14:00 Cheltenham

Saturday 28 October 2017

All14:0014:3515:1015:4516:2016:5517:30

randoxhealth.com Handicap Chase

Off time: 14:01 | Winning time: 6m 28.40s

Perfect Candidate^p²⁰³

Age: 10| Weight: 11-12| J: Conor Shoemark| T: F O'Brien| OR: 154| C| D

28/1

No stranger to success at this track, and in the main can be relied upon to run his usual solid race here; as he demonstrated when beaten a nose by Theatre Guide in December (3m2f good). Likes to race prominently, but needs a career best effort.

Form: 1/02P1P-

Viconte Du Noyer^t¹⁸⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-8| J: B J Cooper| T: C L Tizzard| OR: 150| C

14/1

Sprung a 20/1 shock when taking the Grade 3 Bet Victor Handicap Chase here in November by 1L, but struggled thereafter. However, he travelled with more fluency ending with a pleasing effort at Punchestown in late April (runner up).

Form: 310PP2-

Henryville^h,t⁵⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 11-7| J: N P Madden| T: H Fry| OR: 149| C

33/1

Competed with respectability at both the Cheltenham and Aintree Festivals, before a late season winning splurge (2m5f good). Hit by the handicapper as a result and not in the same form since and looks one to avoid at present.

Form: 1305U0

Singlefarmpayment^h²²⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: Adrian Heskin| T: T R George| OR: 146| BF| CD

11/2

Milan gelding who was successful in novice company here last December, prior to a fine effort in the Grade 3 Ultima Handicap Chase at the Festival in March when beaten a short-head by by Un Temps Pour Tout. 4lb higher, but progressive.

Form: P/321B2-

Southfield Vic^b¹¹⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 11-3| J: Bryony Frost⁽⁵⁾| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 145| D

14/1

Won by 24L at Newton Abbot in May (3m2f good), and kept on the go during the early part of the summer. Back from a short break in stronger company, but knows how to win races and decent ground suits.

Form: 021-148

Robinsfirth²⁸¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-0| J: R M Power| T: C L Tizzard| OR: 142| BF

5/1

Stablemate of Viconte Du Noyer. Lightly raced sort who has more to offer over fences. A winner at Exeter on New Years Day, he was involved when unseating his rider at the second last a few weeks later in a race won by Tanit River (Chepstow 3m soft).

Form: 124/21U-

Coologue¹⁹¹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-12| J: R Johnson| T: C E Longsdon| OR: 140| CD

6/1

Made a winning reappearance off this mark in this contest in 2016 (good) when driven out to repel Keltus by 1L. Aimed high thereafter (Hennessy, Sky Bet Chase etc), and didn't recapture that form. Best caught fresh.

Form: 1P28P3-

On Fiddlers Green²⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 10-11| J: D N Russell| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 139| D

16/1

A three time winner over fences, who has the feel of an improving sort. 6lb higher than when successful at Roscommon in June (Connacht National). Effective on the forecast ground.

Form: 109-108

Minellacelebration¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 10-9| J: Benjamin Poste| T: Katy Price| OR: 137| D

20/1

Higher in the weights after a couple of 3m successes in the spring (Chepstow and Uttoxeter), but continues to perform with credit despite looking held by the assessor. Beaten 13L (fifth) by Rock The Kasbah at Chepstow (3m good to soft) latest.

Form: 41-12B5

Doing Fine^p,t²²

Age: 9| Weight: 10-9| J: N D Fehily| T: N P Mulholland| OR: 137| C

15/2

Improved last season for the switch to this trainer, with a string of placed efforts leading up to a clear cut 3m4f (good) success here in April; beating Ugolin De Beaumont by 6L. Sharper for the recent run, but this trip is short enough.

Form: 22215-4

Sonneofpresenting³²

Age: 7| Weight: 10-7| J: David Bass| T: K Bailey & M Nicholls| OR: 135

20/1

Fast improving sort who has won four of his last six races; and is rock solid since returning to action in June. Beaten off this mark at Warwick latest (3m1½f good), but no disgrace in going down by 3¼L to Belmount.

Form: 1-11312

Tanit River^t²⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 10-5| J: Alan Johns| T: Tim Vaughan| OR: 133

33/1

Made his seasonal reappearance over hurdles at Stratford earlier this month (2m6f), but that wasn't the strongest of efforts. High in the weights over fences, and evidently paying the price for winning at Chepstow in January (3m soft).

Form: 1516P-6

Bells 'n' Banjos¹⁸⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-5| J: P J Brennan| T: F O'Brien| OR: 133

9/1

Won twice as a novice at Leicester last season (2m6½f), but wasn't quite up to graded company at the Festival in March (and probably didn't stay 4m for that matter). Better at Ayr subsequently (fifth), but this looks a tough seasonal starting point.

Form: 071185-

Cogry^p¹⁸⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-5| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 133| C

13/2

Narrow winner of a 3m handicap hurdle here on New Years Day (soft), he mixed it in staying chases thereafter, finishing sixth in the Midlands Grand National in March, and a neck second to Vicente in the Scottish version at Ayr in April (4m good).

Form: 1P3622-

West Wizard⁵⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-2| J: T Scudamore| T: Mrs S Leech| OR: 130

66/1

Won just once in ten starts over fences (at Ffos Las in December 2016; 2m5f soft), and has changed stables since then. Ran okay in lesser company at Bangor in August, but backed out of things very tamely at Worcester latest (2m7f good).

Form: 624-026

Lamb Or Cod^t¹³

Age: 10| Weight: 10-2| J: T J O'Brien| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 130| BF| CD

25/1

Capable stayer whose last success was from this mark at Chepstow in December (2m7½f good), but he's not proved competitive in decent races since. Didn't show much enthusiasm on his recent reappearance at Chepstow (not jump well); so overlooked.

Form: 1P0P4-P

Forecasts

Robinsfirth (5/1), Singlefarmpayment (11/2), Coologue (6/1), Cogry (13/2), Doing Fine (15/2), Bells 'n' Banjos (9/1), Viconte Du Noyer (14/1), Southfield Vic (14/1), On Fiddlers Green (16/1), Sonneofpresenting (20/1), Minellacelebration (20/1), Lamb Or Cod (25/1), Perfect Candidate (28/1), Henryville (33/1), Tanit River (33/1), West Wizard (66/1)

A predictably tough opener on day two of the Showcase Meeting, with 2016 winner Coologue seeking a double with everything seemingly in his favour (course, trip, ground, mark, jockey). However, whilst he is probably best caught fresh, it is a worry that others in this field achieved more later on in the campaign. Cogry was a winner over hurdles here earlier in the year, and performed with immense credit in staying chases thereafter, seeing off all bar Vicente in the Scottish National in April, and he'll do well for Nigel Twiston-Davies this term, whilst Viconte Du Noyer is also a force to be reckoned with when all of the pieces (especially his fencing) click. Whilst fully respectful of possible improvers which include Sonneofpresenting and On Fiddlers Green, the selection plays it safe with the likely favourite SINGLEFARMPAYMENT. He is 4lb higher than when beaten narrowly at the Festival in March (Ultima Handicap Chase), but with a recent strong record at this track, this seven-year-old Milan gelding still makes the most appeal.