16:20 Haydock

Wednesday 20 March 2019

All14:1014:4015:1515:5016:2016:5517:25

Vulcan Village Veterans' Handicap Chase

Off time: 16:21 | Winning time: 6m 5.7s

Pressurize^p1¹¹

Age: 13| Weight: 11-12| J: Charlie Deutsch| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 119

9/1

All four wins have been on heavy ground, so any further rain would be welcomed, while he has never won beyond 2m3f. Back on a handy mark, and in first-time cheekpieces, but a fair bit to prove.

Form: P5765-5

Plus Jamais^p²³

Age: 12| Weight: 11-12| J: Ross Chapman| T: I Jardine| OR: 119| D

25/1

Stays 3m on soft ground, although his last two wins have been at 2m4f. 3lb lower than the most recent of those, but recent efforts leave plenty to be desired.

Form: 1PU-P68

Halo Moon^p,t³³

Age: 11| Weight: 11-11| J: N D Fehily| T: N P Mulholland| OR: 118

15/2

Without a win since completing a hat-trick in 2016. Has run some good races in defeat since then, and looks well treated on his form in early 2018, but has plenty to prove on recent evidence.

Form: 323-874

Knockanrawley^v³⁰

Age: 11| Weight: 11-10| J: M Hamill⁽³⁾| T: K Bailey & M Nicholls| OR: 117| D

12/1

Well treated on his form of last year, but arrives under a cloud after having pulled up on his last two starts.

Form: P553-PP

Bob Ford⁴

Age: 12| Weight: 11-10| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: A Ralph| OR: 117

7/2

Stays 3m4f in heavy ground. Has managed just one win in the past four years, but unlike some of this field, he has run well on a couple of recent occasions. Each-way player.

Form: P-85253

Hills Of Dubai⁵⁹

Age: 10| Weight: 11-9| J: B S Hughes| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 116

7/1

Dual Ayr 2m4f chase winner on heavy last year, the latter from this mark. Has run well several times in defeat since, including here, but does need to bounce back after his last two starts.

Form: 123-25P

Samstown^v1³⁰

Age: 12| Weight: 11-8| J: Craig Nichol| T: A C Whillans| OR: 115| C

33/1

Has been unable to score since taking the Peter Marsh Chase in 2015 here over 3m (heavy), but did have three seasons off after that. Plenty to prove on recent evidence, however.

Form: 6P/P7-5P

Oneida Tribe^b⁵⁸

Age: 10| Weight: 10-13| J: W T Kennedy| T: R Dickin| OR: 106

5/1

Soft ground scorer at Towcester last year (3m), when 3lb lower. Decent effort from this mark at Warwick last time, and should be thereabouts again if able to repeat that.

Form: D1U6-62

Dartford Warbler¹⁷

Age: 12| Weight: 10-11| J: Danny Cook| T: J Parkinson & S Smith| OR: 104

5/1

Earned back-to-back wins at Sedgefield and Market Rasen recently, but held from 1lb higher last time. Can't write him off after that, but more needed.

Form: 373114

Buffalo Ballet^p¹¹

Age: 13| Weight: 10-9| J: Lucy Alexander| T: N W Alexander| OR: 102

13/2

Remains a maiden over fences after 13 starts, but is on a competitive mark here, acts on testing ground and has each-way claims.

Form: 2224-73

Forecasts

Bob Ford (7/2), Dartford Warbler (5/1), Oneida Tribe (5/1), Buffalo Ballet (13/2), Hills Of Dubai (7/1), Halo Moon (15/2), Pressurize (9/1), Knockanrawley (12/1), Plus Jamais (25/1), Samstown (33/1)

A tricky contest to solve, in that several runners have the ability but arrive out of form. That is not the case with DARTFORD WARBLER, who is the suggestion after some good recent efforts, with Bob Ford, Buffalo Ballet and Oneida Tribe all holding placed claims on what we have seen of late.