15:50 Kempton
Saturday 18 March 2017
All13:3014:0514:4015:1515:5016:2517:00
Smarter Bets With Matchbook Betting Exchange Handicap Chase
- 5YO plus  |  Class 4  |  3m  |  Good  |  8 Runners  |  Turf  |   Weighed In
- Off time: 15:50Â Â |Â Â Winning time: 6m 3.1s
Cloth number
Odds
Horse A-Z
Show odds
Dual heavy ground winner in France before joining current yard, who sent him out to win a Perth handicap hurdle in September (good to soft). Taunton chase debut was encouraging but seemed to find 2m4f too sharp at Ayr last time. More in favour now.
Showed some reasonable form as a hurdler and made a decent start to his chasing career at Newbury when finishing fourth. Took a step backwards at Chepstow next time but the ground was bottomless that day and he should be given another chance.
Won a novice hurdle over 2m5f here two years ago for Nicky Henderson and enhanced his reputation when winning at Southwell for a new yard later that year. Not fluent on his chasing debut after a long absence and best watched for now.
Strike-rate isn't brilliant, having won just twice from 35 attempts over fences but one of those victories came in this race a year ago (3lb higher mark). Merits respect on that basis but hasn't raced with any real sparkle for a while now, including on this course latest.
Gained the last of his three chase wins from an 8lb higher mark at Bangor last spring but seems to have regressed markedly of late, pulling up in each of his last two starts. No obvious reason why he should turn things around today.
Hurdles winner who shaped with promise when a runner-up on his chasing debut at Market Rasen (2m3f, soft) last month but no immediate improvement in a first-time visor over this sort of trip at Taunton next time. Could easily step things up today.
A 3m soft ground hurdle winner at Newbury in March a year ago. Started off well switched to fences at Cheltenham in April, but jumping issues since and first-time cheekpieces failed to spark a revival at Newbury latest. Best watched.
Plumpton specialist who was narrowly touched off by Johns Luck there on his penultimate start. Form elsewhere isn't anywhere near as convincing and he looks opposable having pulled up over a longer trip last time.
Forecasts
Bugsie Malone (7/4), Cloudy Bob (4/1), Handsome Sam (11/2), Mango Cap (8/1), Dreamsoftheatre (8/1), Get Involved (9/1), New Horizons (16/1), Like Sully (20/1)
A trappy contest which looks there for the taking and it could pay to give BUGSIE MALONE another chance on the strength of the promise he showed in a better race at Newbury on his chasing debut. He took a step backwards in testing conditions at Chepstow last time but this ground should be much more to his liking. A longer trip is likely to see Mango Cap in a better light whilst it would be no surprise to see Handsome Sam feature prominently.
- Bugsie Malone
- Handsome Sam
- Mango Cap
Prize Money
1st: £6,498.002nd: £1,908.003rd: £954.004th: £477.00
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