Porto Racing Saddlery Handicap Chase

Off time: 12:50 | Winning time: 5m 53.9s

Nautical Twilight^b¹⁹⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 12-7| J: Alexander Fielding⁽¹⁰⁾| T: N B King| OR: 102| BF

16/1

Four year's since she last won (successful off a 10lb higher mark) on that occasion but doubtful if she's capable of running to that level now. Well held when last seen at Stratford (hunter chase); not written off in a modest contest.

Form: P3344-3

Strictlyadancer²⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-11| J: Nick Scholfield| T: Christian Williams| OR: 92

5/2

Fakenham hurdles winner earlier this year off this same mark; failed to inspire in two chasing attempts so far (both handicaps off higher marks). In good hands but would need to show significant improvement to get involved in this.

Form: 4716-65

Ballybreen¹⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Adam Wedge| T: Evan Williams| OR: 86

12/1

Winning point-to-pointer but he's shown very little under Rules so far in bumpers/over hurdles. Made a far from encouraging start over fences in October; again showed nothing upped to this trip last time; hard to make a case for him with yard quiet.

Form: 5598-78

Babytaggle^h¹⁸⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-5| J: Shane Quinlan⁽⁵⁾| T: D L Williams| OR: 86

5/1

Yet to win a race under Rules but hasn't been disgraced over fences when allowed to run off his correct mark. Did too much too soon when last seen (reportedly finished lame); has more solid efforts than most in this, one to respect.

Form: 3652-32

Jimmyjames²⁰³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: Alan Johns| T: Tim Vaughan| OR: 85

5/1

First run for this yard who has yet to win in 25 starts under Rules and looked very much out of sorts when last seen earlier in the year on his last Irish start. Change of scenery may do him good; needs a significant market move in order to support.

Form: 4P355P-

Grand Coureur^b,t²⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 10-10| J: P J Brennan| T: O Greenall & J Guerriero| OR: 77| D

15/8

Finally off the mark on his penultimate start having overcome some less than fluent jumping (had a gruelling race) off a basement mark. Not disgraced last time off this mark bumping into a well handicapped sort; encounters none of those here.

Form: 225912

Non-Runners

Torrent Des Mottes¹⁴

Weight: 11-3| Age: 8

T: J R Cornwall J: Patrick Cowley

Forecasts

Grand Coureur (15/8), Strictlyadancer (5/2), Jimmyjames (5/1), Babytaggle (5/1), Torrent Des Mottes (10/1), Ballybreen (12/1), Nautical Twilight (16/1)

Hardly a contest that sets the pulse racing but there has to be a winner and that may well come in the shape of GRAND COUREUR who at least showed he could win a race at Bangor. He then showed that he could hold his form by coming second last time (bumped into an improver from an in-form yard), a repeat of that performance may well be good enough in this lowly grade. Babytaggle just needs some good fortune to open his account having knocked on the door when last seen; he may just need the run after the break though. Most of the others are hard to make a sound case for although Jimmyjames and Nautical Twilight may benefit from a change of scenery making their stable debuts.