Book Corporate Hospitality At Wetherby Racecourse Handicap Chase

Off time: 13:25 | Winning time: 4m 6.95s

Cornerstone Lad^p¹⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 12-0| J: C O'Farrell| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 138| CD

4/1

Smart hurdler who opened chase account with cheekpieces in this race a year ago. Ended 2022 with a brace of fair efforts and now 2 lb lower in his repeat bid.

Form: 5123-44

Pay The Piper^t1¹³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-13| J: Sean Quinlan| T: Mrs A Hamilton| OR: 137| CD

7/2

Useful over hurdles and quickly made up into an even better chaser, scoring over C&D and at Newcastle towards the end of 2021. Efforts this season suggest he's no more than fairly treated. Back at 2m.

Form: 224-834

Witness Protection⁴³⁷

Age: 10| Weight: 11-11| J: S Bowen| T: M Keighley| OR: 135

9/2

Dual hurdles winner who quickly reached higher level over fences, putting experience/fitness to good use to score at Chepstow (2m) in November 2021. Off the track since so well-being is an unknown but a case can certainly be made from a handicapping perspective.

Form: 102/421-

Richmond Lake⁴⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: B S Hughes| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 128

5/2

Useful hurdler who scored at Sedgefield (2m4f) last term. Low-key chase debut at Carlisle in November but he's fancied to step up quite a lot on that.

Form: 312F0-6

Destined To Shine^t³²²

Age: 11| Weight: 11-2| J: R Patrick| T: Kerry Lee| OR: 126

10/1

Runner-up in a C&D handicap in February 2022 and confirmed he's back in top form going one place better at Chepstow 10 days later. Off the track since but assessor given him a major chance if all is well.

Form: 22/3521-

Rule 4

Rule 4 applies to all bets - deduction 15p in the pound

Non-Runners

Amoola Gold¹⁹

Weight: 11-8| Age: 10

T: D Skelton J: Tristan Durrell

Forecasts

Richmond Lake (5/2), Pay The Piper (7/2), Cornerstone Lad (4/1), Witness Protection (9/2), Amoola Gold (11/2), Destined To Shine (10/1)

DESTINED TO SHINE and Witness Protection have lengthy absences to overcome but both figure on tempting marks if all is well. Marginal preference is for the Kerry Lee runner before market clues. If that pair do fail to fire, last year's winner of this Cornerstone Lad could follow up.