14:12 Chepstow

Saturday 10 October 2020

All13:4014:1214:4715:2215:5716:3217:0717:42

Unibet You're On Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 14:12 | Winning time: 3m 47.69s

Dear Sire^h⁴¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-8| J: Theo Gillard⁽⁷⁾| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 138| D

8/1

In good form during the summer, successful at Bangor in July prior to a couple of solid efforts in defeat. However, he's not always the most willing when it comes to the crunch.

Form: 4F4-132

Champagne City²⁵⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: J J Burke| T: T R George| OR: 135| D

20/1

No surprise that he reverts to this sphere having looked all at sea in a couple of runs over fences last season. Not on a bad mark and claims if he puts his best foot forward.

Form: 422/P7P-

Le Ligerien²¹¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: R Johnson| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 134| D

16/1

Raised his game when landing soft-ground handicap hurdles at Newbury and Haydock in January. Bombed out at the Cheltenham Festival on final start of last season but good chance he'll bounce back.

Form: 332110-

Fair Mountain¹⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-4| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 134| D

8/1

Fine second off this mark in competitive contest at Market Rasen in July but has completely misfired both subsequent starts.

Form: 112/20P

Didtheyleaveuoutto²¹⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: Jonjo O'Neill Jr.| T: N J Gifford| OR: 130| D

3/1

Dual winner as a novice but things haven't gone to plan since, failing to complete both starts following wind surgery last winter. Still, it's too soon to forget his initial promise.

Form: 59/00FF-

Stimulating Song⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-13| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: M F Harris| OR: 129| D

7/2

Fair in bumpers and off the mark over hurdles in smooth style at Wetherby in January. Recent reappearance effort at Ffos Las (15.8f, good to soft) was creditable but this demands improvement.

Form: 46120-3

River Bray^p,t²¹⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 10-11| J: C Gethings| T: V R A Dartnall| OR: 127WS

8/1

Twice a winner in 2019 and put in a good shift in first-time cheekpieces (retained here) when runner-up at Stratford (16.3f, heavy) on latest start in March. Since undergone wind surgery.

Form: 6P6282-

Friend Or Foe⁵³⁷

7/2

French import who won two of his 3 starts during 2018/19 campaign. Missed whole of last season but remains unexposed and interesting to see if market support arrives. Has undergone wind surgery.

Form: 44101/

Non-Runners

Remiluc²⁴⁵

Weight: 11-12| Age: 11

T: C Gordon J: Tom Cannon

The Russian Doyen³³⁶

Weight: 11-4| Age: 7

T: C L Tizzard J: R M Power

Gunnery⁷²

Weight: 10-12| Age: 7

T: N J Henderson J: N de Boinville

Forecasts

Didtheyleaveuoutto (3/1), Friend Or Foe (7/2), Stimulating Song (7/2), Dear Sire (8/1), River Bray (8/1), Fair Mountain (8/1), Remiluc (8/1), The Russian Doyen (8/1), Gunnery (8/1), Le Ligerien (16/1), Champagne City (20/1)

The really interesting one is FRIEND OR FOE, who missed the whole of last season but his novice campaign was promising and this unexposed 5-y-o resumes on a potentially handy mark. Le Ligerien looked progressive prior to misfiring at the Cheltenham Festival and he will be a threat if ready to roll. Didtheyleaveuoutto isn't one to give up on just yet and Remiluc also enters calculations.