19:20 Cartmel

Wednesday 31 May 2023

All17:5018:2018:5019:2019:5020:2020:50

Champagne Louis Roederer Handicap Chase

Off time: 19:24 | Winning time: 4m 20.7s

Sword Of Fate¹³

Age: 10| Weight: 12-1| J: B S Hughes| T: L Kerr| OR: 106| BF| CD

4/1

Tends to go well at this time of year and he's duly bounced back to form to win at Wetherby and finish runner-up twice at Perth in recent weeks. This former C&D winner is likely to be in the thick of things again.

Form: 37412-2

Restandbethankful^h1,t¹⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-13| J: C O'Farrell| T: R Menzies| OR: 104| D

9/1

Scored 3 times over timber for Olly Murphy in 2021. Still a maiden after 6 attempts over fences but he hasn't been with this yard for long and has had excuses over hurdles on his last 2 outings.

Form: 24P35-5

Ardera Cross^p⁴

Age: 12| Weight: 11-8| J: Jamie Hamilton| T: W Young Jnr| OR: 99| CD

14/1

Raced mostly at Ayr in recent times, winning another couple of handicap chases in February, but his last 2 runs suggest he may have lost his form for the time being.

Form: 51129-7

Line Of Descent^t³⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: S Bowen| T: W Greatrex| OR: 97

11/4

Has taken well to fences, placed on first 5 starts before coming good at Stratford (19.5f) last month. Likely to give another good account.

Form: 223331-

We'll Go Again^t¹⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: Jonathan England| T: S England| OR: 95| D

3/1

Made winning start for this yard in maiden hurdle at Market Rasen last summer. Rather in and out over hurdles since but he shaped well when second on chase debut at Market Rasen in April and has performed respectably on the Flat since. Open to improvement over fences.

Form: 937792-

Check My Pulse^p¹⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-2| J: Henry Brooke| T: R Menzies| OR: 93

15/2

Finally got off the mark over fences in 7-runner handicap chase at Carlisle (2m) in October. Off 6 months, shaped as if in form when never-nearer sixth of 12 at Newcastle (2m) 15 days ago.

Form: U4215-6

Living's Boy An Co^p²²

Age: 8| Weight: 11-0| J: R T Dunne| T: J S Wainwright| OR: 91

28/1

Off the mark in emphatic fashion at Market Rasen (19f) in October but has unseated in 2 subsequent outings 6 months apart. Usual cheekpieces which were missing last time are back on now.

Form: 5321U-U

Secrets De Famille⁷³

Age: 6| Weight: 10-2| J: S Mulqueen| T: N Mechie| OR: 76WS

50/1

Only poor form over hurdles in Ireland and little to get excited about in 3 runs for this yard at the start of the spring. Switches to fences for the first time on the back of wind surgery.

Form: 50P/P59-

War At Sea^t³⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 10-2| J: Jonathon Bewley⁽³⁾| T: G Bewley| OR: 74

11/1

Modest maiden chaser who shaped as if retaining ability on last month's return from a long absence, making good headway before understandably fading.

Form: 84223/P-

Kicksaftersix¹⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 10-2| J: Sean Quinlan| T: M Todhunter| OR: 66

18/1

Fair form in bumpers for Warren Greatrex but little form over jumps, including in handicap chases last twice.

Form: P7/P75-8

Non-Runners

Tico Times¹⁵

Weight: 11-1| Age: 10

T: A Slack J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Line Of Descent (11/4), We'll Go Again (3/1), Sword Of Fate (4/1), Check My Pulse (15/2), Restandbethankful (9/1), War At Sea (11/1), Ardera Cross (14/1), Kicksaftersix (18/1), Tico Times (20/1), Living's Boy An Co (28/1), Secrets De Famille (50/1)

SWORD OF FATE is going through a good spell at present and might be able to get his head back in front at a venue where he's tasted success before. Line of Descent is another who arrives on the back of a string of solid efforts lately and is second choice ahead of We'll Go Again, who made an encouraging start to his chase career when runner-up at Market Rasen last month.