Will Pugh 21st Birthday Celebration Handicap Chase

Off time: 15:57 | Winning time: 6m 3.54s

Flying Verse^b¹⁸

Age: 11| Weight: 11-11| J: B S Hughes| T: David Dennis| OR: 107| D

11/2

Had a good spell over fences after wind surgery in the summer, recording back-to-back wins at Stratford (22.6f) and Musselburgh (31.5f) in October/November. Latest third off this mark at Southwell was creditable but likely to find one or two too good all the same.

Form: 2115P3

Dragonfruit^p¹⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 11-11| J: Henry Brooke| T: O Greenall & J Guerriero| OR: 107

4/1

Back to best when second of 6 in handicap chase at Sedgefield on return in November. However, he has failed to match that level of form in 2 subsequent starts, adding to what is best described as a patchy record.

Form: 45U-2P4

Return Fire^t²¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-11| J: P W Wadge⁽⁷⁾| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 107| CD

7/4

Back-to-back winner at Hexham and over this C&D in November prior to finishing a respectable fourth to Hitman Fred at Ayr the following month. Another fair effort last time but he's probably a shade too high in the weights for now.

Form: 8-31144

Court At Slip^b1²¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Mr William Easterby⁽⁵⁾| T: T D Easterby| OR: 103| C

15/8

Jumped soundly when making a winning chase debut at Wetherby December. Has failed to reproduce that form since, though, and his chance probably depends on whether the new headgear (sports first-time blinkers in place of usual cheekpieces) has a positive effect.

Form: 4-43146

Non-Runners

Twoshotsoftequila¹⁸

Weight: 12-2| Age: 6

T: R Menzies J: Nathan Moscrop

Hitman Fred²²

Weight: 12-1| Age: 10

T: R Dobbin J: Craig Nichol

Follow Your Arrow¹³

Weight: 11-7| Age: 7

T: G Bewley J: Jonathon Bewley

Loughermore²¹

Weight: 10-8| Age: 9

T: S Waugh J: William Shanahan

Forecasts

Return Fire (7/4), Court At Slip (15/8), Twoshotsoftequila (2/1), Dragonfruit (4/1), Hitman Fred (5/1), Flying Verse (11/2), Loughermore (10/1), Follow Your Arrow (12/1)

Had he not lost momentum at the final fence at Sedgefield, TWOSHOTSOFTEQUILA probably would have won and, with further progress likely, compensation awaits here. Next on the list is Loughermore, who shaped pretty encouragingly over hurdles last time and he resumes in this sphere on an attractive mark. Hitman Fred's latest effort needs forgiving but if he puts his best foot forward he will be in with a fighting chance.