bet365 Handicap Chase

Off time: 15:50 | Winning time: 7m 27.60s

Gangster¹⁵

Age: 10| Weight: 12-0| J: Adrian Heskin| T: W Greatrex| OR: 121

11/2

One-time useful novice hurdler for Willie Mullins (also placed in Grade 3 company over fences for Henry De Bromhead); sadly has failed to shine in three starts over hurdles for Warren Greatrex; the handicapper is giving him every assistance.

Form: 574-659

Hastrubal²³

Age: 10| Weight: 11-10| J: Ryan Mania| T: A M Thomson| OR: 117

10/11

Bounced back from his Newcastle mishap (unseated rider) when an easy 22L winner at Sedgefield (3m2½f, soft); sits 9lb higher for the bang in-form Sandy Thomson and Ryan Mania combination.

Form: 7424U1

Diggin Deep⁶⁰

Age: 10| Weight: 11-8| J: W T Kennedy| T: S Hanlon| OR: 115| C

9/2

Capable hurdler (has a ready course win on his CV); less effective over fences (0-4) and his official rating more than reflects that fact; was beaten 13¼L (fifth) by Cobolobo at Haydock (3m1½f, soft) in early December.

Form: 2138-15

Nortonthorpelegend⁹⁷

Age: 10| Weight: 11-0| J: Henry Brooke| T: R Menzies| OR: 107| D

5/1

Despite idling from the final fence recorded an eighth career win over fences when beating Ask Cory by ¾L at Ayr (3m, soft) in October; off since (97 days) and competes from a 6lb higher mark.

Form: 4-22141

Achill Road Boy^b³⁸

Age: 11| Weight: 11-0| J: Sam Coltherd⁽³⁾| T: W Coltherd| OR: 107

16/1

Had May's 3m5f Norfolk National (Fakenham) at his mercy when frustratingly falling at the final fence; drops back to that same official mark (107) after struggling in the Borders and Lincolnshire Nationals more latterly.

Form: U-F65P6

Forecasts

Hastrubal (10/11), Diggin Deep (9/2), Nortonthorpelegend (5/1), Gangster (11/2), Achill Road Boy (16/1)

Sandy Thomson and Ryan Mania have been firing in winners right, left and centre in recent weeks so on that basis alone it's difficult to be against the emphatic Sedgefield scorer HASTRUBAL. Despite a subsequent 9lb weights rise he remains low mileage over fences (three starts) and is thought likely to have more improvement in the locker than the thoroughly likeable but exposed Nortonthorpelegend.