16:15 Perth

Wednesday 23 September 2020

All13:5514:3015:0515:4016:1516:5017:2017:50

Weatherbys Racing Bank David Whitaker Handicap Chase (GBB Race)

Off time: 16:16 | Winning time: 6m 10.78s

La Bague Au Roi¹⁹⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: R Johnson| T: W Greatrex| OR: 149| D

2/1

Dual Grade 1 winner as a novice. Failed to win last season but some creditable efforts in defeat. Can go well fresh and conditions should suit. Has to be taken seriously down in class.

Form: 2/P335U-

Jarveys Plate¹⁹⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: P J Brennan| T: F O'Brien| OR: 141| C

2/1

Useful effort when landing 3-runner listed event on chase debut at Chepstow on return last season. Unable to reproduce that on all 4 runs since but can go well fresh and potentially on a good mark.

Form: 9/1449F-

Bafana Blue^t¹⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 10-7| J: Ross Chapman| T: M A Barnes| OR: 130| D

12/1

Did very well over fences last season, winning 4 of 6 starts. Good second over C&D on return 16 days ago and big player with that under his belt.

Form: 21114-2

Amalfi Doug²⁴

Age: 10| Weight: 10-6| J: B S Hughes| T: K Dalgleish| OR: 129| CD

6/1

A regular here and has a good record, creditable third of 10 in handicap chase at this C&D (good to soft, 10/1) 24 days ago. Can give another good account.

Form: 3PP-433

Sutton Manor²⁰⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 10-4| J: S Mulqueen⁽³⁾| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 127| D

66/1

Useful at best but lost his form completely for Gordon Elliott in 2018. Left that yard for £34,000 and shaped as if needing the run (after a big absence) in handicap hurdle at Kelso in February.

Form: FPPP7/5-

Very First Time¹⁹³

Age: 8| Weight: 10-4| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 127| D

10/1

Rejuvenated by a yard switch last season, making it 3 wins at Doncaster (3m) in January. Creditable effort from out of the weights in Midlands National at Uttoxeter next time. Off 6 months.

Form: 311415-

Elmono³¹

Age: 9| Weight: 10-4| J: D R Fox| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 127| D

16/1

Fairly useful chaser who returned at the top of his game when second at Cartmel in July. Confirmed that promise when going one better there following month and not dismissed up in class.

Form: 4/FP8-21

Red Giant^p²⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 10-0| J: Sean Quinlan| T: J Candlish| OR: 122| CD

14/1

Landed a C&D handicap chase off 8 lb higher in April 2019 but temperamental side has resurfaced this season.

Form: 702-755

Non-Runners

Bigmartre²¹⁵

Weight: 11-3| Age: 9

T: H Whittington J: Non Runner

Forecasts

La Bague Au Roi (2/1), Jarveys Plate (2/1), Amalfi Doug (6/1), Bigmartre (7/1), Very First Time (10/1), Bafana Blue (12/1), Red Giant (14/1), Elmono (16/1), Sutton Manor (66/1)

LA BAGUE AU ROI is used to keeping better company than this and is taken to defy top weight under suitable conditions. Jarveys Plate won on his reappearance last season and is on a fair mark on that run, so rates the main threat for his in-form yard. Race-fit pair Bafana Blue and Elmono both arrive in good heart and need considering, too.