myracing.com Handicap Chase

Off time: 18:10 | Winning time: 4m 2.8s

Vikekhal^t¹⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: Benjamin Poste| T: S Flook| OR: 112| D

6/1

Not kept the best of form since winning at Worcester in August 2017 (2m good), but is falling in the weights and drops in grade tonight; beaten almost 11L when finishing third at Worcester latest (2m+, good).

Form: 7F66-83

Atlantic Storm^t²⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-11| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 111| BF

13/8

Rather unlucky in the run when just failing to grab Percy Street over hurdles at Bangor last month (2m+ good) on his first start since January. Fell on his previous attempt over fences, but with a clear round should be positively involved.

Form: 6F857-2

No Ceiling^h,t1²³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-11| J: T J O'Brien| T: Ian Williams| OR: 111| CD

7/4

Has won over C&D in the past (August 2016) over smaller obstacles, but has posted only fair efforts over fences since winning at Doncaster in early December (2m+ good to soft), so more needed with first time tongue-tie accompanying the hood.

Form: 2/41P4-4

New Kid In Town¹³

Age: 9| Weight: 11-5| J: Ryan Winks⁽⁵⁾| T: P Winks| OR: 105| D

40/1

Left Willie Mullins for £6,000 in November 2017 and has under-performed for his new connections, largely attributable to his reluctance to settle; tailed off back over fences at Cartmel latest and dropped 7lb in the weights.

Form: P0P-0P6

Saffron Prince²³²

Age: 10| Weight: 11-5| J: T Scudamore| T: D G Bridgwater| OR: 105| D

12/1

Not looked back since winning at Newton Abbot in July 2017 (2m+ good to soft), and won again (all out) off a 1lb lower mark at Plumpton in October; makes his first start since, but fine at this track so has an obvious place chance.

Form: 613221-

Boss Des Mottes^p,t¹³

Age: 7| Weight: 10-13| J: Jamie Hamilton| T: H Hogarth| OR: 99| BF| D

9/1

Hasn't tasted success since July 2016 (for Dan Skelton) but has run okay in both starts since returning in mid-May, including when keeping on to get within 3L of Civil Unrest at Cartmel late last month (2m1f+ good).

Form: 3436-42

Forecasts

Atlantic Storm (13/8), No Ceiling (7/4), Vikekhal (6/1), Boss Des Mottes (9/1), Saffron Prince (12/1), New Kid In Town (40/1)

With the Skelton horses in a rich vein of form, it's worth chancing the fencing of the inexperienced ATLANTIC STORM in what is essentially a very winnable opener. He didn't enjoy much fortune in the run on his return from a break over hurdles at Bangor last month, but should be sharper for that outing and is preferred to both Boss Des Mottes and Saffron Prince.