Taunton (2m5f hunter chase).
|
|
|
|
- Steady The Ship
- Lt Cdr Vicki Sollitt / P Rowley
|
|
|
16/1 |
Steady The Ship
With Jonjo O'Neill when winning two low-grade handicap chases in 2022; has managed to win only one of his eight points and these terms are tough.
|
