Play ITV7 Tonight Chase (Novices' Limited Handicap)

Off time: 15:15 | Winning time: 6m 38.5s

Laugharne⁶³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-8| J: Alan Johns| T: Tim Vaughan| OR: 119

6/1

Dual 3m hurdle winner on good/good to firm ground. Goes chasing 2lb higher than a 1L defeat over hurdles at Chepstow on his return from a break last time. Respected.

Form: 7/452-13

Fawsley Spirit³²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: David Bass| T: B Pauling| OR: 118

5/1

Has raced only on soft ground so far. Unseated on chase debut, but best effort yet was last time at Wetherby, when stepped up to 3m (beaten 14L). 2lb drop won't harm. More needed, but not written off.

Form: 337-U3

Special Prep^p1,t³⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: Henry Brooke| T: Miss P Robson| OR: 116

10/1

Sole hurdles win was over 3m on good at Southwell last season, when 4lb lower. Yet to match that over fences, but not devoid of ability and can probably win a chase. New headgear tried here, and not written off.

Form: 341-382

Plantagenet¹⁰^{(ex 7)}

Age: 7| Weight: 11-3| J: P J Brennan| T: J W Mullins| OR: 107

11/8

Multiple good ground hurdle winner who scored over fences at Taunton (2m7f, good to soft) last time out. Made all there, so that effort can be marked up and he has claims under a penalty.

Form: 4-P3221

Thomas Todd^h,t²²

Age: 9| Weight: 10-13| J: R D Day| T: Laura Morgan| OR: 110

7/1

Scored on his chase debut at Musselburgh (3m, good) last month and gave another good account at Fakenham (2m5f) last time, after a 9lb rise. Has been nudged up a further 3lb this time, but entitled to be considered back over 3m.

Form: F1-5612

Fifty Shades³³

Age: 6| Weight: 10-8| J: Nick Scholfield| T: Christian Williams| OR: 105| D

5/1

Won at both Worcester (2m4f, good) and Newton Abbot (3m2f, good) last year and went very close again at Cheltenham in October, when 3lb lower. Below par on soft last time, but should be thereabouts again back on a sound surface.

Form: 113P25

Forecasts

Plantagenet (11/8), Fifty Shades (5/1), Fawsley Spirit (5/1), Laugharne (6/1), Thomas Todd (7/1), Special Prep (10/1)

Another tricky race to solve, with several of these having feasible claims. Fifty Shades should be better for the return to good ground, while Thomas Todd may find more now back over 3m. Fawsley Spirit looks capable of better, while Laugharne is an interesting chase newcomer. However, PLANTAGENET made all last time and is taken to defy a 7lb penalty and follow up.