14:25 Ascot

Saturday 18 February 2023

All13:2013:5014:2515:0015:3516:1016:45

LK Bennett Swinley Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race)

Off time: 14:25 | Winning time: 6m 8.18s

Sporting John⁵⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 12-0| J: T J O'Brien| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 147| C| DWS

12/1

Grade 1 novice chase winner who didn't kick on in this sphere during early 2021. Scored twice from 3 starts over hurdles last season but pulled up on return back chasing at Wetherby on Boxing Day and since undergone another wind op.

Form: P/141-4P

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Farinet⁴⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 11-11| J: Shane Quinlan⁽³⁾| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 144| BF| D

25/1

Impressive all-the-way winner of a 10-runner Chepstow handicap chase (23.6f, good) on return in December. Dropping back in trip here looks a good move (stamina seemingly stretched upped to 26.3f at Cheltenham last time) but current mark looks tough.

Form: P15P-15

Riders Onthe Storm^p1,t⁷⁷

Age: 10| Weight: 11-8| J: Nick Scholfield| T: R Hobson| OR: 141| C

33/1

High-class chaser in his pomp who capitalised on sliding mark on return in the Old Roan Chase at Aintree (2½m, good to soft). However, his record in recent years is very patchy and he completely misfired over the same C&D next time.

Form: 20P0-10

Phoenix Way^t²¹

Age: 10| Weight: 11-7| J: Lorcan Murtagh⁽³⁾| T: H Fry| OR: 140| C| D

5/1

Runner-up in a valuable C&D handicap last winter prior to going one better back here next time. Encouraging signs both starts at around 2½m this season and, having slipped back to his last winning mark, he's very much of interest returned to this course and trip (relatively unexposed at 3m).

Form: 21FP-44

Revels Hill^p1⁷⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 11-4| J: J J Burke| T: H Fry| OR: 137| BF| D

11/2

Ended last term with back-to-back wins in staying handicaps at Taunton and good start to this season when second over 21f here in November. Better than he was able to show at Sandown since and this 8-y-o has to enter calculations in first-time cheekpieces.

Form: 2U11-24

Danny Kirwan^p¹¹²

Age: 10| Weight: 11-3| J: Harry Cobden| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 136| C| D

11/2

All wins on right-handed tracks, including a 4-runner 21f handicap here last spring. Lost little caste in defeat over C&D (good) returned to this course on return in October and another bold show could be on the way with the drying ground in his favour.

Form: 4151-22

Laskalin¹⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-2| J: Miss Lucy Turner⁽⁵⁾| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 135| BF

8/1

Ex-French winner who returned after a wind op/10 months off with an emphatic success at Ludlow (25.6f, good to soft). Solid second at Sandown a fortnight ago and there's no reason to believe that he won't give another good account.

Form: 725-132

Nocte Volatus^t²¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-0| J: Stan Sheppard| T: T Lacey| OR: 133

16/1

Took very well to fences last term, winning 3 times, and resumed with good second of 7 in handicap chase at Hereford (21f, soft). Shouldn't be judged too harshly on subsequent Cheltenham defeat but likely to find this too competitive in any case.

Form: F12U-26

The Wolf^b,t¹⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 10-13| J: Adrian Heskin| T: O Murphy| OR: 132| D

22/1

Back on track (following another wind op) when second on return at Cheltenham in October. However, hasn't been in the same form since and others are more appealing, for all that he has slipped to an attractive mark.

Form: 27-2086

Dorking Lad⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 10-12| J: Caoilin Quinn⁽⁵⁾| T: G & J Moore| OR: 131

12/1

Resumed winning ways in a 20.5f Kempton handicap in November, drawing right away to score by 16 lengths. Got no further than the first fence back there recently, though, and his stamina has to be taken in trust now upped in trip.

Form: 134-31U

One True King^p²¹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-9| J: James Turner⁽⁷⁾| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 128

22/1

Followed Market Rasen reappearances success with a couple of inauspicious displays. Latest effort over 20.6f at Cheltenham represented a step back in the right direction but his jumping remains an area of concern and others make more appeal.

Form: 1-01855

Cap Du Nord^p²¹

Age: 10| Weight: 10-8| J: Jack Tudor| T: Christian Williams| OR: 127| D

11/2

Landed a valuable 3m handicap chase off this mark at Kempton last February. Best effort since when second in another high-end handicap at Doncaster (3m, good to soft) 3 weeks ago and likely to make a bold bid to go one better here.

Form: 5-53502

Regal Encore^t⁹²

Age: 15| Weight: 10-8| J: Aidan Coleman| T: A J Honeyball| OR: 127| CD

33/1

Veteran with a good C&D record, including a success in this race back in 2018, but he has offered little in 2 starts so far this season.

Form: 9840-0P

Neon Moon^b,t¹¹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-6| J: Philip Armson⁽³⁾| T: D Pipe| OR: 125| D

10/1

Progressive over hurdles last season, winning 3 times, and solid start to chasing when fifth in a handicap at Exeter in November. Back on track (second run following a wind) when going close at Taunton (23f, good) recently and he's not without each-way hope.

Form: 1-656F2

Forecasts

Phoenix Way (5/1), Cap Du Nord (11/2), Revels Hill (11/2), Danny Kirwan (11/2), Laskalin (8/1), Neon Moon (10/1), Sporting John (12/1), Dorking Lad (12/1), Nocte Volatus (16/1), The Wolf (22/1), One True King (22/1), Farinet (25/1), Riders Onthe Storm (33/1), Regal Encore (33/1)

PHOENIX WAY's two previous visits to this course have resulted in arguably his best performances to date over fences, and he makes plenty of appeal following an eye-catching effort at Cheltenham where he shaped as though the step back up to this trip would be welcomed. Stablemate Revels Hill merits respect but bigger threats may be posed by Cap du Nord, who returned to form when runner-up in a big Doncaster handicap last time, and Danny Kirwan. Neon Moon is also worth a second look.