Alfa Aggregate Products Golden Spurs Handicap Chase

Off time: 13:31 | Winning time: 7m 1.95s

Fortescue³⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-8| J: Hugh Nugent⁽⁵⁾| T: H D Daly| OR: 128| D

11/2

Improved performer sent chasing last season, winning 3 of his 4 starts during that campaign. Below par on Exeter reappearance, but conditions here will be more suitable and he's not discounted.

Form: 4/1211-9

Accordingtogino^p³⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 125| D

9/4

Well held on return/debut over fences at Lingfield, but left that well behind when landing a 25.4f Warwick handicap chase in first-time cheekpieces last month. Open to improvement in this sphere.

Form: 2331-61

Dieu Vivant^t²⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: B S Hughes| T: O Greenall & J Guerriero| OR: 125| D

33/1

Ended last season on a high with 3m hunter chase success at Ludlow, but beaten a long way on Uttoxeter return (first start since rejoining former yard) 27 days ago.

Form: 0/6U41-4

Ice Cool Champs^t²⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 11-4| J: J E Moore| T: Kerry Lee| OR: 124| D

14/1

Wide-margin winner at Wetherby on return/debut for Kerry Lee last season. No impact in 3 subsequent starts, but recent reappearance run can be overlooked and he'll be a threat if on-song.

Form: 46/18P-P

Hard To Forget³¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-2| J: Lee Edwards| T: Henry Oliver| OR: 122| D

15/2

Winner of back-to-back handicaps at around 25f last winter. However, ended last season on a downer and there was little in the way of positives to glean from his reappearance effort at Hereford.

Form: 811U4-6

Diger Daudaie^p³⁶²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-2| J: G Sheehan| T: C E Longsdon| OR: 122| BF| D

7/1

Dual hurdles winner, but failed to make an impact switched to fences last season and entitled to need this following a 12-month absence.

Form: 431/644-

Snuff Box¹⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 11-0| J: R T Dunne| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 120

9/4

Yet to strike over fences, but recent reappearance second over 2½m at Lingfield was very encouraging. Remains on an attractive mark and one for the shortlist back up in trip here.

Form: 66/4F6-2

Forecasts

Snuff Box (9/4), Accordingtogino (9/4), Fortescue (11/2), Diger Daudaie (7/1), Hard To Forget (15/2), Ice Cool Champs (14/1), Dieu Vivant (33/1)

The most appealing of these is ACCORDINGTOGINO, who looked an entirely different proposition equipped with cheekpieces on his second start over fences at Warwick. An 8 lb rise for that 10-length victory is tolerable and Dan Skelton's charge remains open to improvement as a chaser. Snuff Box is feared most on the back of his solid reappearance effort, while Ice Cool Champs also enters calculations.