13:50 Cheltenham

Saturday 18 November 2017

All12:4013:1513:5014:2515:0015:3016:00

BetVictor.com Handicap Chase (Grade 3)

Off time: 13:53 | Winning time: 7m 31.10s

Minella Rocco^t³⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: B J Geraghty| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 166| BF| C

9/2

Ran the race of his life to be second in the Cheltenham Gold Cup and returned from a break to be a fair fourth to Road To Respect at Punchestown. Needed that run to put an edge on him and should make a bold bid to defy top weight.

Form: 1/3FU2-4

Sizing Codelco³⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-4| J: B J Cooper| T: C L Tizzard| OR: 158

14/1

Ended last season with victories at the Aintree and Punchestown Festivals and something may have been amiss when he was pulled up at Chepstow on his reappearance. Something to prove after that display.

Form: 24011-P

Perfect Candidate^p²¹

Age: 10| Weight: 10-12| J: P J Brennan| T: F O'Brien| OR: 152| C

7/1

First run since pulling up in the Grand Nation when a distant 10th to Cogry over these fences last month. Should come on for the run and is 2lb lower.

Form: 02P1P-0

Vicente^h²¹⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 10-10| J: H Cobden| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 150| C

9/2

Makes his seasonal reappearance and first start since landing the Scottish National for the second successive season in April. Bigger targets lie ahead in the second half of the season so he is unlikely to be fully wound up first time out.

Form: F669F1-

Three Faces West^p³³⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 10-7| J: R Johnson| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 147

5/1

Frontrunner who ended his second season as a chaser with clear-cut victories at Haydock and Newbury. On the upgrade and very much of interest on his return to action.

Form: 221/P11-

Premier Bond^p²¹⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 10-0| J: N de Boinville| T: N J Henderson| OR: 139

4/1

Good novice last season when his best effort was a third in the Kim Muir at the Cheltenham Festival. Probably over the top when pulling up in the Scottish National and can go well from 1lb out of the handicap.

Form: 7/2113P-

Benbens²⁰

Age: 12| Weight: 10-0| J: Jamie Bargary⁽³⁾| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 135

16/1

Third in the Scottish National and fourth in the Bet365 Gold Cup at the end of last season, he returned to action with a fair effort at Aintree. Should strip fitter, but is 5lb wrong at the weights.

Form: 58/P34-7

Shotgun Paddy²¹⁰

Age: 10| Weight: 10-0| J: Aidan Coleman| T: Miss E C Lavelle| OR: 135

13/2

Thorough stayer who finds it difficult to win these days but has dropped down the weights accordingly. First run of the season from out of the handicap so plenty to overcome.

Form: P0/733P-

Non-Runners

Doing Fine²¹

Weight: 10-0| Age: 9

T: N P Mulholland J: T Scudamore

Forecasts

Premier Bond (4/1), Vicente (9/2), Doing Fine (9/2), Minella Rocco (9/2), Three Faces West (5/1), Shotgun Paddy (13/2), Perfect Candidate (7/1), Sizing Codelco (14/1), Benbens (16/1)

Three Faces West ended last season on a high and will be a popular choice with punters, but if MINELLA ROCCO can reproduce anything like the form which saw him finish second in the Gold Cup at this track he would have every chance of conceding weight all round. Doing Fine and Premier Bond can also make their presence felt in a really good stayers' handicap.