13:20 Sandown

Saturday 5 January 2019

All12:1512:4513:2013:5014:2515:0015:35

32Red Handicap Chase

Off time: 13:21 | Winning time: 5m 18.72s

Western Miller^t²³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: J J Burke| T: C E Longsdon| OR: 129| D

6/1

Beaten 20L or more on both starts this season and has slipped 7lb in the weights accordingly. Best watched until showing a return to form.

Form: 2402-55

Creep Desbois^p1²⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: D A Jacob| T: B Pauling| OR: 129

7/1

Unhappy reappearance run at Hereford, but much better when a fair fourth behind a well-handicapped horse at Aintree last time. Down 2lb and tried in cheekpieces.

Form: 5126-U4

Larry⁴⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-11| J: J E Moore| T: G & J Moore| OR: 128| BF

7/2

Decent fourth to a good sort on chasing debut at Ascot and was running a promising race when falling two out at Plumpton. Hard to know what to make of him over fences, but hurdles rating suggests he has a chance.

Form: 2311-4F

Darius Des Bois³¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: S Bowen| T: N J Henderson| OR: 127

5/2

First run since April and debut over fences when second of two finishers over 3m at Ludlow last month. Should be wiser for the experience, but may find this trip on the sharp side.

Form: 57712-2

Lithic^v1²⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-6| J: Jonjo O'Neill Jr.⁽⁵⁾| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 123

9/2

Still looking for his first win over fences after nine attempts, but was running a good race until coming to grief over C&D last time. Competes off the same mark in a first-time visor.

Form: 0-4442F

Prairie Town⁴⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-5| J: Lee Edwards| T: A W Carroll| OR: 122| C

14/1

Two ordinary efforts in the autumn were on the Flat, but he did boast reasonable form over fences earlier in the year. Should lack nothing for fitness and handicap mark is fair.

Form: 348123-

Dream Bolt⁴³

Age: 11| Weight: 11-5| J: T Scudamore| T: D A Rees| OR: 122| D

12/1

Veteran chaser who remains capable, but was well held behind a talented sort at Ascot when last seen in November. Could put his experience to use off 2lb lower mark, but others are preferred.

Form: 724336

Vocaliser¹⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 10-13| J: C Poste| T: R Dickin| OR: 116

25/1

Has cut little ice over fences and hurdles this season. Inching down the weights, but needs to take a big step forward to figure.

Form: 15P-066

Forecasts

Darius Des Bois (5/2), Larry (7/2), Lithic (9/2), Western Miller (6/1), Creep Desbois (7/1), Dream Bolt (12/1), Prairie Town (14/1), Vocaliser (25/1)

Lithic was running well until coming to grief over C&D and has prospects granted a clear round, while Prairie Town is feasibly weighted and Darius Des Bois is feared despite this trip being a little on the sharp side. LARRY is another who tipped up last time, but he was in the process of stepping up on his fair chasing debut and he may be the answer to a trappy contest. Creep Desbois and Dream Bolt are others to consider.