Dick And Sue Woodhouse Memorial Hunters' Chase (For The Dick Woodhouse Trophy)

Off time: 17:20 | Winning time: 5m 27.5s

Asockastar^p¹⁷⁵

Age: 12| Weight: 12-8| J: Mr James King| T: D Bourne| OR: 139| D

6/1

Useful handicapper/hunter chaser, gave the classy Unioniste a thrashing at Fakenham last year and then dotted up in a Worcester handicap not long after; trip ideal but a bigger worry is this ground, with best form coming on quicker.

Form: P-13122

Chef D'Equipe^h,t⁵³

Age: 8| Weight: 12-8| J: Mr D Maxwell| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 131| D

2/1

Useful handicap chaser that makes his debut in this sphere today; would hold excellent chance on his head second at Newbury in November and does handle heavy ground, so with this trip ideal too, holds every chance today.

Form: 34-F526

Swift Crusador¹⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 12-8| J: Mr S Burton⁽⁷⁾| T: S Drinkwater| OR: 122| D

11/1

Unseated his rider when still in front at Bangor last time, still travelling well at the time; handles heavy ground and does stay this far, so has chances if avoiding mishaps today.

Form: 47/134-U

Too Many Diamonds¹⁹²

Age: 9| Weight: 12-8| J: Mr D Andrews⁽⁷⁾| T: A Ward-Thomas| OR: 125| D

66/1

Useful handicapper a couple of seasons ago but looked on the downgrade when last seen, and this ground is something of an unknown; remains to be seen what he's capable of for new yard today.

Form: 2674-55

Art Mauresque²⁴

Age: 10| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr Joshua Newman⁽³⁾| T: T Malone| OR: 148| BF| DWS

10/11

Almost top-class at his peak, best around this sort of trip, although almost got three miles; easy point-to-point winner in December but turned over at a very short price last time, and deep ground would ask a question of him as well.

Form: 285F-13

Forecasts

Art Mauresque (10/11), Chef D'Equipe (2/1), Asockastar (6/1), Swift Crusador (11/1), Too Many Diamonds (66/1)

On better ground Art Mauresque would have been an automatic pick for this, but heavy ground is something he's avoided for much of his racing career, and it does mean he can be taken on. Asockastar is very useful but might also want better ground, so it gives CHEF D'EQUIPE the chance to cause a small upset. He'll not mind conditions and if he can reproduce his Newbury second from earlier in the season, that could be good enough today.