Bruce Towers & Sons Mechanical Engineers Selling Handicap Chase

Off time: 14:32 | Winning time: 5m 48.12s

Fancy Foundations^p1¹⁰³

Age: 9| Weight: 12-0| J: Patrick Cowley⁽³⁾| T: L Morgan| OR: 122| D

15/2

Back to form third of 10 in handicap chase at Kilbeggan (19f, good) in September on final start for Gordon Elliott. However, pulled up both starts for Jake Coulson and needs to bounce back starting out for another new yard here in first-time cheekpieces.

Form: P-6F3PP

Sopran Thor⁹³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-10| J: Tom Cannon| T: G & J Moore| OR: 118

5/4

Ended last term in good form, hitting the crossbar at Fontwell and Huntingdon (awarded the race in the stewards' room at the latter venue). Well held on belated return at Sandown in January and he's not the most assured of jumpers, but obvious claims in this company all the same.

Form: 4U422-7

Sir Apollo^b,t¹⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 10-2| J: Jonathan England| T: S England| OR: 95

9/4

Both career wins have been registered at Sedgefield, the latest in first-time blinkers over 27f in February. Found just one too good in a 4-runner handicap over the same C&D recently and likely to give it a good shot if coping with this drop back in trip.

Form: 6441P2

Enduring Love^b,t²⁶

Age: 11| Weight: 10-2| J: Daire Davis⁽⁷⁾| T: O Murphy| OR: 94| BF| D

7/2

Three-time winner over fences in Ireland and placed first 3 outings for present connections this winter. Well held last time at Huntingdon (23.6f, soft) where he emptied quickly but previous effort there was creditable and not without hope back down in trip here.

Form: 35-3226

Non-Runners

An Marcach⁶⁷

Weight: 10-2| Age: 9

T: Dr R D P Newland J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Sopran Thor (5/4), Sir Apollo (9/4), Enduring Love (7/2), Fancy Foundations (15/2), An Marcach (20/1)

It's hard not to have misgivings about all four of these. In the case of SOPRAN THOR it's his haphazard jumping that is the primary source of concern but he is still the most likely winner. Fancy Foundations arguably has the most to prove and Sir Apollo edges preference ahead of Enduring Love for forecast purposes.