Coral Haldon Gold Cup (Grade 2 Limited Handicap Chase)

Off time: 14:15 | Winning time: 4m 20.30s

Janika²¹⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: D A Jacob| T: N J Henderson| OR: 162| BF

5/2

Won four times on heavy in France, so conditions no problem for him. Went close in the Brown Advisory & Merriebelle Stable Plate at the Cheltenham Festival in March. Yet to win when fresh, and while not written off, this is tough dropping in trip.

Form: 11/2224-

God's Own¹⁹²

Age: 11| Weight: 11-6| J: P J Brennan| T: T R George| OR: 158| CD

13/2

Won this both in 2014 (good to soft) and last year (good; when fresh). Couldn't quite repeat that form in four more runs last season, but ran well behind Altior when last seen at Sandown in April. Handles soft, and a big player.

Form: 3/12P53-

Dolos^t¹⁸³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Harry Cobden| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 157

9/2

3-11 over fences, including on soft ground at Sandown in February. Stays 2m5f, but has the pace for this trip too. Goes well when fresh and represents a trainer who has won three of the last nine runnings of this. Contender.

Form: 22315-1

Charbel^p²⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-3| J: David Bass| T: K Bailey & M Nicholls| OR: 155| BF

7/1

Beat God's Own by 8L when winning the Grade 2 Peterborough Chase at Huntingdon (2m4f, good to soft) last year, but lost his way later on in the season. Disappointed on his return at Chepstow, so has a bit to prove, but big player if at his best.

Form: 135P6-7

Destrier²¹³

Age: 6| Weight: 10-13| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 151

7/2

3L third in the Grade 1 Maghull Novices' Chase at Aintree (2m, good) when last seen in April. Still open to a fair bit more improvement after only three chases. Takes on seasoned campaigners here, but acts on soft and can go well.

Form: 52/3113-

Lalor²¹³

Age: 7| Weight: 10-13| J: R Johnson| T: K Woollacott| OR: 151| D

5/1

Grade 1 winner on soft as a novices' hurdler and a Grade 2 novice chase winner last season. Well held when behind Destrier at Aintree when last seen in April, but has an excellent record when fresh and no surprise if he goes close.

Form: 01/13P6-

Forecasts

Janika (5/2), Destrier (7/2), Dolos (9/2), Lalor (5/1), God's Own (13/2), Charbel (7/1)

A typically competitive renewal of this contest. God's Own should again be primed up for a big reappearance run, but genuine soft ground, as opposed to good to soft, might not be absolutely ideal, and he is taken on. Lalor could go close given his record when fresh, while neither Dolos nor Charbel can be ruled out. However, DESTRIER perhaps has most scope to progress this season and with conditions fine for him, he is taken to pick up a good prize on his reappearance.