Thrive Veterans' Handicap Chase

Off time: 13:40 | Winning time: 5m 6.13s

Jet Master^h,t²²

Age: 12| Weight: 11-12| J: Lucy Alexander| T: N W Alexander| OR: 119| CD

9/4

Fast becoming a regular in this race (narrow winner off a 5lb higher mark on good to soft in 2016); not always fluent on his return to fences at Carlisle (50/1) last month, but that seasonal reappearance should have him spot on for today.

Form: 63F-583

Brave Spartacus¹³

Age: 12| Weight: 11-6| J: B S Hughes| T: G Boanas| OR: 113| C

4/6

Useful front-runner in his pomp, and he's unlikely to ever have a better opportunity to stamp his authority on a race than in today's contest; dropped 7lb in the handicap since early October.

Form: 3P5P24

Ulis De Vassy^v¹⁶

Age: 10| Weight: 10-7| J: Patrick Cowley⁽⁵⁾| T: Laura Morgan| OR: 100| D

5/1

Strong over fences at Southwell (2m-2m4f) and fair to say he's largely been in better form than his pair of elder rivals during 2018. That said; always appeared ill-at-ease around the tight Norfolk venue Fakenham (2m5f) on his seasonal reappearance.

Form: 233564

Forecasts

Brave Spartacus (4/6), Jet Master (9/4), Ulis De Vassy (5/1)

Brave Spartacus isn't anywhere near the force of old but he'll be able to dominate from the outset in this veterans' chase, so it would be absolutely no surprise to see him make all. However, it's worth chancing that the fencing of JET MASTER stands up (shouldn't be truly tested in such a small-field contest). He was noted staying on steadily up the Carlisle hill (well beaten) on his seasonal reappearance last month, and his trainer Nick Alexander targets this race for him each and every year (2016 winner).