15:50 Cheltenham

Thursday 20 April 2017

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

Llewellyn Humphreys Handicap Chase

Off time: 15:50 | Winning time: 6m 51.80s

Virak^p⁶¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: Bryony Frost⁽⁷⁾| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 144

11/2

Ran well last season and turned in some decent efforts in valuable handicaps. Certainly not in the same form this year tough although with the handicapper starting to relent you couldn't rule out a revival here.

Form: 2202-56

Coologue³⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 11-9| J: B S Hughes| T: C E Longsdon| OR: 141

6/1

Bold front-running jumper who won well on his reappearance but after that his form looks rather patchy. Like Virak his mark is coming back down and he'll be dangerous if he establishes an easy lead.

Form: P-1P28P

Gentleman Jon^t¹²⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 11-3| J: T J O'Brien| T: C L Tizzard| OR: 135

25/1

Very fortunate to win at Wincanton three starts back when left clear to follow up his previous win at the track. His revised mark has proved beyond him since in two starts and his form has a rather inconsistent feel about it.

Form: 3110PP-

Upswing^p¹¹^{(ex 7)}

Age: 9| Weight: 11-2| J: Aidan Coleman| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 127

4/1

Another whose form has a rather inconsistent and uneven feel about it although like a few from his yard he did bounce back to somewhere near his best last time out taking advantage of a fall in the weights. Can make mistakes though and his jumping will be tested here running under a penalty.

Form: PP3311-

Lamb Or Cod^t¹²

Age: 10| Weight: 11-1| J: R Johnson| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 133

5/1

Won on his second start back from an absence when in calmer waters at Chepstow. Has struggled off higher marks since in much stronger races and may well appreciate the drop in grade.

Form: P7P1/01

Federici²⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 10-10| J: W T Kennedy| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 128

10/1

Very mixed record over fences for this yard having been useful for his former yard. Mark is falling to a workable one but others are still preferred.

Form: 56P306

Belmount^p⁴⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-6| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 124

6/1

Won on back-to-back starts in the autumn at Newton Abbot and Hereford but has been below form on his last three starts. Would need to come back to form here to take a hand.

Form: 660P52-

Talk Of The South³⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-0| J: P J Brennan| T: P Henderson| OR: 115

9/2

Winner over hurdles and has run some creditable races over fences (runner-up in three of his four completed starts). This is a tough test however and more is needed from 3lb out of the weights.

Form: 2F262P-

Forecasts

Upswing (4/1), Talk Of The South (9/2), Lamb Or Cod (5/1), Virak (11/2), Belmount (6/1), Coologue (6/1), Federici (10/1), Gentleman Jon (25/1)

The 2015 winner Lamb Or Cod would have to be given a chance here off this mark and this is certainly easier than some of his recent assignments. Upswing for all his recent upturn in form has something to prove still especially in the jumping department and his price looks a little on the short side here. Virak is starting to look well handicapped along with COOLOGUE who on this better ground and with a possible easy lead will be worth taking a chance with.