Sky Sports Racing HD Virgin 535 Handicap Chase

Off time: 19:15 | Winning time: 4m 0.1s

Ballyvic Boru⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-5| J: B S Hughes| T: B Ellison| OR: 122| D

13/8

Clear-cut winner at Wetherby in October and returned to form when just touched off over this C&D recently. Big player off the same mark.

Form: 313-732

Dino Velvet⁸¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-3| J: Alexander Thorne⁽⁵⁾| T: A King| OR: 120| D

7/2

The latest of his 4 hurdles victories was registered back in March 2019, but makes the switch to fences off a potentially handy mark and claims if his jumping passes the test back from a break.

Form: 773446-

Peterborough⁴³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-1| J: Adam Wedge| T: Evan Williams| OR: 118| D

5/1

Returned with a bang in handicap chases last term, getting the hat-trick up at Sedgefield (extended 2m) in September. Found life tougher since, though, and may be a shade too high in the weights.

Form: 1143-45

Diva De Vassy^p²⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-1| J: Page Fuller| T: J Candlish| OR: 118| DWS

16/1

Dual hurdle winner in France who struck at second attempt over fences for new yard at Huntingdon (19.8f) in November. Well held all 3 subsequent starts, though, and has recently undergone a wind op.

Form: 1/P1P-46

Rose Sea Has^h¹³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: Dr R D P Newland| OR: 117| D

11/4

Weak finisher who has largely struggled since landing a Sedgefield handicap chase in November 2019. Latest effort at Worcester was creditable, but remains to be seen if he'll be able to build on that.

Form: FP46-62

Non-Runners

Shiroccan Roll⁴⁹

Weight: 11-1| Age: 7

T: Miss E C Lavelle J: Thomas Bellamy

Ballyneety¹⁷⁴

Weight: 11-0| Age: 8

T: J & A O'Neill J: Jonjo O'Neill Jr.

Forecasts

Ballyvic Boru (13/8), Rose Sea Has (11/4), Dino Velvet (7/2), Peterborough (5/1), Ballyneety (8/1), Shiroccan Roll (10/1), Diva De Vassy (16/1)

It could be that the switch to fences will galvanise DINO VELVET, who hasn't been at his best over hurdles but makes his debut in this sphere off a tempting mark. Alan King's charge has done most of his racing at a higher level than this, too, and if his jumping passes the test he may prove too strong for Ballyvic Boru, Ballyneety and Rose Sea Has.