Sixt Car Hire Handicap Chase

Off time: 14:06 | Winning time: 4m 13.81s

Drumconnor Lad^p,t³¹

Age: 11| Weight: 11-12| J: K Brogan⁽⁷⁾| T: A Keatley| OR: 142

20/1

Better than ever over fences when scoring at Ayr in October but never able to get in a blow at Ascot and Cheltenham since.

Form: 12-916P

Financier^t⁴⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-7| J: R Patrick| T: Kerry Lee| OR: 137

17/2

Lightly-raced chaser who scored in a maiden at Ludlow last season and only just denied in handicap at Chepstow on reappearance. Let down by jumping at Newbury since.

Form: 5/P13-27

Billingsley³¹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-6| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: A Ralph| OR: 136

14/1

Winner of all 3 completed starts in this sphere last season, seeing off 8 rivals in 16.4f Newbury handicap in February. Let down by jumping on return but remains open to improvement over fences.

Form: 4/U111-F

Eragone^h¹⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: Miss Becky Smith⁽³⁾| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 134

14/1

Fairly useful hurdler/chaser in France, winning claiming hurdle on final start there in October. Left debut for this yard well behind when good second at Wetherby 2 weeks ago.

Form: 5-F71P2

Sao^h,t⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-3| J: Nathan Moscrop⁽³⁾| T: R Menzies| OR: 133| BF

9/2

Ex-French recruit who failed to win during his time with Paul Nicholls but it's really clicked for new yard, winning 2m handicap chases in the mud at Hexham/Newbury. Had a spin on the AW recently.

Form: 4-4F115

The King Of May¹⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-3| J: B S Hughes| T: B Ellison| OR: 133

5/1

Made light of 18-month absence to win 2 of his 3 starts over fences last season. Good efforts in defeat both starts this season and remains unexposed as a chaser.

Form: 2/131-23

Eclair D'Ainay⁵³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 130

1/1

Improved plenty on his hurdles form right away when making an impressive winning start over fences in a 2m Chepstow handicap (heavy) 53 days ago. Open to improvement and clearly a big player.

Form: 249/51

Forecasts

Eclair D'Ainay (1/1), Sao (9/2), The King Of May (5/1), Financier (17/2), Billingsley (14/1), Eragone (14/1), Drumconnor Lad (20/1)

ECLAIR D'AINAY improved markedly on his hurdles form when making a winning chase bow in good style at Chepstow, jumping superbly from the front, and is taken to defy a 14 lb rise with further improvement forthcoming. Sao is finally revealing his true potential and rates the main threat ahead of Billingsley.