Louis Roederer Handicap Chase

Off time: 15:57 | Winning time: 4m 23.20s

Eyes Of A Tiger³²

Age: 8| Weight: 11-7| J: Danny Cook| T: B Ellison| OR: 130| D

13/8

Can back from an 18-month layoff with a very sound performance; even allowing for the fact the handicapper had given him a real chance. Just behind a subsequent winner (up 3lb); sure to run well if coming out of that in the same form.

Form: 11734/2-

Demi Sang^p1¹⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: R P McLernon| T: B Haslam| OR: 129| D

7/1

Miles away from the form that he showed over hurdles/fences for Willie Mullins but he is beginning to get some respite from the handicapper. Gave a little bit more encouragement last time at Kelso; now wears cheekpieces for the first-time.

Form: 4PP/6P-3

Monsieur Co^p,t¹⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: B S Hughes| T: K Dalgleish| OR: 129| D

11/4

Yard in very good form at the moment and he's played his part winning three handicap chases over sharp trips such as this. Second last time out at Kelso (no match for winner) but did finish 15L in front of Demi Sang.

Form: 15116-2

Poker School^p⁴³

Age: 9| Weight: 11-4| J: T J O'Brien| T: Ian Williams| OR: 127

9/4

Frustrating sort who finally came good last time when given a chance by the handicapper to end a long losing run over 2m4f at Wincanton. Return to 2m not ideal and neither is the 5lb rise in the weights; struggled off marks like this before.

Form: 232531-

Special Catch⁹³

Age: 12| Weight: 11-0| J: Sean Quinlan| T: B Butterworth| OR: 123

16/1

Four-time chase winner but his recent career has been blighted by breaks and failure to complete. Slipped in the weights (last win came off 12lb higher); now with a new yard but has shown little sign of a revival of late despite the mark.

Form: 2PP/2P6-

Forecasts

Eyes Of A Tiger (13/8), Poker School (9/4), Monsieur Co (11/4), Demi Sang (7/1), Special Catch (16/1)

As long as relatively quick run after a long break doesn’t leave it’s mark EYES OF A TIGER looks to have retained all his ability judged on his very good Perth second to Double W’s who went on to win again recently; his mark is still a very workable one. Nothing from the Dalgleish yard can be ignored at the moment as the trainer has his yard in fine form so he chances of Monsieur Co should be respected. Poker School finally delivered the goods last time but this switch back to 2m may not be ideal. Both Demi Sang and Special Catch have been more than capable in the past but despite declining marks still have something to prove.