12:30 Aintree

Saturday 7 December 2019

All11:3012:0012:3013:0013:3014:0514:4015:15

Best Odds Guaranteed At Virgin Bet Handicap Chase

Off time: 12:30 | Winning time: 5m 16.1s

Fixed Rate^p,t³⁹²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Harry Bannister| T: C J Mann| OR: 135| D

16/1

Made a very encouraging start to life over fences with wins at Huntingdon and Kelso. It's a slight concern she hasn't been seen for more than a year but she's interesting enough and any market support is worth noting.

Form: 4P/3911-

Cracking Find³⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-9| J: Danny Cook| T: J Parkinson & S Smith| OR: 132| D

11/1

Won back-to-back handicaps last season and getting back down towards his last winning mark following some below par efforts. Hard to fancy having been tailed off at Wetherby last time but rates as the type to bounce back at some stage.

Form: 113F-48

Cap St Vincent³⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: R Johnson| T: Tim Vaughan| OR: 128

8/1

Made it three wins from his last four starts on seasonal return at Exeter in October. Disappointing when bidding to follow that up in a warm race at Ascot since but rates as the type to bounce back.

Form: 3113-18

Rebel Royal⁵³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Tom Cannon| T: A King| OR: 127| D

3/1

Very impressive debut over fences at Huntingdon in October on his seasonal return. An 11lb higher handicap mark will make life tougher in this deeper contest but he may yet have more to give over the larger obstacles and isn't rules out.

Form: 20F7-61

Acdc^t²⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 11-3| J: Henry Brooke| T: C Grant| OR: 126| D

33/1

Hasn't won since a Wetherby success in October 2018 and hasn't been in anything like that sort of form since, pulled up on each of his last three starts. Has become well-handicapped but impossible to recommend at present.

Form: 434P-PP

Monsieur Co^p,t³⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: Craig Nichol| T: K Dalgleish| OR: 125

14/1

Won three races over fences last season and returned with a solid effort at Ayr on his seasonal reappearance last month. Gave the impression he would come on for that run and he's a live player from the same mark here.

Form: 116-232

Amoola Gold³⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: Bridget Andrews| T: D Skelton| OR: 125| BF

9/2

Hereford winner in November 2018 and returned to action with a very encouraging third of 11 at Newbury last month (may have won if not making a mistake at the last). Only up 1lb and he's a fascinating contender here with an unexposed profile.

Form: 25713-3

Sammy Bill²⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-1| J: L P Aspell| T: O Sherwood| OR: 124| D

5/2

Showed some promise in his short hurdles career and bolted up on his debut over fences at Kempton. The third from that run has boosted the form by winning since and while he's up 14lb for the win, he could be anything at this stage of his career.

Form: 2535-1

Charmix⁵⁵²

Age: 9| Weight: 11-0| J: Callum Bewley| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 123

66/1

Really struggled in Ireland when switched to Gordon Elliot and yet to show anything in two runs for this new stable last year. Returns from a lengthy absence and readily opposed.

Form: 4U8F6/8-

Duhallow Lad¹⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-1| J: James Best| T: A E Jones| OR: 110| D

15/2

Got his head back in front at Plumpton on his second start of the season, the scene of his only other win over fences. Still relatively low mileage and while not the most consistent, he's not ruled out in receipt of plenty of weight from his rivals.

Form: 12/54-41

Non-Runners

Lake Takapuna¹²⁵

Weight: 11-5| Age: 8

T: J Ewart J: Sam Twiston-Davies

Forecasts

Sammy Bill (5/2), Rebel Royal (3/1), Amoola Gold (9/2), Duhallow Lad (15/2), Cap St Vincent (8/1), Cracking Find (11/1), Monsieur Co (14/1), Lake Takapuna (14/1), Fixed Rate (16/1), Acdc (33/1), Charmix (66/1)

There was plenty to like about SAMMY BILL's debut over fences at Kempton last month and while this is a step up in grade, there could still be plenty of improvement to come from the six-year-old. Rebel Royal is another last time out winner who has a rise in the weights to cope with but he's another who looks well suited to the chasing game. Amoola Gold has to be the main danger after his encouraging effort at Newbury last time out.