smarkets.com Handicap Chase

Off time: 16:20 | Winning time: 6m 58.10s

More Buck's^t²⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 12-2| J: Lorcan Williams⁽⁷⁾| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 122

6/4

Only two starts so far this spring and hes been well beaten on both occasions. There was a glimmer of hope in the Cheltenham (3m2f, good) run last time and having dropped a long way in the weights he is attractively handicapped. Rider takes off 7lb.

Form: 4FP3/77-

Bramble Brook^p,t²³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: H Cobden| T: C L Tizzard| OR: 118

5/2

Won a three-runner handicap at Fontwell in February off a 3lb lower mark. Has struggled since though and this step up in trip does not look the most obvious move. Tight little race though and not discounted if on a going day.

Form: 131643-

Rise Of An Empire^t²¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-11| J: Miss A B O'Connor⁽⁷⁾| T: H Fry| OR: 117

6/4

Was having first run for this yard when finishing third at Ludlow (3m, good) on reappearance three weeks ago. Should come on for that run, has been dropped 1lb in the weights and there is a chance he could get a softish lead today. Could dictate.

Form: 63/3563-

Non-Runners

Phangio¹⁹

Weight: 10-7| Age: 9

T: M Sheppard J: Stan Sheppard

Forecasts

More Buck's (6/4), Rise Of An Empire (6/4), Phangio (2/1), Bramble Brook (5/2)

A tight affair and you can make a pretty good case for all of them. More Buck's is dropping in the weights and showed more than the result suggests at Cheltenham last time. Phangio was an emphatic winner at Warwick over a further tripon his latest run but the pace of this race is a worry for him. Preference is for RISE OF AN EMPIRE who should get a fairly soft lead and could be pretty hard to pass on just the second start for Harry Fry.