15:20 Cartmel

Monday 27 May 2019

All14:1014:4515:2015:5516:3017:0517:40

Priory Hotel Grand Veterans' Handicap Chase

Off time: 15:20 | Winning time: 7m 42.4s

Henllan Harri^b,t³⁶

Age: 11| Weight: 11-12| J: James Bowen| T: P & M Bowen| OR: 127| D

9/1

Yet to return to the useful form he showed last summer scoring at Perth before taking the runner-up slot in the Uttoxeter Summer Cup. Last two runs have been way below-par, has at least slipped below his last winning mark; needs to show more spark.

Form: 712P35-

Uhlan Bute^p³⁷

Age: 11| Weight: 11-12| J: Charlie Deutsch| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 127

9/1

Made all at Plumpton to lift a similar event (3m2f, soft) in January (yard in good form at the time) off an 8lb lower mark. Run some fair races since off higher marks but wasn't on a going day at Haydock last time; has two ways of running.

Form: 32404P-

Silver Tassie⁷¹

Age: 11| Weight: 11-11| J: Alain Cawley| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 126

12/1

Has flirted on a few occasions with the fact that he may be coming back to form; shaped as though he needed the run last time (veterans event). Long time since he's won (March 2017) but has at least slipped back below his last winning mark.

Form: 32/3273-

Doing Fine^p,t²⁰

Age: 11| Weight: 11-10| J: T Scudamore| T: N P Mulholland| OR: 125

13/8

Needs a real test these days (often gets behind early); stayed on through the field late on at Fakenham last time (3m5f, good). No doubt he's on the downgrade but will be staying on better than most; mark now very attractive given this test.

Form: 4/0750-2

Mercers Court²⁰

Age: 11| Weight: 11-5| J: Bryony Frost| T: N B King| OR: 120

11/2

Enjoys this sort of test (won three consecutive staying handicaps last year); finished a good second in the Durham National (3m5f) last October. Failed to really fire back from a break; well behind Doing Fine at Fakenham last time.

Form: 12245-5

Firebird Flyer^p⁸³

Age: 12| Weight: 11-2| J: Isabel Williams⁽⁷⁾| T: Evan Williams| OR: 117

9/2

Has a Midland National win on his career record although his record since then has been rather uneven. Ran his best race for ages last time over hurdles (first-time visor); not sure to be in the same form this time around; first veterans event.

Form: 889/2P2-

Al Co²⁸⁰

Age: 14| Weight: 10-11| J: Henry Brooke| T: O Greenall & J Guerriero| OR: 112

25/1

Useful staying chaser when with Peter Bowen (won 2014 Scottish National) off a mark of 140 but has been on the downgrade for a while now. Makes his debut for a new yard off the back of a fair break; mark now lenient if he does retain any ability.

Form: 5/3256P-

Cruising Bye^b,t⁹

Age: 13| Weight: 10-0| J: S Bowen| T: P & M Bowen| OR: 98

6/1

Got his career back on track last time at Worcester (3m, good) but at a much lower level than he faces here (3lb out of the weights). More fluent with his jumping and the way he travelled last time but still faces a tough task in this sphere.

Form: 15P3-32

Forecasts

Doing Fine (13/8), Firebird Flyer (9/2), Mercers Court (11/2), Cruising Bye (6/1), Henllan Harri (9/1), Uhlan Bute (9/1), Silver Tassie (12/1), Al Co (25/1)

This sphere at least gives one of these a chance to get back on the winning trail with last year’s winning trainer (Peter Bowen) running two although it would look as though Hellan Harri is his best chance of taking this prize again. Doing Fine has slipped to a mark that he should be able to win off but he does take a while to get going now and this track may prove sharp enough. Firebird Flyer showed that he still had some spark left in him last time over hurdles but he has to prove himself back over fences. It’s a long time since SILVER TASSIE won but his trainer has taken this before and off an acceptable mark he’s given a chance to get back on the winning trail.