14:05 Haydock

Saturday 15 April 2017

All14:0514:4015:1515:5016:2016:5517:30

Challenger Middle Distance Chase Series Final Handicap Chase

Off time: 14:05 | Winning time: 5m 3.0s

Some Buckle^t¹⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: Adrian Heskin| T: T R George| OR: 140

7/2

Bounced back to form after a three-month lay-off to win comfortably at Stratford. The return to a sounder surface clearly helped on that occasion and he has sound claims off a 6lb higher mark. Would not want too much rain to fall.

Form: 6P16-P7

Captain Redbeard³²

Age: 8| Weight: 11-11| J: Sam Coltherd⁽⁵⁾| T: W Coltherd| OR: 139

12/1

Out of his depth when pulled up in the Close Brothers Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, but had previously impressed when winning at Wetherby and Haydock. He is 8lb higher than when successful over C&D in February, so has plenty on his plate.

Form: 34311P

Ballybolley^t²⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 11-5| J: D A Jacob| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 133

9/2

Decent hurdler who hasn't quite reached the same heights over fences. Has a consistent profile, though, and only 4lb higher than when winning this race last year. Good ground suits, so he is one of the more likely sorts.

Form: 2P341-3

Monetaire¹⁴

Age: 11| Weight: 11-4| J: T Scudamore| T: D Pipe| OR: 132

9/1

Returned from an 18-month absence to finish a creditable third to Some Buckle at Stratford a fortnight ago. Now 8lb better off with the winner, he has a clear chance on the ratings, but must avoid the dreaded "bounce" factor.

Form: U886/35-

No Planning⁷

Age: 10| Weight: 11-3| J: Danny Cook| T: J Parkinson & S Smith| OR: 131

15/2

Won for the first time in over a year when making all at Newcastle a week ago. This solid stayer races off only a 3lb higher mark, but this is a much more competitive race and some of his rivals may be too speedy over the trip.

Form: 6F3416-

Easy Street¹⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 10-12| J: Aidan Coleman| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 126

9/1

The winner of three of his nine starts over fences, he returned to form when winning at Fontwell last time. Although he is 6lb higher for that success, he is young enough to have improvement in him and the going is likely to be in his favour.

Form: 25851P-

Morning Reggie^b³⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 10-9| J: L P Aspell| T: O Sherwood| OR: 123

14/1

Transformed by first-time blinkers when winning at Sandown last month. That was his first run of any real substance for some time so he needs to back it up, but the headgear remains on and a 7lb rise is fair.

Form: 216-539

Cernunnos^h1,t¹¹⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 10-9| J: B J Geraghty| T: T R George| OR: 123

7/1

Second of the JP McManus runners and retained jockey takes the mount rather than ride Easy Street. Aidan Coleman gets on well with the latter, so not too much notice should be taken of the jockey bookings, and the out-of-form Cernunnos will do well to figure here.

Form: 57366P-

Uhlan Bute^p⁴⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 10-9| J: Charlie Deutsch⁽³⁾| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 123

25/1

Wore blinkers instead of his usual cheekpieces when runner-up at Wincanton last time, so it is intriguing that the cheekpieces are back on. He is on a nine-race losing run and it is hard to see him ending it in such a competitive race.

Form: 2/UP424-

Aerlite Supreme^t³⁵

Age: 10| Weight: 10-2| J: T J O'Brien| T: Evan Williams| OR: 116

14/1

A tumbling handicap mark suggests he should be competitive at some stage, but there has been precious little encouragement in recent displays and this looks a tougher contest than those he has been running in.

Form: 8466U-1

Mumgos Debut^t¹⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 10-1| J: D R Fox| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 115

16/1

Representing the Grand National winning team, he can make his presence felt if avoiding lapses of concentration which have seen him on the floor three times this season. Not totally exposed as a steeplechaser, he has each-way claims.

Form: 13-F112

Non-Runners

Ballinvarrig³⁶

Weight: 11-6| Age: 10

T: T R George J: P J Brennan

Kilronan Castle⁴⁶

Weight: 10-0| Age: 6

T: D McCain Jnr J: W T Kennedy

Forecasts

Some Buckle (7/2), Ballybolley (9/2), Cernunnos (7/1), No Planning (15/2), Monetaire (9/1), Easy Street (9/1), Captain Redbeard (12/1), Morning Reggie (14/1), Ballinvarrig (14/1), Aerlite Supreme (14/1), Mumgos Debut (16/1), Uhlan Bute (25/1), Kilronan Castle (25/1)

A trappy opener which may be best left to MUMGOS DEBUT. He has had jumping issues, but without them he would surely be higher in the handicap and Haydock's fences are not the stiffest these days. Ballybolley looks primed to make a bold bid to repeat last year's success, while Some Buckle and Easy Street also enter calculations.