QuinnBet Best Odds Guaranteed Handicap Chase

Off time: 14:35 | Winning time: 6m 14.42s

Morning Spirit^p³²

Age: 8| Weight: 12-0| J: Jonjo O'Neill Jr.| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 132

10/1

Confirmed promise of his reappearance when opening account over fences at Carlisle (24.5f, good to soft) in November. Not disgraced in a Haydock marathon since but probably a shade too high in the weights for now.

Form: 2F4-614

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Castle Rushen²⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: B S Hughes| T: N G Richards| OR: 130

9/4

Reached a fairly useful level as a novice hurdler (placed in listed/Grade 2 company) in 2020/21 before missing all of last season. Unseated rider on chase debut but put in a good round of jumping when runner-up over 2½m here since and this step up in trip promises to help unlock improvement.

Form: 1232/U2

Wowsham¹³⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: J J Slevin| T: S R B Crawford| OR: 130

50/1

Fairly useful hurdler but reappearance effort at Navan in September lacked spark and he's opposable back from a break on this chase debut.

Form: 14263-5

French Paradoxe^h⁴⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 11-11| J: G Sheehan| T: O Signy| OR: 129| BF

3/1

Off the mark over fences when making all at Doncaster in March and followed up in taking style at Wetherby on return. Looked set to complete the hat-trick when coming down at the last at Ffos Las (23.8f, heavy) last month and, if able to avoid any such mishaps here, he may well atone for that.

Form: 7/5F1-1F

Fortified Bay^v¹⁶

Age: 11| Weight: 11-7| J: Darragh O'Keeffe| T: J Candlish| OR: 125| CD

12/1

Missed whole of last season and poor on first 2 starts of the current campaign. Bounced back with a clear-cut success at Kelso (21.6f, heavy) recently but probably worth taking on back up in class/trip here off an 8 lb higher mark.

Form: P1/2-PP1

Old Painless^t³³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-3| J: D A Jacob| T: H Whittington| OR: 121

11/4

Winning pointer who looked a different proposition when scoring easily on chase debut in novice handicap at Plumpton in December. Followed that with a good second upped to 22.3f at Kelso (heavy) where he pulled clear of the rest and this 7-y-o remains open to improvement as a chaser.

Form: 1/3-8312

Houston Texas²⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 11-2| J: Sean Quinlan| T: N G Richards| OR: 120

9/1

Progressive over fences, bringing up a Carlisle staying handicap hat-trick after 8 months off in October. However, he has come up short in better company the last twice, latterly over hurdles here, and yard saddles a stronger candidate in Castle Rushen.

Form: 211-165

Forecasts

Castle Rushen (9/4), Old Painless (11/4), French Paradoxe (3/1), Houston Texas (9/1), Morning Spirit (10/1), Fortified Bay (12/1), Wowsham (50/1)

A good quality contest with OLD PAINLESS, French Paradoxe and Castle Rushen all armed with potential in this sphere. The last-named shaped as though he would benefit from going up in trip when second over 2½m here this month and he is not passed over lightly. However, Old Painless and French Paradoxe are the most compelling candidates, with marginal preference for the former who chased home a fellow improver at Kelso and his jumping looks pretty assured for one so inexperienced over fences.