John Burke Memorial Handicap Chase

Off time: 14:15 | Winning time: 4m 0.10s

Salto Chisco³¹

Age: 10| Weight: 11-12| J: Harry Bannister| T: H Whittington| OR: 120| D

7/2

A 6-28 record stands out in this company, but he has been finding the handicapper demanding too much and this requires a career best.

Form: 4-32233

McCabe Creek^p,h²⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 11-10| J: Mr T A McClorey⁽⁷⁾| T: Mrs Caroline Bailey| OR: 118| D

6/1

Scored at Huntingdon under this rider a year ago. Soon beaten under pressure in recent starts and he needs to show more enthusiasm in order to take advantage of a more lenient mark.

Form: 1P-2464

King Alfonso²⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 11-5| J: R Patrick⁽³⁾| T: D Burchell| OR: 113| CD

3/1

Meets McCabe Creek on better terms than when beating him over these obstacles a year ago and arrives in better form than that rival. Has not beaten much on his last two starts but he clearly remains nicely weighted.

Form: 336-311

Dr Dunraven^t¹⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: Andrew Tinkler| T: M Keighley| OR: 113| CD

3/1

C&D winner had a hard race when following up at Southwell. Has not found much for pressure on his next three starts, although he finished slightly lame on his penultimate outing.

Form: 311355

Mitebeall Forluck^b1,t³⁸

Age: 10| Weight: 11-2| J: C Brace⁽⁷⁾| T: D Brace| OR: 110| D

40/1

Winner of four races in Ireland, the latest in 2016. Has been on a downward trajectory since and he was soon in trouble on his last two starts. Blinkers tried this time.

Form: 4P-03PP

Dark Invader^p¹⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: Adam Wedge| T: Evan Williams| OR: 108| CD

4/1

Not the most reliable jumper but these easy fences suit and he has one win and two seconds in four chase starts here. Looked unsuited by the twists and turns and Fontwell last time and looks a contended on his earlier form.

Form: 115F23

Saffron Prince⁵³

Age: 10| Weight: 10-10| J: Daniel Hiskett⁽⁵⁾| T: D G Bridgwater| OR: 104| D

25/1

Scored of this mark at Plumpton last October and not disgraced on comeback in June. Ran as though something was amiss last time and would not rule out an improved display.

Form: 3221-3P

Forecasts

King Alfonso (3/1), Dr Dunraven (3/1), Salto Chisco (7/2), Dark Invader (4/1), McCabe Creek (6/1), Saffron Prince (25/1), Mitebeall Forluck (40/1)

KING ALFONSO has gone up the weights following recent victories in lesser company, but he has the measure of McCabe Creek on 2017 form and is in better form than most of these. Dark Invader is not a fluent jumper of fences but he is perfectly happy here, whilst Salto Chisco has been dealt a poor hand by the assessor. Saffron Prince will be a big danger from the foot of the weights. He clearly did not give his running last time and his winning form in similar grade off the same mark shows he cannot be dismissed lightly.