GS Group Handicap Chase

Off time: 14:26 | Winning time: 3m 54.59s

Marracudja^h,t⁴¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 139| D

6/4

Useful chaser previously for Paul Nicholls; a flat right-handed track (and good ground) suits this adaptable horse; just denied in the Castleford Chase at Wetherby in December 2018 (1m7f); never involved in the Grand Annual latest; key player.

Form: 676328

Theflyingportrait^t²¹

Age: 10| Weight: 11-12| J: Sean Quinlan| T: J Candlish| OR: 139| CD

11/2

Admirable front-runner who can generally be relied upon to put in a solid shift; has C&D winning form on his CV and appreciates a sound surface; 4lb higher than when winning by 14L at Wetherby (1m7f) in November 2018.

Form: 312107

Capitoul³¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-11| J: Henry Brooke| T: Dr R D P Newland| OR: 138| DWS

9/1

Off the track since finishing a distant third to Diakali at Newton Abbot (2m, good) in June 2018; has undergone wind surgery since; 2m on a sound surface at a right-handed track is ideal, albeit is high in the handicap nowadays.

Form: U1-1413

Foxtail Hill³³

Age: 10| Weight: 11-2| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 129| D

3/1

Veteran who appreciates racing up with the pace and is particularly effective at the home of National Hunt racing (Cheltenham); hasn't won for some considerable time, but on the plus side is becoming more attractively handicapped; 0-2 at Perth.

Form: 0-37544

Double W's³⁵¹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-1| J: L P Aspell| T: Ruth Jefferson| OR: 128| BF| D

17/2

Progressive chaser in the 2016/17 season (2m Grade 3 winner at Aintree in April 2017); eased when beaten at Kelso 11-months ago and not seen in competitive action since; 11lb below his last winning mark; risky proposition.

Form: P/5059-6

Eyes Of A Tiger⁵⁵¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-0| J: Danny Cook| T: B Ellison| OR: 127| D

14/1

Won his first two starts over fences in the spring of 2017 (modest contests); his reluctance to settle early doors held him back thereafter; with stacks of early pace in this race, he's extremely vulnerable off a 551-day absence.

Form: 0/11734-

Non-Runners

Curious Carlos¹

Weight: 10-12| Age: 10

T: P & M Bowen J: James Bowen

Forecasts

Marracudja (6/4), Foxtail Hill (3/1), Theflyingportrait (11/2), Double W's (17/2), Capitoul (9/1), Eyes Of A Tiger (14/1), Curious Carlos (20/1)

A race which will be run at a fierce gallop with a number of front-runners in the line-up including the Cheltenham specialist Foxtail Hill, the returning Eyes Of A Tiger and the fluent-fencing grey Theflyingportrait. Therefore, we'll seek a more adaptable alternative and hopefully pick up the pieces. MARRACUDJA can also race handily (isn't a necessity), so with this degree of versatility in mind he's taken to continue his gradual progress for Team Skelton.