188Bet Casino Handicap Chase

Off time: 17:05 | Winning time: 4m 21.5s

Pistol Park^t¹⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: B S Hughes| T: B Ellison| OR: 129| D

13/8

Taken out of a planned engagement at Newcastle on Sunday (2m4f), he was an 8L runner up to Calipto off this mark here last month (2m4f). Stronger over this trip, he handles cut and sits on a winnable mark despite shouldering top-weight.

Form: F24432

Grey Gold³⁸

Age: 13| Weight: 11-10| J: R Patrick⁽⁵⁾| T: Kerry Lee| OR: 127| CD

4/1

One time very useful 2m handicap chaser who won a 2m3f+ claiming event at Ffos Las in October (soft) but has struggled at this level since then despite a falling mark. Unlikely winner.

Form: 5-1U455

Dica⁴¹

Age: 12| Weight: 11-7| J: Ross Chapman⁽³⁾| T: Paul Collins| OR: 124| D

9/2

A flag-bearer for his relatively unknown local handler, and the handicapper is clearly struggling to keep grips on his level of improvement. Up another 7lb for his March Catterick success (2m soft), so he requires a career best effort.

Form: 211311

Wolf Sword¹⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 11-4| J: Danny Cook| T: J Parkinson & S Smith| OR: 121| C

11/4

Not exactly prolific since scrambling home at Wetherby in November (2m3f+ good to soft), he sits 2lb below that winning mark as a result. Finished well behind Pistol Park on his most recent start at this track (2m4f).

Form: 41P447

Ulis De Vassy^p²²

Age: 10| Weight: 10-0| J: Patrick Cowley⁽⁵⁾| T: Laura Morgan| OR: 96| D

12/1

Connections must've been left frustrated by the abandonment of Southwell last week, as this ten-year-old was a dual 2m scorer at that Nottinghamshire venue. Lines up elsewhere 4lb above his last winning mark.

Form: F21314

Forecasts

Pistol Park (13/8), Wolf Sword (11/4), Grey Gold (4/1), Dica (9/2), Ulis De Vassy (12/1)

A couple of these horses are difficult to fancy, and Ulis De Vassy has tended to under-perform away from Southwell lately, so this looks to be a shootout between the rapidly progressive front runner Dica, and the increasingly fairly treated PISTOL PARK. The Brian Ellison trained horse seems best suited to 2m, so it's surely significant that he lines up here instead of at Newcastle on Sunday (2m4f). The experienced Brian Hughes can tuck in behind the early pace, and deliver his mount with a strong winning challenge from the back of the final fence.