15:30 Wetherby

Tuesday 19 February 2019

All13:5514:2514:5515:3016:0016:3517:05

wetherbyracing.co.uk Handicap Chase

Off time: 15:30 | Winning time: 3m 55.72s

Montalbano^h⁵⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 12-2| J: Jonjo O'Neill Jr.⁽⁵⁾| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 142WS

20/1

Former Willie Mullins inmate who won a couple of chases in Ireland over 2m-2m3f. Pulled up on stable debut over hurdles, and since had wind surgery. Interesting if that has helped, and the market can guide us.

Form: 9-3F12P

Mixboy³⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: B S Hughes| T: K Dalgleish| OR: 138

7/1

Well placed to win four of his nine starts over fences, and a very versatile performer. Drop back in trip looks a good move after he weakened over Musselburgh's easy 2m4f last time, and a 2lb drop won't harm.

Form: F/12-313

Yorkist^t⁴⁵

Age: 11| Weight: 11-8| J: Bridget Andrews| T: D Skelton| OR: 134| CD

10/1

C&D winner who stays 2m4f, but has tended to reserve his best efforts for this trip. Near his best when scoring at Aintree in November (good) and not far off that level at Sandown last time. Drop in class means he should be very competitive.

Form: 4/23-144

Baby King^t³⁸

Age: 10| Weight: 11-7| J: P J Brennan| T: T R George| OR: 133

12/1

Best Mixboy at Perth last year by a head and is now 1lb worse off with that reopposing rival. Matched that effort at Warwick last time. Can be inconsistent, but if on a going day then he can have a big say.

Form: P1-6B63

Movie Legend^p³⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 10-13| J: L P Aspell| T: L Wadham| OR: 125| BF| CDWS

4/1

C&D winner from just 1lb lower (soft) last season. Has been very consistent in defeat this winter, including back here in December, when 1L second from the same 1lb lower mark. Should be thereabouts.

Form: P-12232

Caraline^p,t³⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 10-10| J: Miss Becky Smith⁽³⁾| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 122| C

33/1

Usually runs well here and has two wins to her name over the extended 2m3f trip. 2lb lower than her last win, which came at Kelso in April, but usually consistent, which means that this season's efforts have been a disappointment.

Form: 321-P55

Solar Impulse^p³⁸¹

Age: 9| Weight: 10-7| J: Dave Crosse| T: Ian Williams| OR: 119| C

7/2

Was once rated 149 and won the 2016 Grand Annual when with Paul Nicholls. Couldn't add to that for Chris Kellett, though ran to a useful level on several occasions. Now makes debut for this trainer and could be competitive if at his current best.

Form: 622524-

Fair Loch⁵⁵

Age: 11| Weight: 10-5| J: Henry Brooke| T: B Ellison| OR: 117

50/1

Not a bad effort over C&D in December, but otherwise there has been little encouragement in the past year. Others preferred.

Form: 163-75P

Generous Day³⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 10-4| J: James Davies| T: Henry Oliver| OR: 116

7/2

Beat Movie Legend when scoring at Warwick last time, for which he has gone up 4lb. That was just his third chase start, and he is clearly still improving, so can't be ruled out despite another slight step in here.

Form: 143-421

Vendor³¹

Age: 11| Weight: 10-4| J: Sean Quinlan| T: J Parkinson & S Smith| OR: 116| C

17/2

Not yet taken to chasing quite as well as he did hurdles, and ins 0-7 in this discipline. Positive that his best effort came over C&D, but that was in 2016 and his two more recent chase runs here leave his with a bit to prove.

Form: 2/65444

Oliver's Gold³¹

Age: 11| Weight: 10-2| J: Jamie Hamilton| T: M Walford| OR: 114| CD

28/1

Has won 5-25 over fences, including over C&D. Plummeting in the weights after a poor run of form, however, and now on a mark 9lb lower than when last winning at Southwell in May. Support for him could hint at a revival.

Form: 435667

Forecasts

Solar Impulse (7/2), Generous Day (7/2), Movie Legend (4/1), Mixboy (7/1), Vendor (17/2), Yorkist (10/1), Baby King (12/1), Montalbano (20/1), Oliver's Gold (28/1), Caraline (33/1), Fair Loch (50/1)

Montalbano would be of interest if wind surgery has had an immediately positive effect, but in truth this looks very competitive and he will have to be back to near his best to win it. Baby King has claims if putting his best foot forward, Mixboy and the dropped-in-grade Yorkist each has a chance, while Movie Legend should be thereabouts again. However, it could be worth chancing OLIVER'S GOLD to come back to form now 9lb lower than his last time.