14:00 Exeter

Tuesday 7 November 2017

All13:0013:3014:0014:3515:0515:3516:10

188Bet Haldon Gold Cup (Grade 2 Limited Handicap Chase)

Off time: 14:02 | Winning time: 4m 35.70s

Ar Mad³³⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: Joshua Moore| T: G & J Moore| OR: 162

15/2

Won four of five novice chases including the Grade One Henry VIII over 2m at Sandown. Lone start last season saw him a respectable fourth behind top class Un De Sceaux despite looking like needing further. Trip ideal and very high class.

Form: 61111/4-

Sir Valentino^t¹⁹⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-8| J: Adrian Heskin| T: T R George| OR: 160| CD

16/1

Won this race by a short-head last season (fifth chase win). Kept smart company subsequently and third in Queen Mother Champion showed his worth. Thirteen pounds higher this time round but clearly improved sort.

Form: 815236-

Forest Bihan³⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: Danny Cook| T: B Ellison| OR: 158| D

5/1

Won three of first four chase starts including Grade Two at Doncaster and ended season with close second to San Benedeto in Aintree Grade One. Carried top weight to success on reappearance at Kelso. This a stern test but keeps improving.

Form: 21152-1

Garde La Victoire³⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-4| J: R Johnson| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 156| C

7/2

Short-head behind Sir Valentino as the evens fav in this a year ago. Eight pounds better off this time round so could turn it around although he was subsequently well behind that rival in Queen Mother. Capable but jumps left and can make mistakes.

Form: 12318-2

San Benedeto^p,t¹⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: Bryony Frost⁽⁵⁾| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 155| D

8/1

Skipped Cheltenham last season where a four-timer concluded with Aintree Grade One win over Forest Bihan. No match for outstanding Altior subsequently. Second in recent hurdles reappearance so fit enough but stable jockey prefers Politologue.

Form: 11113-2

Politologue²¹³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 154| CD

5/2

Won three novice chases before finishing fourth to top-drawer Yorkhill at Cheltenham. Fell at last when narrowly ahead of both San Benedeto and Forest Bihan at Aintree in final start. In receipt of weight from both he has every chance here.

Form: 11214F-

Vibrato Valtat¹⁹²

Age: 8| Weight: 10-12| J: Nick Scholfield| T: Miss E C Lavelle| OR: 150| CD

16/1

2015 winner of this. Consistent sort but hard to win with as too good for most handicaps and not quite up to top level. Changed stables now and with handicap falling throughout last season he has a shout.

Form: 5622P5-

Gino Trail²¹⁵

Age: 10| Weight: 10-4| J: J E Moore| T: Kerry Lee| OR: 142

6/1

Fair form in novice and handicap chases last term and won three races in all. Gets plenty of weight from all but hard to see him having the class in a race this hot.

Form: 122216-

Forecasts

Politologue (5/2), Garde La Victoire (7/2), Forest Bihan (5/1), Gino Trail (6/1), Ar Mad (15/2), San Benedeto (8/1), Vibrato Valtat (16/1), Sir Valentino (16/1)

Paul Nicholls has long had a high opinion of POLITOLOGUE and in receipt of weight from the majority of his rivals he has a good chance. He may well have beaten San Benedeto and Forest Bihan but for falling at Aintree in a Grade One when last seen and here he gets weight from both. Ar Mad is a very high class chaser as a Grade One winner and he could well be the biggest domestic threat to the outstanding Altior this season. He is respected despite top-weight and 11 months out. Also entering the reckoning is last year's winner Sir Valentino who had a fine season and can go well despite being 13lb higher this time round.