15:05 Kempton

Sunday 27 December 2020

All12:4513:2013:5514:3015:0515:40

Ladbrokes Committed To Safer Gambling Handicap Chase

Off time: 15:10 | Winning time: 6m 12.80s

Crievehill²²

Age: 8| Weight: 12-0| J: Jordan Nailor⁽⁵⁾| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 147

20/1

Kicked off last term with wins at Wetherby/Haydock but has struggled since, including both starts this season.

Form: 1199-80

Image of Stars that are filled with the colour gold

Commanche Red^p³⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Tom Cannon| T: C Gordon| OR: 145| C

8/1

Useful hurdler who made a successful handicap debut over fences at this meeting last year. However, he's been well below his best in 2 starts this term so questions to answer here.

Form: 3313-P4

Double Shuffle⁷⁹

Age: 10| Weight: 11-9| J: James Bowen| T: T R George| OR: 142| CD

14/1

Smart chaser at his peak. Losing run stands at 17, however, and little encouragement on return.

Form: P0/857-9

Adrien Du Pont^t⁵⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 11-9| J: Harry Cobden| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 142| CD

13/2

Winner of this race 2 years ago off 2 lb higher but failed to hit those heights in 3 runs last season and didn't find much at Ascot on return.

Form: 30/P46-8

Royale Pagaille²⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Charlie Deutsch| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 140

9/2

Ex-French hurdler/chaser who got right back on track with impressive reappearance victory in 21.6f Haydock novice chase 25 days ago. This demands more but remains unexposed.

Form: 5F2/23-1

Soupy Soups^p¹¹⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-6| J: R T Dunne| T: N P Mulholland| OR: 139| D

33/1

Enhanced good record at Perth when resuming winning ways there in August but more needed up 7 lb on first run since.

Form: 22P-561

Darlac²⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: R M Power| T: C L Tizzard| OR: 138

6/1

Fontwell maiden hurdle winner (19.2f) who seems to be getting his act together over fences, off the mark at Wincanton last time, but needs to step up raised 11 lb in better race.

Form: F5-F221

The Kings Writ²²

Age: 9| Weight: 11-4| J: Mr Joshua Newman⁽⁷⁾| T: K Woollacott| OR: 137| D

15/2

Useful handicap chaser who was runner-up twice last season under this rider. Had a recent spin over hurdles (shaped well) after 9 months off so should be ready to go.

Form: 2/3220-3

Mellow Ben²⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-2| J: R Johnson| T: C Gordon| OR: 135

6/1

Dual winner in the opening stages of last season and revived all of a sudden when 4½ lengths third of 16 to Cap Du Nord at Newbury last month. Remains on a winning mark.

Form: 6-655U3

Cap Du Nord^p²⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: Jack Tudor⁽³⁾| T: Christian Williams| OR: 133

6/1

Held form well last season, scoring at Fakenham in January, and all the better for return when resuming winning ways in big field at Newbury last month. Headgear refitted and should go well again.

Form: 4316-41

Shantou Village^t,v²⁹

Age: 10| Weight: 10-10| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: N P Mulholland| OR: 129| D

16/1

Not the force of old but, having attracted support, he performed respectably back over fences in a handicap at Chepstow. Unseated at first at Newcastle since.

Form: P0-354U

Non-Runners

Erick Le Rouge⁵⁰

Weight: 11-4| Age: 6

T: Mrs J Williams J: Chester Williams

Manofthemountain⁶⁴

Weight: 11-4| Age: 7

T: Miss E C Lavelle J: Thomas Bellamy

Forecasts

Royale Pagaille (9/2), Cap Du Nord (6/1), Mellow Ben (6/1), Darlac (6/1), Adrien Du Pont (13/2), The Kings Writ (15/2), Manofthemountain (8/1), Commanche Red (8/1), Erick Le Rouge (12/1), Double Shuffle (14/1), Shantou Village (16/1), Crievehill (20/1), Soupy Soups (33/1)

It could be worth chancing MELLOW BEN, who looked back to his best when third of 16 to Cap du Nord at Newbury and is 7 lb better off with that rival now. Royale Pagaille looked a different proposition when making a winning return on his third start for this yard at Haydock and is another to consider.