Independent Racecourses Limited, IRL Handicap Chase

Off time: 16:45 | Winning time: 5m 14.3s

Bramble Brook^b1,t²⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 11-7| J: H Cobden| T: C L Tizzard| OR: 119

17/2

Should feel at home in this small field (wins have come in fields of 3,3 and 4) but he remains a less than straightforward sort. Just 1lb above his last winning mark he still looks hard work despite running creditably on form; hard to love.

Form: 3493-23

Included^t¹⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: Lee Edwards| T: A Ralph| OR: 118

13/2

Fairly useful hurdler (3-9) who having been given a considerate chasing introduction stepped forward on that performance last time (much stronger in the market). Still found less than looked likely against two in-form types, may have more to offer.

Form: 12-1323

As You Like³⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-5| J: Jonjo O'Neill Jr.⁽³⁾| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 117| BF| D

9/2

Dual winning handicap chaser last summer (went 1122 over that period); has gone well fresh in past and proved that with good reappearance second over C&D. Only narrowly beaten (raised 4lb); has to have a shot at landing this prize given his last star

Form: 7/1122-2

Samson^p²⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-0| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: Dr R D P Newland| OR: 112

10/11

Not the first horse to take a marked step forward on joining this yard winning easily at Worcester (well-backed) over 2m4f (form already franked). Looked a different proposition for these connections; up 10lb for last win, hard to say he won't cope.

Form: 20425-1

Royal Magic^b,t³⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: R Johnson| T: S Thomas| OR: 112| BF| D

5/1

Fencing win over 2m4f at Southwell comes sandwiched in between two fencing incompletions with a fall coming here over C&D last time (As You Like, second in that race). Fails to have quite the same capacity for progress than a couple here.

Form: 364-P1F

Forecasts

Samson (10/11), As You Like (9/2), Royal Magic (5/1), Included (13/2), Bramble Brook (17/2)

Quite an interesting contest despite the small field with plenty of interest sure to be invested in Samson whose Worcester win on his first run for the Dr Richard Newland yard cam as no surprise, the yard having a 29% strike-rate with their stable switchers since 2015. Raised 10lb he’s going to be hard to stop but at the likely prices AS YOU LIKE is just preferred given his excellent run over C&D last time and his general form at this time of the year. Royal Magic needs to recover his poise over fences while Included may have a little more to offer as yet over fences but will need to finish off her race with more brio than at Ffos Las last time.