Smarkets Northern Lights Middle Distance Chase Series Final Handicap Chase

Off time: 15:31 | Winning time: 5m 35.0s

Caraline^p,t²³⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 12-2| J: Miss Becky Smith⁽³⁾| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 129

10/1

Useful chaser who has yet to be seen at her best around here, but ended last season with a career-best when winning at Kelso (2m1f, heavy). Up 5lb for that. Has won fresh, so can't rule out another sterling effort.

Form: 132321-

Whitsundays^b,t²³¹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-0| J: B S Hughes| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 113

15/2

Has won at up to 2m5½f, though career-best was over 2m1f (heavy) at Kelso last season. No easy task from this mark in this field, and has yet to win when fresh under rules, so one or two things to prove.

Form: 221554-

Present Flight^t²⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 10-4| J: Blair Campbell⁽⁵⁾| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 103

9/4

Trainer saddled the winner of this last year. This gelding's best efforts came in 2015 and 2016. Could give him a squeak on his form from 10lb higher last winter, but does need to be better than of late.

Form: 234P-55

Calivigny^v²⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 10-3| J: Lucy Alexander| T: N W Alexander| OR: 102| D

15/8

Beaten just 2L from 2lb higher at Perth in April (2m, good). Without a win for over three years, but with stable among the winners in recent days, he is interesting on his second start after wind surgery.

Form: 5364-33

Romulus Du Donjon^p²⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 10-2| J: Lorcan Murtagh⁽³⁾| T: R Dobbin| OR: 101

9/1

Narrowly beaten from this mark on soft at Cartmel in the spring, but plenty of other reasons to take him on since, in particular his last two starts.

Form: 3-45270

Instingtive¹⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 10-0| J: Ross Chapman⁽³⁾| T: Miss L Harrison| OR: 89| C

6/1

Reasonably consistent at lower levels and won around here over hurdles. However, this will be some effort to win from 10lb out of the handicap.

Form: 032272

Forecasts

Calivigny (15/8), Present Flight (9/4), Instingtive (6/1), Whitsundays (15/2), Romulus Du Donjon (9/1), Caraline (10/1)

Not a competitive-a-heat as it might have been and despite having to concede lumps of weight, CARALINE might be able to do so. Present Flight would have claims if at his best, while Whitsundays needs to find a bit of improvement and Calivigny may end up being the one to give the selection most to do.