My Odds Boost On Betfair Handicap Chase (GBB Race)

Off time: 15:35 | Winning time: 6m 42.31s

Ramses De Teillee^t⁴¹

Age: 9| Weight: 12-2| J: Fergus Gillard⁽³⁾| T: D Pipe| OR: 147| C

4/1

Smart handicap chaser who signed off last season with a couple of respectable efforts. Probably needed the outing over the smaller obstacles on reappearance last month so enters calculations.

Form: 17049-3

Fidux⁴²

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: Sean Houlihan⁽³⁾| T: A King| OR: 143

14/1

Likeable type who wasted no time getting back on track eased in class when forging clear in good style at Worcester in June. Well beaten on both starts since so others make more appeal.

Form: 6-30146

Empire Steel²²⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-9| J: Ryan Mania| T: A M Thomson| OR: 140

11/4

Hurdles winner who improved for the switch to chasing, doubling his tally in this sphere at Kelso in February. Run best excused at Aintree and should play a part if fully tuned up for reappearance.

Form: 13/121P-

Mr Muldoon^p³⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-7| J: Charlie Hammond| T: Dr R D P Newland| OR: 138

16/1

Progressive over hurdles and made it 2-3 over fences when easy winner of a 4-runner Sedgefield handicap in March. However disappointed next start and never in much of a rhythm on his comeback run.

Form: 1/1414-8

Potters Corner⁸

Age: 11| Weight: 11-6| J: Adam Wedge| T: Christian Williams| OR: 137

28/1

Won the 2019 Midlands National and Welsh National but not so productive last season after a third in this on return. Better signs in cross-country event at Cheltenham last time but more needed.

Form: 37PP-76

Joke Dancer^p²²

Age: 8| Weight: 11-3| J: Sean Quinlan| T: J Parkinson & S Smith| OR: 134| C

9/1

Good strike rate over hurdles and 3-10 in this sphere. Seems harder to train nowadays and went as if better for the run at Wetherby last month. Needs this significant step up in trip to eke out more.

Form: P/7610-5

Strictlyadancer⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 10-5| J: Jack Tudor⁽³⁾| T: Christian Williams| OR: 122

7/4

Landed 17-runner event at Cheltenham last month and improved further as he followed up there 7 days ago, staying on well. A bold bid for the hat-trick is all but certain with more progress to come.

Form: 34-8511

Forecasts

Strictlyadancer (7/4), Empire Steel (11/4), Ramses De Teillee (4/1), Joke Dancer (9/1), Fidux (14/1), Mr Muldoon (16/1), Potters Corner (28/1)

STRICTLYADANCER is in fine heart at present and gets the vote to score again having landed consecutive Cheltenham victories in recent weeks. With further improvement on the cards, a bold bid for the hat-trick is all but certain. The main danger could be Ramses de Teillee, who was entitled to need his reappearance effort over timber last month, ahead of Empire Steel.