Equine Products UK Handicap Chase

Off time: 15:20 | Winning time: 4m 13.8s

Halcyon Days^p²⁸

Age: 10| Weight: 11-12| J: C O'Farrell| T: R Menzies| OR: 111| CD

9/4

Well beaten here on his penultimate start with the 2m4f trip most likely responsible, but has a pleasing overall record over fences (7-25); narrowly beaten by Midnight Chilli at Catterick (2m, soft) latest; now 2lb higher; strong claims.

Form: P2-6162

Brave Spartacus¹⁴

Age: 13| Weight: 11-9| J: Ross Chapman| T: G Boanas| OR: 108| CD

5/1

Useful front-runner in his prime but is just about eligible for his pension now at the age of 13; well beaten by Jet Master in a veterans race here (2m4f) in November and again by the progressive Manwell at Catterick (2m3f) on New Years Day.

Form: 5P2426

Mumgos Debut^t¹³

Age: 11| Weight: 11-6| J: D R Fox| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 105| CD

5/2

Gifted the race when Las Tunas (a winner since) crashed out at the second last at Ayr in early January; the handicapper has used the common sense approach with no weights rise; has C&D winning form, but ideally might require softer ground.

Form: 643-241

Budarri^p¹⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 10-10| J: Sean Quinlan| T: W Coltherd| OR: 95

5/2

Still a maiden after 17 attempts, although in all fairness remains relatively unexposed over fences (0-2); 2lb lower than when beaten 13L by Djarkevi at Catterick (2m3f, good to soft) latest; others much preferred.

Form: 273392

Black Kettle^p,t³⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 10-9| J: Alain Cawley| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 94| CD

9/1

4lb higher than when making all in virtually unraceable ground over C&D in April; has left Rebecca Menzies since (£6,000) with the suspicion that form doesn't really stack up as being strong; soon beaten (last) on recent stable bow at Hexham.

Form: 24431-7

Forecasts

Halcyon Days (9/4), Mumgos Debut (5/2), Budarri (5/2), Brave Spartacus (5/1), Black Kettle (9/1)

HALCYON DAYS sits at the top of the handicap for a reason, he's essentially a better and more reliable horse (7-25 over fences) than his four remaining rivals. He had excuses when beaten here on his penultimate start - tackled a 2m4f trip against an upwardly mobile winner - but went close back to the minimum trip at Catterick latest. A subsequent 2lb rise in the weights is neither here nor there pitted against these rivals with only Mumgos Debut considered as a realistic threat.