20:35 Stratford

Saturday 9 June 2018

All18:0018:0518:3519:0519:3520:0520:3521:05

BGC Racing Handicap Chase

Off time: 20:35 | Winning time: 6m 58.10s

Buachaill Alainn^b,t¹²

Age: 11| Weight: 12-0| J: S Bowen| T: P & M Bowen| OR: 132

4/1

Veteran that stays strongly, usually gets outpaced at some point during the race but often rallies well to good effect. Handicapper makes life harder for him after Cartmel win last time but in great heart and can't be discounted.

Form: 2255P-1

Sporting Boy^b,t²⁴

Age: 10| Weight: 12-0| J: Brendan Powell| T: J Farrelly| OR: 132| C

16/1

Worth another try at this trip having finished second over slightly shorter at Newton Abbot last year. Winner at Market Rasen last year and should strip fitter for recent reappearance run. Blinkers back on and not ruled out.

Form: 22184-6

Aubusson²⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 12-0| J: Chester Williams⁽⁷⁾| T: Nick Williams| OR: 132

9/2

Has a bit of class about him but simply doesn't win enough to be confident about his chances, with his last drink at the bar coming in 2015. Might want softer ground as well and hard to fancy.

Form: 37220-5

Wuff^p,t¹⁴²

Age: 10| Weight: 11-9| J: J J Burke| T: T R George| OR: 127

14/1

Often well fancied but disappoints too many times to be trusted, has found little for pressure in the past but did put it all together to win off this mark at Ffos Las last year. No great record after a break, and hard to fancy.

Form: 515/2PP-

Dandy Dan^t¹⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: David Bass| T: K Bailey & M Nicholls| OR: 127

11/4

Turned in a really good effort at Warwick on latest start, close second to an improving sort and may have done well to get away with just a 1lb rise. The concern is the trip, as that was over a mile shorter, but there's stamina on the dam's side.

Form: 11253-2

Victor Leudorum^t²⁰

Age: 11| Weight: 10-10| J: James Davies| T: S Flook| OR: 114| CD

50/1

Best days seem behind him now and despite being a C&D winner in the past, two efforts this summer suggest he's got plenty to find here.

Form: 211P/85

Gorsky Island³²

Age: 10| Weight: 10-9| J: P J Brennan| T: T R George| OR: 113| BF

9/4

Last win came back in 2014, but he almost put that stat behind him when done by a nose at Ludlow last time (by one that also finds winning hard). Up 4lb for that and this trip asks a new question of him as well.

Form: P3PP5-2

Non-Runners

Mercers Court⁶

Weight: 10-7| Age: 10

T: N B King J: Bryony Frost

Forecasts

Gorsky Island (9/4), Dandy Dan (11/4), Buachaill Alainn (4/1), Aubusson (9/2), Mercers Court (12/1), Wuff (14/1), Sporting Boy (16/1), Victor Leudorum (50/1)

The trip could prove troublesome for a few of these, but not top weight Buachaill Alainn who stays every yard of it and should be in the money. But it's worth taking a chance on DANDY DAN to get the trip - there is stamina on the dam's side that gives some hope he will get it - as he looks nicely treated and might be able to snag an easy lead here. He's worth a bet. Sporting Boy swaps the cheekpieces for his regular blinkers, which may well help his cause, and he can take third.