13:35 Ayr

Monday 6 January 2020

All13:0513:3514:1014:4015:1515:45

Cheltenham Preview Dinner At western House Hotel Handicap Chase

Off time: 13:38 | Winning time: 4m 35.14s

Plan Of Escape⁵⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: Sean Quinlan| T: M Todhunter| OR: 93

17/2

Weakened on rules chasing debut here (2m4½f, heavy) in November when a distant fifth (placed fourth) to River Frost; drops back in trip having been eased 5lb in the weights by the assessor.

Form: 3367-64

Emissaire^t²⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-9| J: Blair Campbell⁽³⁾| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 92| C

8/1

Made the frame (beaten 20L) on chasing debut at Bangor (2m1½f, soft) in October; let down by his jumping since (PU), including when a early casualty in a first time tongue-tie at Hexham 26 days ago.

Form: 476-3PU

Into The Breach^p1²²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-9| J: Rachel McDonald⁽⁵⁾| T: J Ewart| OR: 92

28/1

Maiden (0-7); modest over hurdles and hasn't exactly raised his game since switching to fences; raced keenly when well beaten at Carlisle (2m, heavy) three weeks ago; cheekpieces are applied from a 5lb lower mark; a stablemate of Dunly.

Form: 7/56P-P7

Lastin' Memories^p²²

Age: 8| Weight: 11-9| J: Thomas Dowson| T: Miss S E Forster| OR: 92| BF

2/1

Consistent throughout the duration of 2019 (without winning); solid on both starts to date over fences, most notably when keeping on to get closest to Mah Mate Bob (a winner since) at Hexham (1m7½f, heavy) in November; definite contender.

Form: 4326-23

Carlingford Prince²²²

Age: 11| Weight: 11-6| J: Harry Reed⁽³⁾| T: T Reed| OR: 89

12/1

Hasn't seen a great deal of competitive action (0-6 under rules) for his age; off the track since late May when finishing 11¾L fourth of eight to Zolfo at Cartmel (2m1½f, soft); now rated 2lb lower.

Form: 246/76-4

Dunly^b1²²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: B S Hughes| T: J Ewart| OR: 88

13/2

Finished two places (& 16½L) behind Lastin' Memories on chasing debut at Carlisle (2m, heavy) three weeks ago; eased 4lb since with the dubious marker of newly applied headgear (blinkers); a stablemate of Into the Breach.

Form: 7/7686-5

Jolie Crickette^b,t²⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-1| J: Lucy Alexander| T: N W Alexander| OR: 84| D

16/1

French import who has blown hot and cold since joining Nick Alexander, with her sole win coming in a mares' novices' hurdle at Kelso (2m, good to soft); finished a modest fourth to Pads (beaten 29L) at Hexham 26 days ago.

Form: 5/8-72P4

Ripstick¹¹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-0| J: C O'Farrell| T: J Walton| OR: 83| D

3/1

Broke his duck under rules at the 14th attempt when justifying favouritism at Sedgefield (2m+, soft) on Boxing Day - beat Roxyfet by 2¼L; holds every chance off a 5lb higher mark in a similarly weak contest.

Form: 337521

Forecasts

Lastin' Memories (2/1), Ripstick (3/1), Dunly (13/2), Emissaire (8/1), Plan Of Escape (17/2), Carlingford Prince (12/1), Jolie Crickette (16/1), Into The Breach (28/1)

A modest handicap which lacks a standout contender, although with a recent win under his belt the lowly-weighted Ripstick must surely enter the thinking. In breaking his rules duck under Conor O'Farrell at Sedgefield on Boxing Day he easily accounted for the somewhat quirky course specialist Roxyfet. However, the speculative shekels are thrown in the direction of the consistent LASTIN' MEMORIES. Sandy Forster's charge has made a relatively seamless transition to fences, finishing a keeping on second to a subsequent winner (Mah Mate Bob) at Hexham (heavy).