14:05 Ascot

Friday 20 November 2020

All12:2012:5513:3014:0514:4015:1515:45

Coral Handicap Chase

Off time: 14:05 | Winning time: 5m 27.93s

Espoir De Guye²⁵⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Charlie Deutsch| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 144| CWS

5/2

Ex-French winner who has made rapid progress in 3 runs over fences last term for this yard, easily scoring at Ascot in the mud in December. Excuses at Cheltenham Festival final start.

Form: 72/211P-

Red Risk³⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: H Cobden| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 144

7/2

€72,000 purchase after scoring at Auteuil. Failed to justify support on British debut in January but firmly back on up when winning at Ludlow following month. Shaped well at Market Rasen on return.

Form: 4/9131-3

Count Meribel³⁰⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 11-10| J: M D Grant| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 142| C

13/2

Disappointed at Cheltenham when last seen in January but has a good record fresh and is back down in class here. Not taken lightly.

Form: 147/26P-

King Of Realms^p1²⁵¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-6| J: R M Power| T: Ian Williams| OR: 138| C

11/1

Quickly made up into useful handicap chaser as a novice with 3m wins here and at Warwick. Looked summed up by current mark last season, however. Change of headgear.

Form: 21/043F-

Earlofthecotswolds^p²⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 135| D

4/1

Improved on hurdles form over fences last season, landing a useful novice at Exeter. Not disgraced back hurdling at Market Rasen on return but failed to build on that next time. Cheekpieces back on.

Form: F310-60

Deauville Dancer^t³²⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-1| J: Fergus Gregory⁽³⁾| T: O Murphy| OR: 133| D

18/1

Useful handicap chaser for David Dennis. Seen just twice last season but potentially on a good mark on debut for a new yard. Shortlist material.

Form: 4312/26-

Drumcliff^p1,t¹³

Age: 9| Weight: 10-11| J: S Bowen| T: H Fry| OR: 129| C

11/1

Returned to form on third start for this yard when third in at Fontwell but merely underlined inconsistency at Aintree since. Headgear now given a whirl.

Form: P9-0736

Doitforthevillage^t²⁸

Age: 11| Weight: 10-11| J: W T Kennedy| T: P Henderson| OR: 129

50/1

Useful at best but signs of decline last season and not much encouragement on return.

Form: 03/946-0

Flaminger²⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 10-5| J: Joshua Moore| T: G & J Moore| OR: 123

16/1

Took well to fences last season, winning back-to-back at Plumpton and Fontwell. Showed a willing attitude when making a winning return at latter track but needs to shrug off a poor run here (2m).

Form: 1134-15

Forecasts

Espoir De Guye (5/2), Red Risk (7/2), Earlofthecotswolds (4/1), Count Meribel (13/2), Drumcliff (11/1), King Of Realms (11/1), Flaminger (16/1), Deauville Dancer (18/1), Doitforthevillage (50/1)

DEAUVILLE DANCER was seen out only twice last season but he starts off with a new yard on a potentially lenient mark so could be the answer. Espoir de Guye was a big improver last season before having excuses at the Cheltenham Festival and remains one to be positive about, while good claims can also be made for Count Meribel and Red Risk.