Visit stratfordracecourse.net For Tickets Handicap Chase

Off time: 16:47 | Winning time: 5m 49.28s

Shaman Du Berlais⁶⁰⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: R Patrick| T: Kerry Lee| OR: 120| BF

5/2

Fairly useful maiden hurdler for Tim Vaughan. Off 20 months though so his fitness is a big concern on his chasing/yard bow here.

Form: 22F242/

Embole^h,t²⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 113

5/2

Fairly useful hurdler/chaser who arrives on back of good third of 8 in handicap hurdle at Hexham (20.1f, good to soft) 27 days ago. On a lenient mark back over fences now. Big player.

Form: 511F43-

Sizing Cusimano^b1¹²

Age: 8| Weight: 11-4| J: Brendan Powell| T: C L Tizzard| OR: 112| D

11/4

It's now twelve runs since his last win back in 2018. Not disgraced when third of 5 in handicap chase at Southwell (24.3f, good) 12 days ago so not dismissed if blinkers can eke out some improvement.

Form: 262P4-3

Lies About Milan^b1¹³

Age: 10| Weight: 11-4| J: Liam Harrison⁽⁵⁾| T: F O'Brien| OR: 112

17/2

Maiden hurdler/chaser who raced lazily when pulled up in novice hurdle at Warwick (25f, soft) 13 days ago. Blinkers reached for back chasing and others appeal more.

Form: 46443-P

Romanor¹⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 10-11| J: M G Nolan| T: J W Mullins| OR: 105| C

7/1

Course winner last summer but she was well below par when eighth of 14 in handicap chase at Worcester (20f, good to soft) 10 days ago. Needs to get back on track.

Form: 5247U-8

Steel Wave^p,t⁵⁵

Age: 11| Weight: 10-8| J: T Scudamore| T: G Hanmer| OR: 102

20/1

Temperamental sort who failed to build on recent run when only eleventh of 13 in handicap hurdle at Southwell (20.4f, good to soft) 55 days ago. Back chasing with plenty to prove at present.

Form: 733P/70-

Forecasts

Shaman Du Berlais (5/2), Embole (5/2), Sizing Cusimano (11/4), Romanor (7/1), Lies About Milan (17/2), Steel Wave (20/1)

EMBOLE is one of the few here who arrives in very good order and figures on a handy mark back chasing too so is hard to oppose for the in-form Skelton team. Sizing Cusimano is a long time without a win but rates the chief threat, especially if the fitting of blinkers has the desired effect. Course-winner Romanor is not ruled out either if shrugging off a modest recent effort.