bet365 Handicap Chase

Off time: 15:20 | Winning time: 5m 58.20s

O O Seven²³¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: Aidan Coleman| T: N J Henderson| OR: 147| DWS

11/8

Losing run stretches back nearly two years but normally seen in much stronger company than this and good record fresh. Has had wind surgery since last seen and will be hoping the forecast rain stays away.

Form: 3450P3-

Go Conquer⁴²

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: Thomas Bellamy| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 147| BF| D

7/4

Front-runner who relishes a sound a sound surface and ran perfectly well when third on comeback run at Ascot in a race he has won in 2017. Has missed engagements on soft ground since and another hoping the rain doesn't arrive.

Form: 11F58-3

Midnight Shot^p²⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-3| J: J J Burke| T: C E Longsdon| OR: 138| D

13/2

Didn't see out the marathon trip in a cross-country last time but this more his bag and his Fakenham win prior to that was his best effort for a while.

Form: P61516

Lofgren^b,t²⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: B S Hughes| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 135

8/1

Cartmel and Bangor successes this autumn but well below form last two runs and isn't the easiest to catch right though stable in form.

Form: 2171P3

Straidnahanna²²

Age: 9| Weight: 10-12| J: Danny Cook| T: J Parkinson & S Smith| OR: 133| D

16/1

Usually needs his first run of the campaign so no surprise that he was below par at Catterick but that should have sharpened him up and only 3lb above his win at that track in February. Any rain for him is a plus.

Form: 65P1P-6

Forecasts

O O Seven (11/8), Go Conquer (7/4), Midnight Shot (13/2), Lofgren (8/1), Straidnahanna (16/1)

A difficult race to assess as O O Seven and GO CONQUER would be inconvenienced by any softening of the ground but narrow preference would be for the the latter. If the rain has an effect Straidnahanna would become very interesting.