Alan Purvis 60th Birthday Celebration Handicap Chase

Off time: 15:35 | Winning time: 4m 17.23s

Lac De Constance^t1¹⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 12-1| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 141| CD

11/2

Unbeaten over hurdles last season and easily made a winning start over fences in a Kempton novice (2¼m) in November. However, he hasn't gone on as expected since (has failed to convince in the jumping department) and hopes now pinned on a first-time tongue tie.

Form: 11-1U24

Image of Stars that are filled with the colour gold

Saint Segal^t⁶²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: David Noonan| T: Mrs J Williams| OR: 138| BF| CD

7/4

Has made an encouraging start to his chasing career, winning first 2 starts, and likely to have maintained his unbeaten record in this sphere but for conceding first run to the winner at Doncaster (16.4f, good) a couple of months ago. More to come and considered.

Form: 0-65112

Red Rookie⁵⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-11| J: Thomas Bellamy| T: Miss E C Lavelle| OR: 137| BF| D

3/1

Off the mark over fences in 2m novice at Hereford last season. Mixed bag since but stepped up on return when 7 lengths third to Third Time Lucki at Sandown a couple of months ago and entitled to come on for that again.

Form: 2U1F-53

Hasankey^v⁴³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-9| J: Lewis Dobb⁽⁷⁾| T: L Morgan| OR: 135| D

16/1

Made excellent strides over fences last season, winning 3 on the bounce prior to finishing sixth in Grand Annual at the Festival. Cracking second at Ayr on return in October and back from 2 lesser efforts when third at Wetherby (15.2f, good) 6 weeks ago.

Form: 16-2673

Bun Doran^p,t⁴²

Age: 12| Weight: 11-5| J: J J Burke| T: T R George| OR: 131| D

16/1

Likeable veteran who was easily excused his penultimate run at Warwick and came in for good ride to defy career-low mark at Sandown (15.4f) 6 weeks ago. Defied this mark at Doncaster 12 months ago and no forlorn hope.

Form: 1P-4241

Grandeur D'ame¹⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-1| J: Tom Cannon| T: A King| OR: 127| D

10/3

Winning hurdler who dug deep to open his account in this sphere at Huntington in January and followed up by a much wider margin at Stratford (17f, soft) earlier this month, jumping straighter going back left-handed. This tougher but heading in the right direction.

Form: 26-3711

Non-Runners

Rouge Vif¹²

Weight: 11-8| Age: 9

T: H Whittington J: D A Jacob

Forecasts

Saint Segal (7/4), Red Rookie (3/1), Grandeur D'ame (10/3), Lac De Constance (11/2), Rouge Vif (10/1), Hasankey (16/1), Bun Doran (16/1)

Cases can be made for most of these but youngster SAINT SEGAL has made a fine start to his chasing career, winning his first couple of outings and likely to have maintained his unbeaten record but for conceding first run at Doncaster a couple of months ago. With better still to come, he's fancied to regain the winning thread at the expense of the hat-trick-seeking Grandeur d'Ame. Bun Doran can fill out third spot.