13:50 Fontwell

Sunday 24 February 2019

All13:5014:2014:5015:2515:5516:2516:55

'Guido James Zammit' Handicap Chase

Off time: 13:50 | Winning time: 5m 45.4s

Cougar's Gold^p,t²⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 12-2| J: S Bowen| T: P & M Bowen| OR: 112| D

9/2

Taken well to fences and looks more accomplished in this sphere than the majority of today's rivals. Won unchallenged last time out and must have a decent chance of following up from just a 4lb higher mark.

Form: 2-54121

Kings Monarch³⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: J E Moore| T: Kerry Lee| OR: 108

11/1

Probably found 3m too far at Chepstow last time but ran quite well to a point and this drop in trip is a plus. Likely to improve and a bold show wouldn't surprise.

Form: U544-50

Fight Commander^t,v1⁵⁵

Age: 10| Weight: 11-9| J: R Johnson| T: O Murphy| OR: 105

9/2

Entitled to have needed latest run but he has had another two months off since. Has proved difficult to win with and different headgear now applied.

Form: 43322-5

Gamain³⁷

Age: 10| Weight: 11-8| J: Lizzie Kelly⁽³⁾| T: Mrs J Williams| OR: 104| D

8/1

Has slipped below his last winning mark. However, trip is on the short side and underfoot conditions are expected to be quicker than ideal.

Form: 21-4P59

Heluvagood^t³⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-8| J: James Best| T: V R A Dartnall| OR: 104

5/1

Showed the benefit of wind surgery to land a poor race at Exeter but easily held on both starts since.

Form: 893135

Skellig Rocks^p³⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 11-5| J: T J O'Brien| T: R Walford| OR: 101

16/1

On a good mark judged on his Irish form. However, he is a 22-race maiden and would like it softer. Two runs for this yard have been uninspiring and they now apply the headgear he wore in Ireland.

Form: 303P-5P

Redmond^t²⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 11-0| J: Matt Griffiths| T: Jack Barber| OR: 96| CD

10/3

Has produced some of his best efforts around here, but he looks held by Heluvagood on Exeter form and a line through Sartorial Elegance gives him plenty to find with Invicta Lake.

Form: 33-37P2

Invicta Lake^b¹⁰

Age: 12| Weight: 10-13| J: R P McLernon| T: Miss S Smith| OR: 95| CD

9/1

Saw the race fall apart around him when trotting up last week to gain his first victory in four years. This is more competitive and he cannot be guaranteed to follow up.

Form: 854341

Non-Runners

Compadre³⁸

Weight: 11-9| Age: 8

T: H J Evans J: L P Aspell

Forecasts

Redmond (10/3), Compadre (4/1), Fight Commander (9/2), Cougar's Gold (9/2), Heluvagood (5/1), Gamain (8/1), Invicta Lake (9/1), Kings Monarch (11/1), Skellig Rocks (16/1)

COUGARS GOLD was impressive at Doncaster and is not unduly punished. That victory proved his versatility in terms of trip and ground as well as his jumping prowess. He could prove difficult to catch around this tight circuit. Invicta Lake gained an overdue win here last week but it looks too early to say he can take advantage of his current mark, whilst Compadre may have been flattered last time in a race where the market leaders underachieved.