14:45 Bangor

Saturday 21 April 2018

All13:3514:1014:4515:2015:5516:3017:0017:35

Weatherbys Stallion Book Handicap Chase

Off time: 14:45 | Winning time: 4m 32.7s

Red Devil Star^t¹⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 12-2| J: Jack Sherwood⁽³⁾| T: Miss S Smith| OR: 124| D

11/4

Notched his first success since December 2016 when justifying favouritism at Market Rasen (2m1f heavy) ten days ago. Up 6lb on drying ground and unlikely to have the race set up perfectly for him today.

Form: 732631

Vikekhal^t¹⁷⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 12-0| J: Benjamin Poste| T: S Flook| OR: 122| D

25/1

Sprung a minor surprise when making a winning debut for this trainer (tongue tied) at Worcester in August 2017 (2m good), Not so sharp since, but seemingly deliberately kept quiet from late October for a spring campaign.

Form: 1357F6

Get Rhythm²⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: James Best| T: T R George| OR: 120| BF| CD

7/2

Dual winner last spring including on chase debut at Ffos Las (2m, good). Dropped 2lb for last month's return to action, but can prove sharper now at a track which suits.

Form: 211235

No Ceiling^h⁵⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-7| J: T J O'Brien| T: Ian Williams| OR: 115| D

11/2

Clobbered by the handicapper after winning well at Doncaster in early December (2m+ good to soft). Took a fierce hold on his recent return to action blowing any chance of being competitive late on, so needs to curb that destructive trait.

Form: 332-41P

Admiral's Secret^t⁵⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: Conor Shoemark| T: V R A Dartnall| OR: 112

7/2

Placed twice over hurdles on soft ground and the penny dropped with him over fences last time when driven out to score a narrow win at Ludlow (2m, good to soft). Remains open to improvement after a token 3lb rise.

Form: 38-P5P1

Truckers Highway^t⁷⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 11-1| J: Lee Edwards| T: J Groucott| OR: 109| DWS

7/1

Not the most consistent of animals, but in his defence he is a six-time winner from 21 starts over fences, with a tendency to deliver the goods at Uttoxeter. Well handicapped if recent wind surgery proves helpful.

Form: 4F35P5

Boxer Beat¹²

Age: 11| Weight: 10-10| J: Miss L Brooke⁽⁷⁾| T: Lady S Brooke| OR: 104| D

66/1

Dismal in four starts since returning from a lengthy absence in early 2018. Now 1 from 69 under rules and makes no appeal in the slightest.

Form: 2-UP097

Grand Coureur¹³⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-2| J: Alain Cawley| T: B Leavy| OR: 96

16/1

Lightly raced maiden who was a runner up here in a 2m+ novice hurdle for Noel Willliams in January 2017, and again on his second chase start at Ludlow in October. Stable debut.

Form: 8-5402P

Non-Runners

Little Stevie¹⁴⁷

Weight: 11-4| Age: 6

T: D McCain Jnr J: W T Kennedy

Diamond Rock¹⁰⁰

Weight: 11-0| Age: 7

T: Henry Oliver J: James Davies

Forecasts

Red Devil Star (11/4), Admiral's Secret (7/2), Get Rhythm (7/2), No Ceiling (11/2), Truckers Highway (7/1), Little Stevie (12/1), Diamond Rock (14/1), Grand Coureur (16/1), Vikekhal (25/1), Boxer Beat (66/1)

A couple of these horses, namely Vikekhal and Get Rhythm, look as if their respective seasons are only getting underway with a preference for drying spring/summer ground, so conditions could swing in their favour. Diamond Rock is much respected on the bulk of his efforts over fences, including when scoring by 5L over C&D in October, whilst recent Market Rasen scorer Red Devil Star won't necessarily have the race set up as perfectly today as was the case just ten days ago. Therefore, we'll side with Ludlow scorer ADMIRAL'S SECRET. He should have more too offer under a far from punitive 3lb rise (form which could be franked by Road To Rome in the opener).