15:40 Aintree

Saturday 14 April 2018

All13:4514:2515:0015:4016:2017:1518:20

Betway Handicap Chase (Grade 3)

Off time: 15:41 | Winning time: 6m 44.75s

Hammersly Lake¹⁷⁵

Age: 10| Weight: 11-12| J: B S Hughes| T: C E Longsdon| OR: 155| BF

33/1

In fine form last summer winning three races (2m-2m5f+), earning a trip to the US for the Grand National (hurdle) at Far Hills in October. No joy there and absent since. Handles cut, but his more recent improved form has come on a sound surface.

Form: 1-12215

Wakanda³²

Age: 9| Weight: 11-5| J: Henry Brooke| T: J Parkinson & S Smith| OR: 148

14/1

Rock-solid stayer who has enjoyed high profile success throughout his career; 2015 Rehearsal Chase, 2015 Sodexo Silver Cup, 2018 Sky Bet Chase. High in the weights, but relishes cut with previous Aintree starts coming mainly in Grade 1 contests.

Form: 3-2521P

Oldgrangewood^t³⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-3| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 146

14/1

Progressive heading into the Cheltenham Festival (Brown Advisory), but always towards the rear in that race and eventually pulled up. Plausible he needed that run (first for three months), but was a solid third in the Old Roan Chase in November.

Form: P3-331P

Rocklander³²

Age: 9| Weight: 11-2| J: Adrian Heskin| T: T R George| OR: 145

7/1

Didn't quite get home when making a valiant attempt to take the 2m4f Close Brothers Novices Handicap at Cheltenham last month; beaten 3+L by Mister Whitaker. 3lb higher, but basically a solid fencer and that'll stand him in good stead at this track.

Form: 20-1U13

Ibis Du Rheu^t³²

Age: 7| Weight: 10-11| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 140

7/1

Still a maiden over fences (0 from 6), paying the price to the handicapper for his Martin Pipe Hurdle success at the Cheltenham Festival in 2016. Ran well, but finished a tired 15L fifth to Mister Whitaker in the 2m4f Close Brothers at Cheltenham.

Form: 323P-45

Thomas Patrick²¹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-10| J: R Johnson| T: T Lacey| OR: 139

3/1

Fast improving staying chaser (two wins from three starts) for a trainer who has enjoyed a hugely productive few months. Up 8lb for his 8L defeat of Dawson City at Newbury last month (3m2f soft). Track/ground conditions perfect.

Form: 128141

Casse Tete³²

Age: 6| Weight: 10-9| J: Joshua Moore| T: G & J Moore| OR: 138

9/1

Stayed on strongly from out of the pack to power clear when scoring by 5L at Warwick in February (2m4f soft), but held off this mark in a stronger race at Cheltenham latest (3m1f Ultima Handicap). Stamina doubts over 3m in the mud.

Form: 31-7718

On Tour⁷⁷

Age: 10| Weight: 10-8| J: Adam Wedge| T: Evan Williams| OR: 137| C

14/1

November is generally the time to catch him at Aintree (2m4f), and he landed a valuable handicap off a 2lb lower mark here in late 2017. Struggled to record a clear round over fences since, and well beaten over timber at Uttoxeter in January.

Form: 4-1U9F6

Holly Bush Henry^p⁵⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 10-6| J: James Bowen⁽³⁾| T: P W Middleton| OR: 135| BF| D

14/1

Mixes hurdling with chasing, but kept to the larger obstacles since Christmas, and was a 3m Fakenham winner in January (heavy). Stays well and fine on testing ground, but the handicapper appears to have his measure.

Form: 414125

Pearl Swan^t,v²⁸

Age: 10| Weight: 10-5| J: S Bowen| T: P & M Bowen| OR: 134

14/1

Firmly on the up in early 2017, winning on soft ground at Southwell (2m4f) and Ffos Las (3m). Finished lame in the mist on the latter occasion, and returned to action over hurdles after 13 months off at Uttoxeter last month.

Form: 21411-9

Heist^p,t¹⁸⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 10-4| J: A W Short⁽⁵⁾| T: P Griffin| OR: 133| D

33/1

Likeable sort who is a five-time winner over fences. He toughed it out to score by 5L at Hexham in June 2017 (good), and whilst easing back slightly in the weights to near his last winning mark, this rates as a tough assignment.

Form: 314037

Paper Lantern^b¹²

Age: 9| Weight: 10-4| J: Donagh Meyler⁽³⁾| T: K Thornton| OR: 133| D

10/1

Seemingly most effective at Fairyhouse, and produced a career best effort when winning there in poor visibility earlier this month (3m+ heavy). 9lb higher in the weights for his first start across the Irish Sea, but ground conditions are ideal.

Form: 834341

Very First Time³⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 10-3| J: Danny Cook| T: T D Easterby| OR: 132

14/1

Enjoyed a most productive first season over fences recording soft and heavy novice victories at Hexham and Newcastle (3m). His Kelso defeat by Acdc reads better now than it did at the time, but whether he's up to this challenge is debatable.

Form: 2-F1120

Bells Of Ailsworth^t³³

Age: 8| Weight: 10-3| J: Alan Johns| T: Tim Vaughan| OR: 132| D

12/1

Taunton specialist who sits a full 10lb above his last winning mark (3m soft at Bangor in December). However, quite possibly will have needed the run when third off this mark last month, so not totally discounted given his progressive profile.

Form: 13F-313

Clondaw Cian^b³²

Age: 8| Weight: 10-2| J: G Sheehan| T: Miss S Smith| OR: 131

14/1

Not won since November 2016 (2m5f handicap hurdle at Cheltenham), and is a six race maiden over regulation fences. Pulled up in the four-miler at Cheltenham last month (didn't stay), and that's most likely left it's mark.

Form: 322P0P

Bearly Legal^t¹²

Age: 12| Weight: 10-0| J: A E Lynch| T: K Thornton| OR: 122

50/1

Stablemate of Paper Lantern who probably only travels to accompany that better fancied horse. A six-time winner, but long in the tooth nowadays and out of form for quite some time, so little chance from out of the weights accordingly.

Form: P08F7P

Non-Runners

Viconte Du Noyer³⁰

Weight: 11-1| Age: 9

T: C L Tizzard J: R M Power

Forecasts

Thomas Patrick (3/1), Ibis Du Rheu (7/1), Rocklander (7/1), Casse Tete (9/1), Paper Lantern (10/1), Bells Of Ailsworth (12/1), On Tour (14/1), Oldgrangewood (14/1), Holly Bush Henry (14/1), Pearl Swan (14/1), Very First Time (14/1), Wakanda (14/1), Clondaw Cian (14/1), Viconte Du Noyer (20/1), Heist (33/1), Hammersly Lake (33/1), Bearly Legal (50/1)

At first glance a competitive handicap chase, but on closer inspection, one horse stands out above the others, and that is the unexposed market leader THOMAS PATRICK. An 8lb rise for last month's emphatic Newbury success could be considered lenient, and with his trainer in flying form, his rider unrivalled over fences and the weather presenting ideal underfoot conditions, he is ultra competitive from a nice racing weight of 10st 10lbs. Both Rocklander and Ibis Du Rheu ran well at Cheltenham (2m4f) but have stamina to prove over this longer trip and same for Oldgrangewood. Therefore, the chief threat could come from recent 3m Fairyhouse winner Paper Lantern.