Royal Caledonian Hunt Handicap Chase

Off time: 16:13 | Winning time: 4m 29.1s

Vengeur De Guye^t²⁸⁰

Age: 10| Weight: 12-3| J: Thomas Willmott⁽⁵⁾| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 122| CD

8/1

C&D winner (good to soft) in 2015. Has won just twice since then, the latest at Bangor (2m1½f, soft) last December, when 4lb lower. Well held in a better race next time, but still has potential from this mark if ready after a long break.

Form: 52/5416-

Sword Of Fate¹⁷²

Age: 6| Weight: 12-3| J: Jonathon Bewley⁽³⁾| T: L Kerr| OR: 122| D

12/1

Well treated on his 2018 form, but out of sorts when last seen in the spring, and he has never won on ground slower than good.

Form: 963FP-F

Treshnish¹⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 12-1| J: Danny Cook| T: J Parkinson & S Smith| OR: 120

7/4

1-8 over fences and is 1lb lower here than that sole success at Newcastle (2m½f, soft) in December. Well held all starts since, however, so probably one to watch unless market vibes are strong.

Form: 41546-5

Middlebrow^b1,t²⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: B S Hughes| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 117| CD

7/2

Won this last year (good), when 4lb lower. Scored again from that same mark at Ffos Las in the summer. Held both runs since, including from just 1lb higher last time. Tries new headgear combination here. Not ruled out, but more needed.

Form: 154-154

Effet Special^h1,t³⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: D R Fox| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 115

10/1

Won a 2m3f chase on soft when trained in France. 0-3 for this stable earlier in the year, but looks on a potentially dangerous mark. Hood now added to tongue strap. Not written off.

Form: 3/F13-F7

Las Tunas^t¹⁸⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-9| J: Henry Brooke| T: R M Smith| OR: 114| D

7/1

Won back-to-back Wetherby handicap chases (both 1m7f, good) in the spring, the latter when 5lb lower. Still room for manoeuvre from this mark based on those efforts. Acts on slow ground, but record when fresh is a concern.

Form: 123110-

Chain Of Beacons^t²⁴⁴

Age: 10| Weight: 10-10| J: Callum Bewley| T: K Scott| OR: 101| CD

5/1

C&D winner of a slightly better race in November 2017, when 5lb higher. 1L second to Middlebrow in this last year, and strong claims on that form, but off the boil since. Goes well fresh. Interesting.

Form: 434327-

Forecasts

Treshnish (7/4), Middlebrow (7/2), Chain Of Beacons (5/1), Las Tunas (7/1), Vengeur De Guye (8/1), Effet Special (10/1), Sword Of Fate (12/1)

Last year's winner Middlebrow is entitled to consideration again from 4lb higher, but he will need to eek out a bit more than we have seen from him and it could be worth chancing CHAIN OF BEACONS, who finished 1L behind Donald McCain's gelding in this last year, but is now 14lb better off. Admittedly, there is slight concern over good to soft ground with the selection, but it could be a risk worth taking. Las Tunas can't be written off, but his record when fresh is not red hot, while neither of Lucinda Russell's pair, Vengeur De Guye and Effet Special, are ruled out.