12:50 Cheltenham

Wednesday 1 January 2020

All12:1512:5013:2514:0014:3515:1015:50

Markel Insurance Handicap Chase

Off time: 12:50 | Winning time: 7m 18.17s

Cogry^p¹⁹

Age: 11| Weight: 11-12| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 143| CD

4/1

Loves this venue and gained a fourth course win (three over fences) here last time out with Singlefarmpayment back in fourth. Will remain competitive from 4lb higher here.

Form: 610U-31

Militarian¹¹

Age: 10| Weight: 11-12| J: J Martin⁽⁷⁾| T: Andrew Martin| OR: 143

16/1

Surprise winner at Ascot on reappearance and perhaps pinched the race from the front that day. Has a respectable strike-rate over fences but can make jumping errors and disappointed on sole previous start here; step back up in trip will suit.

Form: P634-18

Singlefarmpayment^p1¹⁹

Age: 10| Weight: 11-9| J: J J Burke| T: T R George| OR: 140| C

7/2

Losing run stretches back to a course success back in 2016, his only win over fences. Has attitude issues in a finish, as seen here last time out behind Cogry but one of these ought to fall his way at some point; wears first-time cheekpieces.

Form: 4208-44

Like The Sound^t²⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 11-8| J: J McGrath| T: C J Mann| OR: 139

33/1

Won a pair of races over this sort of trip last season but hard to fancy here, having failed to beat a rival home over hurdles at Market Rasen prior to falling at the first at Aintree last time.

Form: 1PU1-9F

Another Venture^v²⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 11-4| J: Chester Williams⁽⁵⁾| T: K Bailey & M Nicholls| OR: 135| D

8/1

Shaped like a step up in trip would suit when only narrowly denied at Chepstow last time. Entitled to come on for that run and respected from a 3lb higher mark here.

Form: 56514-2

Equus Secretus¹⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-4| J: David Bass| T: B Pauling| OR: 135

9/1

Won his first two starts under Rules over hurdles but hasn't won since. Tends to jump left at times and while his comeback effort at Ludlow wasn't devoid of promise, he looks up against it in a race this competitive.

Form: 6/2520-3

Commodore³²

Age: 8| Weight: 11-4| J: Charlie Deutsch| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 135

7/1

Won his first two starts over fences but handicapper had his say and he's not been in the same form in two November runs. Can make jumping errors, as seen last time at Newbury and others make more appeal.

Form: 30/11-50

Kingswell Theatre^p¹⁹

Age: 11| Weight: 11-2| J: T Scudamore| T: M Scudamore| OR: 133| C

10/1

A winner over 3m6f here in 2017. Has run a couple of respectable races from the front here in the last couple of months but drop back in trip unlikely to suit.

Form: 4/62-556

Doing Fine^p,t²⁵

Age: 12| Weight: 10-7| J: Philip Donovan⁽⁷⁾| T: N P Mulholland| OR: 124| C| D

11/2

Course winner who ended a long losing run at Fontwell in October before "winning" a void race at Sandown last time out. Feasibly handicapped on old form and can go well again.

Form: 55514V

Anteros^p,t²⁴

Age: 12| Weight: 10-6| J: Adrian Heskin| T: Mrs S Leech| OR: 123| C

12/1

Ended a long losing run, rattling off a hat-trick over fences earlier this season. Set a tough task from out of the handicap over hurdles here in November and fell last time out at Kelso; still feasibly handicapped if he can bounce back.

Form: 71118F

Forecasts

Singlefarmpayment (7/2), Cogry (4/1), Doing Fine (11/2), Commodore (7/1), Another Venture (8/1), Equus Secretus (9/1), Kingswell Theatre (10/1), Anteros (12/1), Militarian (16/1), Like The Sound (33/1)

SINGLEFARMPAYMENT may not be the most straightforward sort but one of these big handicaps ought to fall his way again soon and the fitting of first-time headgear may help eke out at stronger effort at the business end of the race. Last time out winner Cogry is an obvious danger with just a 4lb rise to cope with while the unfortunate Doing Fine may be able to gain compensation following his void race at Sandown last time out.