Virgin Bet Veterans' Handicap Chase

Off time: 15:00 | Winning time: 5m 59.1s

Fidux²⁶

Age: 10| Weight: 12-0| J: Tom Cannon| T: A King| OR: 131

10/3

Made frame in Scottish National last season but he's been below that level in 3 of starts over hurdles this term. Returns to chasing from a reduced mark and he's not ruled out on first start in a veteran's' contest.

Form: 54P-059

Fagan⁵³

Age: 13| Weight: 11-13| J: Harry Bannister| T: A M Hales| OR: 130| D

9/1

Sole success for this yard came early in 2021 but lightly raced and largely below par since. Yard also saddles Boldmere.

Form: 17/2P-0P

Boldmere⁵⁵

Age: 10| Weight: 11-9| J: Bryan Carver| T: A M Hales| OR: 126| CD

5/2

Looked promising when winning both completed starts over fences during 2019. Failed to kick on thereafter and looked rusty on yard debut after 20 months off when seventh over C&D a couple of months ago. Interesting with that behind him venturing into a veterans' event.

Form: 4P05/5-7

Didero Vallis^b¹⁸

Age: 10| Weight: 11-5| J: Shane Quinlan⁽³⁾| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 122| BF

5/1

Useful chaser at his best (third in last season's Kim Muir) and good placed efforts on first 2 completed starts this term. Failed to capitalise on his first try in this company at Musselburgh earlier this month though, and the blinkers go back on.

Form: 3P-3U35

The Kings Writ²³

Age: 12| Weight: 11-2| J: Ben Godfrey⁽³⁾| T: K Woollacott| OR: 119| D

11/4

Snapped a long losing run with a narrow success in similar event on deep ground at Warwick (3m) on New Year's Eve, making all and jumping well. Similar form on the back of a 4 lb rise when runner-up at Hereford since and another bold show looks likely.

Form: PU6-P12

Forecasts

Boldmere (5/2), The Kings Writ (11/4), Fidux (10/3), Didero Vallis (5/1), Fagan (9/1)

This can go the way of THE KINGS WRIT, who snapped a 4-year losing run with a narrow success at Warwick on New Year's Eve, and having bumped into one still well ahead of his mark at Hereford since, he's fancied to resume winning ways returned to veterans' company. Boldmere looks the pick of Alex Hales's pair so he heads up the dangers, with Fidux rounding off the shortlist.