Windpower Energy Resources Handicap Chase

Off time: 15:10 | Winning time: 7m 22.02s

Mahler Lad^b²³⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: W T Kennedy| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 107| CD

7/1

Best effort (by far) from five over fences came when winning C&D handicap on good ground in April off a mark of 98. Pulled up at Market Rasen next time off this rating. Returns from 236-day break now.

Form: 2/P361-P

Hedgeinator^p⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: James Bowen⁽⁵⁾| T: Christian Williams| OR: 107

9/4

Couple of good runs behind him, backing up positive Sandown run with determined win at Ludlow (3m, soft) nine days ago. Off the same mark and James Bowen can claim 5lb this time. Looks a player.

Form: 145521

Chanceofa Lifetime³⁹⁴

Age: 11| Weight: 11-5| J: Alex Chadwick⁽⁷⁾| T: V Thompson| OR: 100| CD

66/1

Career-best when winning over C&D in April 2016, form was on the slide through latter part of that year and now returns from close to 400-days away. Market check may reveal more as to ambitions today.

Form: U/PP367-

Smuggler's Stash^p⁴⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 11-4| J: Craig Nichol| T: R Dobbin| OR: 99| D

7/1

Won over 3m trip on heavy at Hexham last year and proved he stays further when scoring at Carlisle in April from 4lb lower. Eased to a very competitive mark for this and a repeat of his Hexham effort in November would give him sound claims.

Form: 310-P26

Kings Eclipse³⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-0| J: B S Hughes| T: A Wilson| OR: 95| CD

2/1

A welcome winner for the yard when scoring over C&D in novice handicap chase last month on first start over these obstacles. Jumped well and could have plenty more to offer at this sort of level.

Form: 9-59241

Joseph Mercer^v¹⁵

Age: 11| Weight: 10-13| J: A Nicol| T: Miss T Jackson| OR: 94| C

15/2

Won three of his last four starts at the back end of the season and clearly in the form of his life. Not started this campaign in the same fashion but on a fair enough mark and won his last chase start; can't be dismissed if he bounces back.

Form: 1121-05

Cant Pay Wont Pay¹⁷

Age: 10| Weight: 10-9| J: Mr D Delahunt⁽⁷⁾| T: R Dobbin| OR: 90

10/1

Multiple point-to-point winner who won in Ireland when trained by Mark Fahey. Unseated at Wetherby in November before a moderate placed effort back there (3m, soft) on Boxing Day. Perhaps similar aspirations now.

Form: 1292U3

Forecasts

Kings Eclipse (2/1), Hedgeinator (9/4), Smuggler's Stash (7/1), Mahler Lad (7/1), Joseph Mercer (15/2), Cant Pay Wont Pay (10/1), Chanceofa Lifetime (66/1)

KINGS ECLIPSE provided his trainer with an overdue winner when scoring over C&D in November on his first chase start. He jumped nicely and did the job well on that occasion, while the form has worked out very nicely with three of those rivals winning subsequently. He should progress from that and looks capable of winning more races at this level. Recent Ludlow scorer Hedgeinator seems sure to test his resolve, he's in good heart and goes unpunished for that win in a conditional jockeys' contest, while James Bowen can now claim a useful 5lb. Smuggler's Stash is weighted to have a chance while Mahler Lad returns from a break and would be in contention if repeating the form of his C&D success in April.