totesport.com Exclusive Cashback Offers Open Hunters' Chase

Off time: 17:02 | Winning time: 6m 38.10s

Kings Lodge^p,t1¹⁵

Age: 12| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr William Easterby⁽³⁾| T: W Easterby| OR: 116| D

9/2

With Nicky Henderson for much of his career (until January 2015), but has found his feet in point-to-points, and arrives seeking the hat-trick following 3m victories at Brocklesby and Charm Park. Pulled up in this race in 2017.

Form: 2P-4711

Matthew Man⁷⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr Joe Wright⁽⁵⁾| T: J Walton

50/1

Pulled up in a 3m maiden hurdle here on his sole start under rules in May 2017, and is 0 from 5 in point-to-points; unseating his rider at the third at Alnwick in early February.

Form: 425-P3U

Mendip Express^t⁹⁵

Age: 12| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr D Maxwell⁽³⁾| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 127| D

1/1

Safe to say this race probably wasn't the grand plan for the season, and he's not been seen since finishing just under 20L fourth to Virak at Ludlow in January (3m good to soft). His past career record makes him very competitive.

Form: 2952-44

Shantou Magic³⁸

Age: 11| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr W B Ramsay⁽⁷⁾| T: Capt W B Ramsay| OR: 111| D

13/8

Rules winner for Charlie Longsdon and won two on the bounce (3m point-to-points) earlier in 2018 after leaving the care of Rose Dobbin. Pulled up in the Cheltenham Foxhunters last month, so should relish this drop back in grade.

Form: 542-11P

Non-Runners

Midnight Appeal⁸

Weight: 12-0| Age: 13

T: Charlotte Hawker J: Miss Charlotte Hawker

Thats Digby³⁷⁹

Weight: 12-0| Age: 8

T: M Coglan J: Mr John Dawson

Forecasts

Mendip Express (1/1), Shantou Magic (13/8), Kings Lodge (9/2), Midnight Appeal (20/1), Thats Digby (33/1), Matthew Man (50/1)

A small field for the finale, with a couple of 'improving' point-to-point winners, namely Kings Lodge and Shantou Magic amongst the six runners. The latter will appreciate the drop in grade after tackling the Cheltenham Foxhunters latest (pulled up), but on paper the Philip Hobbs trained MENDIP EXPRESS should be taking this kind of contest in his stride. Clearly this wasn't the grand plan for 2018, but he emerged out of all the major 2017 NH Festivals with credit, ending the season a neck runner up to Balnaslow at Punchestown in April 2017.