G.C.Rickards Ltd. Handicap Chase

Off time: 14:35 | Winning time: 3m 59.9s

Bathiva¹⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: P J Brennan| T: F O'Brien| OR: 131| D

15/8

Dual scorer in the summer but below form fourth in handicap chase at Cheltenham (15.9f, soft) 10 days ago. Sort to bounce back under these less testing conditions here.

Form: 2-11444

Magic Dancer^p,t²⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 11-9| J: R Patrick| T: Kerry Lee| OR: 128| D

11/10

Made a winning return on his fencing bow in 16.5f Worcester handicap in September. Just as good when second to a smart rival at Uttoxeter and looks the one to beat off 4 lb lower mark here.

Form: 8322-12

Chaptal²⁰⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-8| J: J J Burke| T: T R George| OR: 127

7/1

Ex-French winning hurdler but off 6 months since last of 7 over hurdles at Compiegne (18.9f) for Francois Nicolle. Also runner-up over fences, so he's no forlorn hope back in this sphere on yard bow.

Form: 1/F212-7

Doukarov^h¹⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 10-11| J: Lorcan Murtagh⁽³⁾| T: S Curran| OR: 116| D

13/2

Gained second win over fences at Leicester in March but below par since, only fourth of 6 in handicap chase at Fontwell (17.8f) 17 days ago. More is needed here.

Form: 41F4-74

Non-Runners

Onthefrontfoot⁸⁶

Weight: 11-9| Age: 7

T: D McCain Jnr J: Theo Gillard

Forecasts

Magic Dancer (11/10), Onthefrontfoot (11/8), Bathiva (15/8), Doukarov (13/2), Chaptal (7/1)

MAGIC DANCER has taken really well to fences and is weighted to record a second victory from three starts here off a 4 lb lower mark than when an excellent runner-up at Uttoxeter. Onthefrontfoot arrives in very good order too though so should ensure Kerry Lee's 9-y-o doesn't have things all his own way. Bathiva also enters calculations in an interesting handicap chase.