14:50 Sedgefield

Friday 3 December 2021

All12:0012:3513:0513:4014:1514:5015:25

Bank A Winner With MansionBet Handicap Chase

Off time: 14:50 | Winning time: 5m 45.32s

Road Warrior^p,t³⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Henry Brooke| T: R Menzies| OR: 119| CD

14/1

Front-runner who completed a hat-trick of chase wins in the spring, including 2 here. Has found life tougher in Class 3s at Wetherby this term but may fare better back at a venue which clearly suits.

Form: 7111-49

Militarian²⁴

Age: 11| Weight: 11-11| J: J Martin⁽⁷⁾| T: Andrew Martin| OR: 118| BF| D

6/1

Useful chaser on his day. Not the force of old but his handicap mark reflects that and he arrives on the back of a runner-up effort at Huntingdon last month, although his jumping lacked fluency.

Form: 8P4-592

Manwell^t²⁷

Age: 11| Weight: 11-11| J: Jonathan England| T: S England| OR: 118| CD

8/1

Won this race off 4 lb lower 12 months ago. Has returned with respectable in-frame efforts here and at Aintree (National fences) and ought to be competitive again.

Form: 5/1R2-43

Bavington Bob⁵⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: B S Hughes| T: Mrs A Hamilton| OR: 117| BF

4/1

Made it 3 handicap hurdle wins in a row when getting up in dying strides on his Hexham return. Undone by a slow pace when only fifth at Carlisle since and retains potential now chasing under Hughes.

Form: 4/511-15

Cilluirid^t²²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-8| J: Jamie Hamilton| T: T D Easterby| OR: 115| CD

4/1

Form has taken off since switching to fences, winning 3 times here this autumn, including at this trip. Another 11 lb higher here but it might not stop him.

Form: 0-F1311

Sounds Russian²⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Callum Bewley| T: Ruth Jefferson| OR: 111

3/1

Fair form when runner-up all 3 starts in maiden/novice hurdles and made a promising start over fences when 4 lengths fourth in 19f course handicap 29 days ago. More to come over this trip.

Form: 2224

Loughermore²⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 10-13| J: William Shanahan⁽⁷⁾| T: S Waugh| OR: 106

20/1

Winner over hurdles at Wetherby last Boxing Day but has matched that form only once since. May have needed the run on his reappearance but others are still preferred now chasing.

Form: 165F3-9

Mah Mate Bob¹⁶⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 10-11| J: Jonathon Bewley⁽³⁾| T: G Bewley| OR: 104| C| D

10/1

Well exposed but capitalised on a reduced mark in game fashion at Cartmel in May. Found just one too good at Hexham (2½m) subsequently and possibilities here if ready to roll following a break.

Form: 43-2412

Bandit D'Ainay¹⁸⁵

Age: 10| Weight: 10-10| J: Alain Cawley| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 103

22/1

Looks fairly handicapped on his peak chase form in France but he's come to Britain fairly late in his career and is perhaps best watched unless the betting speaks in his favour.

Form: 3P5-983

Non-Runners

The Mighty Arc²¹

Weight: 11-11| Age: 6

T: C E Longsdon J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Sounds Russian (3/1), Bavington Bob (4/1), Cilluirid (4/1), The Mighty Arc (4/1), Militarian (6/1), Manwell (8/1), Mah Mate Bob (10/1), Road Warrior (14/1), Loughermore (20/1), Bandit D'Ainay (22/1)

This looks competitive for the level but CILLUIRID had a lot in hand when taking his course chase record to 3-3 last time and might be capable of defying the handicapper again. The Mighty Arc won nicely on his Worcester chase bow and rates an obvious danger. Bavington Bob is an interesting newcomer to fences under Brian Hughes, while Sounds Russian is also open to progress back up in trip.