Wren Mares' Handicap Chase

Off time: 15:55 | Winning time: 6m 23.1s

Two Smokin Barrels²⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: T Scudamore| T: M Scudamore| OR: 124| D

7/4

Was in good form last winter, completing a hat-trick at around 3m and then also adding to that over 2m4f in the spring. Remains in reasonable form and has dropped to 3lb below that last win, so should be thereabouts.

Form: 16-92F3

Miss Tongabezi^h,t³⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 11-11| J: R P McLernon| T: P R Webber| OR: 123

7/2

Sprang a 40-1 surprise when scoring at Towcester (2m5½f, good to soft) in December and was a creditable 14½L third in Listed company at Doncaster last time. Faces nothing in same league as the winner here today, so enters calculations.

Form: 00-7713

Tara Mist⁵⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 11-11| J: R Johnson| T: H D Daly| OR: 123

11/4

Improved on her Perth chase debut when winning at Uttoxeter (2m6½f, good to soft) in November. 3lb rise an Listed company saw her tailed off/pulled up last time at Newbury. Not ruled out if she can bounce back from that.

Form: 148-31P

Timon's Tara^p¹³

Age: 9| Weight: 10-8| J: J M Quinlan| T: R Dickin| OR: 106| BF

3/1

1-12 over fences so far, the win being 13-months ago at Uttoxeter (2m6½f, heavy) from 2lb higher. 5lb better off with Tara Mist for a 1L defeat to her over that same C&D in November, but consistency a concern and may find something to beat her.

Form: P2P423

Non-Runners

Frank N Fair¹⁷

Weight: 10-6| Age: 10

T: Miss Z C Davison J: T Dowling

Forecasts

Two Smokin Barrels (7/4), Tara Mist (11/4), Timon's Tara (3/1), Miss Tongabezi (7/2), Frank N Fair (10/1)

TWO SMOKIN BARRELS has her best chance of success since last winning at Newcastle in March and is taken to get her nose in front again for the Scudamore brothers in an interesting race, despite the small field. Miss Tongabezi's Towcester win came out of left field, but she proved that it was no fluke in Listed company last time and she looks a danger. Tara Mist will need to bounce back from a disappointing effort last time, but if she can then she could be next best, even though strictly on the book, Timon's Tara should have her measure at these weights.