16:20 Stratford

Thursday 2 August 2018

All13:3014:0014:3515:1015:4516:2016:55

Racing UK Extra On racinguk.com Handicap Chase

Off time: 16:20 | Winning time: 4m 35.50s

Drumhart^t¹⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: Mr James King⁽⁵⁾| T: A Ralph| OR: 98| D

5/1

Showed a good level of form in point-to-points before running respectably here over an extended 2m6f latest. The drop in trip may not be too much of an issue but the gelding could possibly do with a bit of rain to take any sting out of the ground.

Form: 7P3-213

Opechee³⁹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-11| J: T Scudamore| T: D G Bridgwater| OR: 97

8/1

Returned with a reasonable effort here last month but did get tired near the finish. The drop in trip may suit but others look more convincing.

Form: 35267/3-

While You Wait²⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-9| J: Lucy Gardner⁽³⁾| T: Mrs S Gardner| OR: 95| D

33/1

Favourably treated on hurdling efforts but hasn't really caught the imagination over fences and looks easy to oppose on recent form.

Form: 668P-58

Bennachie^p,t⁷²

Age: 9| Weight: 11-9| J: Alan Johns| T: Tim Vaughan| OR: 95| BF| D

8/1

Sound claims on the best of his efforts and made an uncharacteristic mistake when unshipping the rider at Hexham last time out. Had previously been in good form so worth noting in the betting so see is he's back on good terms with himself.

Form: 23211-U

Exclusive Rights²⁵

Age: 10| Weight: 11-7| J: Mrs C Hardwick⁽⁷⁾| T: R T Phillips| OR: 93

9/1

Generally consistent and has gone well here despite being also having been pulled up on a couple of occasions. Not one to trust implicitly but is a taking individual that could run into a place if on song.

Form: 4PP-2P3

Helium¹⁴³

Age: 13| Weight: 11-7| J: R P McLernon| T: Alexandra Dunn| OR: 93| D

25/1

On a long losing run and needs drastic action to halt his slide into the handicapping wilderness. Difficult to suggest he's not just on the downgrade rather than being well handicapped just now. n

Form: PU3665-

Barney From Tyanee^p²⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: Philip Donovan⁽⁷⁾| T: M Blake| OR: 92

16/1

Most recent win came over timber at Wincanton but his form has taken a dip since reverting to fences. The rider's claim helps at the weights but others appear more reliable betting propositions.

Form: 641-268

Apachee Prince^p,t³⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 11-4| J: R Johnson| T: O Murphy| OR: 90

7/1

Yard in fair form but probably still getting to the bottom of this fellow as he's a relatively new recruit. The gelding does need to better his recent form, though.

Form: 4624U-8

Ballyandrew²⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-1| J: Jordan Nailor⁽⁷⁾| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 87

5/1

Best form has been around the minimum trip and ground with a fair amount of give in it. Likely to strip a lot fitter after his recent retrun to action but stiil has plenty to find if he's going to be a leading contender.

Form: 37P36-8

Our Uncle Pat^h,t¹²

Age: 7| Weight: 10-10| J: Alison Clarke⁽⁷⁾| T: Kenny Johnson| OR: 82

66/1

Not made much impression in any of his starts under national hunt rules and is hard to recommend on the evidence of those six previous (fruitless) runs.

Form: 7603F6

Grow Nasa Grow¹²

Age: 7| Weight: 10-7| J: Ryan Winks⁽⁵⁾| T: P Winks| OR: 79| D

11/2

A winner at Market Rasen from a 3lb lower mark a couple of months ago but has been well held twice since. Today's drop in trip may help, however, so the gelding should not be underestimated in this moderate company.

Form: 45-7137

Changing The Guard^p,t¹⁹

Age: 12| Weight: 10-3| J: Sean Houlihan⁽⁵⁾| T: R Chapman| OR: 75

50/1

The gelding has been kept busy this year but hasn't enjoyed a slice of success up to press. Even a recent switch in yards has so far failed to stop the rot - probably best watched again here.

Form: 445-867

Mountain Of Angels^p1,t1⁷⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 10-0| J: Adam Wedge| T: Evan Williams| OR: 65

14/1

Has tasted success in a point-to-point but the mare has lost her way recently and makes limited appeal even though she debuts for a highly respected new yard today.

Form: 4/13PU-7

Non-Runners

Torhousemuir¹⁰⁹

Weight: 11-5| Age: 7

T: S Thomas J: R Patrick

Forecasts

Drumhart (5/1), Ballyandrew (5/1), Grow Nasa Grow (11/2), Apachee Prince (7/1), Opechee (8/1), Bennachie (8/1), Exclusive Rights (9/1), Torhousemuir (10/1), Mountain Of Angels (14/1), Barney From Tyanee (16/1), Helium (25/1), While You Wait (33/1), Changing The Guard (50/1), Our Uncle Pat (66/1)

BENNACHIE has bits and pieces of form that suggests he can be a tough cookie when he's in a battling frame of mind. He just gets the nod ahead of Grow Nasa Grow and Torhousemuir, who can also figure prominently at this level. A case can also be stated for Exclusive Rights on the very pick of his efforts, so he also merits a betting check.