16:30 Fontwell

Friday 21 April 2023

All13:4014:1514:5015:2015:5516:3017:05

Les Gilbert, An Absolute Legend Handicap Chase

Off time: 16:30 | Winning time: 4m 52.3s

Heart Of A Lion¹⁵⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 12-1| J: Tom Cannon| T: A King| OR: 101

7/1

Off the mark over fences at first attempt back in November 2021. However, he's failed to build on that since and his jumping is a cause for concern (went left/not always fluent on return at Market Rasen in November). Mark continues to tumble but has plenty to prove.

Form: 134P-V3

Jigginstown King^t²⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-8| J: Cillin Leonard⁽⁵⁾| T: O Signy| OR: 94

10/3

Ran his best race yet when runner-up in weak 25.5f maiden hurdle at Hereford in February. Shaped better than the result when well held over fences back there a month later and having been dropped 5 lb for that effort, he's one to look out for back down in trip.

Form: 486P24

Alberic^b,t²⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Sean Houlihan| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 90

17/2

Modest winner at 20f over hurdles/fences. Had breathing op before only seventh in handicap chase at Hereford (20.9f, heavy) in January and folded tamely 10 weeks later at Huntingdon. Has it to prove at present.

Form: 13-PP75

George Bancroft^b1⁴⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 10-13| J: Lily Pinchin⁽³⁾| T: C E Longsdon| OR: 85| C

11/4

Arrives out of sorts, tailed off back in headgear at Wetherby (24.1f, good to soft) early last month. Needs this switch to the larger obstacles to spark some sort of revival and first-time blinkers are applied.

Form: 636009

Who Is That^p¹¹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-11| J: Freddie Gordon⁽⁷⁾| T: C Gordon| OR: 83| CD

11/4

Jumped better than usual when resuming winning ways after a break in 12-runner handicap chase at Southwell (20.4f, good) in February and similar form when second at Plumpton next time. Headgear back on but needs to put a lacklustre effort behind 11 days ago to feature.

Form: 12212P

Oscar Asche^p¹⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 10-10| J: Ben Ffrench-Davis⁽⁷⁾| T: A Irvine| OR: 82

7/1

Fair hurdler for Rebecca Curtis but record was a patchy one and has offered little on both outings for new yard following a lengthy absence. Yet to complete in 3 starts in this sphere so can only be watched.

Form: 038/4-55

Non-Runners

Go Fox⁴⁴

Weight: 10-13| Age: 8

T: N B King J: Bryony Frost

Doctor Foley⁴⁴

Weight: 10-6| Age: 6

T: A J Honeyball J: S Bowen

Forecasts

Who Is That (11/4), George Bancroft (11/4), Doctor Foley (3/1), Jigginstown King (10/3), Go Fox (13/2), Heart Of A Lion (7/1), Oscar Asche (7/1), Alberic (17/2)

Several of these arrive with something to prove but JIGGINSTOWN KING shaped better than the distance beaten suggested at Hereford 4 weeks ago so, having been dropped 5 lb on the back of that effort, Oliver Signy's charge gets the tentative nod. Doctor Foley was placed in an Irish point so he may emerge as the main danger on chasing debut, ahead of Who Is That.