15:00 Warwick

Saturday 14 January 2023

All12:4013:1513:5014:2515:0015:3516:10

Wigley Group Classic Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race)

Off time: 15:00 | Winning time: 7m 55.6s

Threeunderthrufive⁴⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 12-0| J: Adrian Heskin| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 151| C

9/1

Enhanced his good strike-rate with 4 novice chase wins last season. including Grade 2 events at Doncaster and this venue. Fair third on hurdle reappearance (fitted with cheekpieces) but didn't get beyond the first (unseated) in the Coral Gold Cup 4 weeks later. Up in trip.

Form: 1116-3U

Dingo Dollar^p,t⁴⁹

Age: 11| Weight: 11-12| J: Alice Stevens⁽⁷⁾| T: A M Thomson| OR: 149

40/1

Has done well for this stable and returned as good as ever when landing a veterans' event at Aintree in October. Not in the same form at Newcastle a month later and while his record fresh is a positive one, he's vulnerable to younger legs.

Form: 435U-16

Iwilldoit³⁸³

Age: 10| Weight: 11-10| J: Stan Sheppard| T: S Thomas| OR: 147

12/1

Most progressive handicap chaser, belying inexperience over the larger obstacles when a taking winner of the 2021 Welsh National. Off the track since but assuming all is well with him, his revised mark may well be within range.

Form: 6273/11-

Lord Du Mesnil^p,t⁶⁶

Age: 10| Weight: 11-9| J: Paul O'Brien| T: R Hobson| OR: 146

13/2

Patchy form during the last couple of seasons but he's smart when on-song and made an encouraging return from a 6-month break when second of 12 to subsequent Coral Gold Cup winner Le Milos at Bangor in November. Stamina his forte and he looks well weighted.

Form: 26P4-P2

Mr Incredible¹⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: Brian Hayes| T: W P Mullins| OR: 142

8/1

Maiden winner over hurdles/fences (19f) at Naas in 2021 but completely lost his way for Henry de Bromhead. Switched to another top yard and was brought down early at Leopardstown 18 days ago. Upped markedly in trip.

Form: 1/12RP-B

Grumpy Charley¹⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-4| J: James Bowen| T: C Honour| OR: 141

11/2

Multiple-hurdles winner who initially took well to chasing, landing 22.5f novice handicap at Newbury in December 2021. Right back to that level when winning at that meeting a fortnight ago and he's an unexposed stayer who is very effective in the mud.

Form: 13P7-P1

Commodore³⁶

Age: 11| Weight: 11-4| J: Charlie Deutsch| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 141| C

20/1

Back from a wind op when bolting up at Cheltenham in December 2021. Easy to put a line through his Grand National effort and while he couldn't repeat the trick in his repeat bid back at Cheltenham last month, it wasn't a bad effort (went with plenty of zest). Interesting.

Form: U9P/10-5

Nestor Park^p⁵⁶

Age: 10| Weight: 10-12| J: Luca Morgan| T: B Pauling| OR: 135| C

17/2

Consistent sort who posted another creditable effort when third of 9 in handicap chase at Haydock (28.4f, good to soft, 7/1) in November. That was his first try over an extreme distance and he saw it out well.

Form: P/4313-3

Notachance^p⁶⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 10-7| J: Tom Cannon| T: A King| OR: 130| CD

15/2

Gutsy winner of the 2021 renewal of this from 9 lb higher. Hasn't come close to repeating that level though, eighth in this a year ago, but reappearance fourth at Bangor (Lord du Mesnil runner-up) wasn't devoid of promise.

Form: P6823-4

Wouldubewell¹⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 10-7| J: Thomas Bellamy| T: Miss E C Lavelle| OR: 130

18/1

Fairly useful hurdler who exceeded that form when scoring twice around 3m over fences last term. Hasn't fully convinced upper further in trip both starts this term but she's not yet exposed.

Form: 1321-66

Grand Mogul⁴²

Age: 9| Weight: 10-5| J: Benjamin Poste| T: Miss G Haywood| OR: 128

66/1

Fairly useful winning hurdler who made a successful debut over fences at Kelso in May 2021. Left Nicky Henderson for £11,000 in May and made a sound start for new connections at Cheltenham. Task is to now build on that upped in distance.

Form: 52/1P3-3

Guetapan Collonges⁷⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 10-3| J: R P McLernon| T: C E Longsdon| OR: 126| C

5/1

Gradual progress over fences last term, scoring at Wetherby and Market Rasen in January/February. Fell when odds-on for a match but well prepared and better than ever when making successful reappearance over 25.5f here in November. More to come.

Form: 5311F-1

Volcano^p,t²⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 10-2| J: Ben Jones| T: Sheila Lewis| OR: 115| CD

14/1

C&D winner in March and just failed at Ludlow last month. Stamina his forte but this looks too tough from 10 lb out of the weights.

Form: 17-8632

Non-Runners

Fortescue¹⁸

Weight: 11-6| Age: 9

T: H D Daly J: Hugh Nugent

Forecasts

Guetapan Collonges (5/1), Grumpy Charley (11/2), Lord Du Mesnil (13/2), Notachance (15/2), Mr Incredible (8/1), Nestor Park (17/2), Threeunderthrufive (9/1), Iwilldoit (12/1), Volcano (14/1), Wouldubewell (18/1), Fortescue (20/1), Commodore (20/1), Dingo Dollar (40/1), Grand Mogul (66/1)

Stamina will be at a premium and that will play to the strengths of LORD DU MESNIL, who looks the pick of the weights judged on his excellent second to the subsequent Coral Gold Cup winner Le Milos on his return to action. Commodore regularly goes through these staying handicaps with zest and he's interesting at a price, while the market may help assess the well-being of 2021 Welsh National hero Iwilldoit.