19:55 Aintree

Friday 15 June 2018

All17:4518:1518:5019:2019:5520:2520:55

Inkerman London Handicap Chase

Off time: 19:56 | Winning time: 3m 54.00s

Indian Temple^p¹²^{(ex 7)}

Age: 9| Weight: 12-3| J: Harry Reed⁽⁵⁾| T: T Reed| OR: 131

15/8

Made all and won unchallenged when taking the Class 3 2m4f handicap chase at Perth earlier this month for the second year in succession; races under a 7lb penalty (2lb well in), and should make a bold bid despite facing competition for the lead.

Form: 3537-21

Theflyingportrait^t³³

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: Sean Quinlan| T: J Candlish| OR: 133| CD

7/1

Winner of this race in 2017 from a 2lb higher mark and seems certain to hustle Indian Temple for the early lead; not in the best of form so far in 2018 but a possible threat if returning to his best.

Form: 45390-7

Pearls Legend^p¹³

Age: 11| Weight: 11-8| J: James Bowen⁽³⁾| T: J L Spearing| OR: 129| BF| D

5/1

Unable to follow up his Huntingdon win (2m+ good) under a 7lb penalty at Worcester just a few days later, but did run to form in a stronger race. No back number despite his age and another who likes to race towards the fore.

Form: 2P4-412

Valseur Du Granval¹⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-8| J: Adrian Heskin| T: T R George| OR: 129| D

7/1

Ran out a decisive 10L winner (off a 7lb lower mark) at Ludlow (2m good) on his penultimate start and holds potential trip excuses for his most recent Uttoxeter defeat; requires a career best performance nevertheless.

Form: 25571-9

Champagne At Tara⁴⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 11-6| J: B J Geraghty| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 127| D

11/4

Fair to say that he's a very questionable character attitude wise (travels well and fails to deliver); has the required ability but lacks the resolution, so almost always opposed.

Form: 34UF2-3

Ifandbutwhynot^t¹⁸

Age: 12| Weight: 11-2| J: B S Hughes| T: T D Easterby| OR: 123| D

10/1

Ageing handicapper who generally can be relied upon to run his usual solid race but hasn't won in over 12 months (from this mark); enjoys being up with the pace like so many of these runners.

Form: 3424-25

Gris De Pron³¹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-13| J: Jamie Hamilton| T: H Hogarth| OR: 120| D

40/1

A two-time hurdles winner for Oliver Greenall. In the process of running a solid race on his second start over fences when falling two out at Newcastle in November (2m good), but broke a blood vessel when well beaten at Sedgefield last month.

Form: 11/44F-3

Non-Runners

Free Stone Hill¹¹

Weight: 10-6| Age: 8

T: D Skelton J: Harry Skelton

Un Beau Roman¹⁸

Weight: 10-4| Age: 10

T: P Henderson J: P J Brennan

Forecasts

Indian Temple (15/8), Champagne At Tara (11/4), Free Stone Hill (10/3), Pearls Legend (5/1), Theflyingportrait (7/1), Valseur Du Granval (7/1), Ifandbutwhynot (10/1), Un Beau Roman (20/1), Gris De Pron (40/1)

Pace a plenty, so the recent emphatic Perth winner INDIAN TEMPLE is unlikely to have the uncontested lead he was afforded that sunny Sunday afternoon in Scotland. However, he's a thoroughly genuine horse (unlike a couple of the others) and showed similar speed at this track on his penultimate start (2m4f) before folding to finish a creditable 7L second to Martiloo; so the drop back in trip to 2m is certainly no negative.