15:10 Cheltenham

Saturday 28 October 2017

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

Randox Health Handicap Chase

Off time: 15:12 | Winning time: 3m 56.00s

Vaniteux^t1¹⁸²

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: T Scudamore| T: D Pipe| OR: 158| D

20/1

A classy but frustrating sort. Successful twice for Nicky Henderson last term, including at Ayr on his penultimate start (2m Listed good). A tough task a week later (ignored) and returns to action for new connections wearing a tongue tie.

Form: 331814-

Eastlake^t²⁰⁴

Age: 11| Weight: 11-4| J: Aidan Coleman| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 150| CD

40/1

Pulled up in the Topham at Aintree in April on his final start last term; a race he'd won in 2016. Beat Un Beau Roman by 1¾L when winning over this trip here in December, but less consistent overall now in his elder years.

Form: PP1P0P-

Sizing Platinum^t²⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 11-2| J: B J Cooper| T: C L Tizzard| OR: 148| D

12/1

Finished 11L second to Fox Norton in this contest in 2016 (Mr Fiftyone fourth), and was close up behind Eastlake and Un Beau Roman when fourth later on in the year. Back with a clear cut Newton Abbot success recently, so race-fit today.

Form: 94F07-1

Some Plan^t²⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 11-0| J: A E Lynch| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 146| D

12/1

Came up short in the Arkle in March (sixth to Altior) after some early success in novice company in Ireland. Shaped as if he needed the run at Limerick earlier this month, and possibly lacks the experience for the hustle and bustle of handicaps.

Form: F1166-4

Le Prezien^t¹⁸³

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: B J Geraghty| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 144| CD

5/2

Kelso Premier Hurdle winner (2m2f soft; March 2016), he enjoyed a reasonably productive first season over fences winning at the Open Meeting in November (2m soft), and at Exeter. Eighth in the Grand Annual (March). Interesting second season chaser.

Form: 21138P-

Double W's²⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 10-10| J: B S Hughes| T: J M Jefferson| OR: 142| D

8/1

Progressive as a novice last season, and peaked at Aintree in April when taking a Grade 3 handicap (2m good) by 1L from Theinval. Looked in need of the run at Kelso on his return to action. Ground ideal and likeable overall.

Form: 7291P-5

Theflyingportrait^t²⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 10-8| J: Sean Quinlan| T: J Candlish| OR: 140| D

25/1

Likes to race prominently and is a tough nut to crack at sharp tracks such as Kelso. 5lb above his last winning mark (Aintree in June), and that's probably too high at this much stiffer track, but the forecast good ground is a plus.

Form: 1-51453

Foxtail Hill¹⁹²

Age: 8| Weight: 10-8| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 140| C| D

15/2

Goes very well at this track, and races to the fore, but is likely to find this trip on the sharp side. Beat Saphir Du Rheu by 1L (2m5f) here in January, and rounded off last season with a game 4L second to Henryville in April.

Form: 511F92-

Mr Fiftyone^p¹³

Age: 8| Weight: 10-5| J: R M Power| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 137| D

25/1

Beaten 26L when fourth to Fox Norton in this contest last year (good), and has gone nine starts since (all codes) without overly troubling the judge. Back over fences at Cork recently (2m1f yielding), but needs to build sharply on that effort.

Form: 406-338

Doitforthevillage^t²³

Age: 8| Weight: 10-3| J: P J Brennan| T: P Henderson| OR: 135| D

20/1

Has done the majority of his winning over fences at a lower level, but made all to take a class 2 novices handicap (2m+ good) at Warwick in April by 1L. Needs to improve, but has the benefit of a recent spin over hurdles.

Form: 132F1-9

Cobra De Mai^p,t²⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 10-2| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 134| D

7/1

Has been a flag-bearer for his trainer over the spring/summer, winning three chases and a Worcester handicap hurdle. Back from an unexplained poor show with victory at Sedgefield earlier this month (career best effort). Further improvement needed.

Form: 2-111P1

Poker School²⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 10-0| J: J E Moore| T: Ian Williams| OR: 132| D

5/1

Remains 7lb above his last winning mark over fences (2m4f+ at Kempton on Boxing Day), and will probably find this trip on the sharp side. However, more positively, he arrives race fit and with forecast ground conditions fine.

Form: 46-6425

Un Beau Roman^h²⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 10-0| J: James Best| T: P Henderson| OR: 128| CD

33/1

His form has gradually tailed off since his shock 25/1 success over C&D in November (beat Pairofbrowneyes by a head), and it's debatable as to whether he'll ever recapture those standards. Ground fine, but just outside of the weights.

Form: 26P6-P5

Lord Ballim^h,t¹⁴⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 10-0| J: C Gethings⁽³⁾| T: N J Hawke| OR: 127

33/1

A four time winner up North in the early part of 2017; including three successive victories at Carlisle (2m1f to 2m4f). Has shot up in the weights, and this is a tough starting point, but his trainer has his string in excellent order at present.

Form: 111U1-6

Lord Ben^p⁴⁰

Age: 12| Weight: 10-0| J: Sean Houlihan⁽⁷⁾| T: D L Williams| OR: 115| D

100/1

Veteran who hasn't won a race since September 2014 (Listowel). A runner up at Worcester recently, but absolutely no chance here from so far out of the weights.

Form: 32-3432

Non-Runners

Exitas⁶

Weight: 10-0| Age: 9

T: P W Middleton J: James Bowen

Forecasts

Le Prezien (5/2), Poker School (5/1), Cobra De Mai (7/1), Foxtail Hill (15/2), Double W's (8/1), Sizing Platinum (12/1), Some Plan (12/1), Doitforthevillage (20/1), Vaniteux (20/1), Exitas (20/1), Theflyingportrait (25/1), Mr Fiftyone (25/1), Lord Ballim (33/1), Un Beau Roman (33/1), Eastlake (40/1), Lord Ben (100/1)

Competitive numerically, and almost certainly competitive for the early pace with the likes of Theflyingportrait, Foxtail Hill and Doitforthevillage amongst those who appreciate racing to the fore. A number of the runners arrive race fit and in winning form, and these include the spring/summer winning machine Cobra De Mai, but he needs to improve further in order to continue his sequence this afternoon. Le Prezien is a second season chaser who makes obvious appeal given his largely productive first campaign over fences, but whether or not he'll offer any real value in the market is open to interpretation. Therefore, a chance is taken on the 2016 runner up SIZING PLATINUM. He has a reasonably solid overall profile in these type of events, and he demonstrated his good health when hacking up by 14L in a much less taxing affair at Newton Abbot earlier this month.