15:20 Wetherby

Thursday 23 January 2020

All13:0513:3514:1014:4515:2015:55

Follow RacingTV On Twitter Handicap Chase

Off time: 15:25 | Winning time: 5m 30.5s

Kilfilum Cross⁵⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 12-0| J: Dave Crosse| T: Henry Oliver| OR: 141WS

6/1

Scored at Ludlow (3m, good) last February from a mark of 132 (front pair 12L clear) and ran really well to be second in the Kim Muir (3m2f, good to soft) next time. Resumed with a good run at Stratford (2m3f). Big player if better for wind surgery.

Form: 3124-3P

Tree Of Liberty^p1⁵⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: Kielan Woods| T: D J Jeffreys| OR: 139| D

11/1

Dual 2m chase winner on soft (won over 2m3½f over hurdles). 1lb higher than his last win, which was when with Kerry Lee in 2018. Will need to be back to his best to win from this mark. Cheekpieces now tried.

Form: 5/240U-0

Storm Control^p,t⁴⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: Kerry Lee| OR: 139| D

11/4

2-5 over fences, having won easily at Huntingdon (2m½f, good) last May, and then when keeping on well over 2m3f at Doncaster (soft) last time. Up 4lb for that, but looks a major player.

Form: P4-1421

Charmant²⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 11-9| J: B S Hughes| T: J Ewart| OR: 136

16/1

3-7 over fences all at 2m½f/2m1f, including on soft. Still 3lb higher than the last of those wins, at Ayr last March. Rarely tried over this far, but optimism that he will see out out and may even find improvement for it. Interesting.

Form: 141F-45

Hollywoodien²⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 11-8| J: Aidan Coleman| T: T Symonds| OR: 135| CD

5/1

C&D winner on Boxing Day 2016 (good to soft) and has won on soft over shorter. Back on a very competitive mark from which he made the frame here (1m7½f, soft) in November, but others make more appeal for the win.

Form: 4133/3U

Beau Bay^h,t²⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 11-8| J: Charlie Hammond⁽³⁾| T: Dr R D P Newland| OR: 135| CD

12/1

Five-time chase winner, the last two of them here over 1m7f and then C&D (soft) last time. 3lb rise for that looks fair, and there is no doubting that he is a contender again.

Form: 559-U31

Protek Des Flos⁴²

Age: 8| Weight: 11-3| J: R P McLernon| T: B Haslam| OR: 130

8/1

Triple heavy ground hurdles winner at up to 2m5½f when with Nicky Henderson. Well treated on that form. Showed he retains ability when 5L third on stable debut at Newcastle last month, after 18-months off. Contender back up in trip.

Form: P130/3-3

Bernardelli^p⁴⁶

Age: 12| Weight: 10-10| J: Danny McMenamin⁽⁵⁾| T: N G Richards| OR: 123| BF| D

16/1

Multiple chase winner at up to 2m5½f, all on testing ground. Has only raced three times since his last win at Ayr in March 2018, which came when 2lb higher. Beaten favourite at Kelso last time, but if back to his best he'd have a squeak.

Form: 441/5-36

The Paddy Pie¹³

Age: 7| Weight: 10-7| J: Danny Cook| T: J Parkinson & S Smith| OR: 120

4/1

Dual chase winner (2m½f/2m4f on soft/good) last winter, and ran some good races in defeat later in the season. Held on both runs this time, but the latest was a step back in the right direction and he could go well from this handy mark.

Form: 1224-73

Non-Runners

Monsieur Co⁴⁷

Weight: 10-11| Age: 7

T: K Dalgleish J: Craig Nichol

Forecasts

Storm Control (11/4), The Paddy Pie (4/1), Hollywoodien (5/1), Kilfilum Cross (6/1), Protek Des Flos (8/1), Tree Of Liberty (11/1), Beau Bay (12/1), Monsieur Co (12/1), Charmant (16/1), Bernardelli (16/1)

A very competitive look to this handicap chase, where it isn't easy to rule many out. However, the suggestion is PROTEK DES FLOS, who gets this trip, acts with plenty of cut, and showed he retains ability last time after a layoff. Beau Bay is feared in opposition, along with Storm Control and Kilfilum Cross. Tree Of Liberty can't be ruled out, while Charmant is interesting back up in trip and The Paddy Pie is lurking on a handy mark for a team that traditionally does so well here.