15:12 Uttoxeter

Sunday 2 July 2023

All13:5514:3015:1215:5216:2517:00

bet365 Summer Cup Handicap Chase (GBB Race)

Off time: 15:12 | Winning time: 6m 36.10s

Kinondo Kwetu^t⁴⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 12-0| J: Jonathan England| T: S England| OR: 145| C

9/2

Most progressive over fences, making it 6 wins from 8 starts when seeing of another improver (pair well clear) at Aintree (25, good) in May. Further 8 lb rise is unlikely to prevent a bold bid from this very likeable 7-y-o.

Form: 11133-1

Image of Stars that are filled with the colour gold

Definite Plan^b²¹

Age: 11| Weight: 11-7| J: Harry Cobden| T: G Elliott| OR: 138

16/1

Not the most reliable but he arrives on the back of good placed efforts in recent months. One of 2 contenders for his top Irish stable.

Form: P/P2P-32

Coeur Serein^p⁶⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 11-5| J: K Brogan| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 136

22/1

Back to winning ways in a small field at Newbury in February. Pulled up in Kim Muir at Cheltenham Festival but bounced back to form when fifth of 14 over 3f at Punchestown in April.

Form: P281P5-

Twig⁴³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-4| J: Beau Morgan⁽⁷⁾| T: B Pauling| OR: 135| C

10/3

Multiple point/chase winner who has been in good form back hurdling, making it 3 wins in his last 5 starts when seeing off 8 rivals in a 3m course handicap 6 weeks ago. Races off the same mark back over fences. Can't be discounted.

Form: 21612-1

Anightinlambourn^p1⁷⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 11-3| J: Lorcan Williams| T: B Pauling| OR: 134

50/1

Progressive over fences in the second half of 2022 but has questions to answer all of a sudden after 2 very poor runs at Cheltenham this spring. First-time cheekpieces need to have a positive effect.

Form: 1121PP-

Russian Diamond^p²⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 11-1| J: Brendan Powell| T: J J Hanlon| OR: 132

66/1

Fairly useful hurdler/chaser in Ireland. Fell heavily in Listowel hunter last month and he'll need to keep the errors down to mix it in a competitive handicap like this.

Form: 253-P4F

Ruthless Article^t⁴⁴

Age: 10| Weight: 11-1| J: Danny Mullins| T: Miss R Curtis| OR: 132| CD

9/1

C&D winner who was a fine second in this 12 months ago. 20¾ lengths behind Kinondo Kwetu at Aintree last time but this has probably been the target and he's back on a workable mark.

Form: U215P-4

Fidux³⁶

Age: 10| Weight: 11-0| J: Tom Cannon| T: A King| OR: 131

20/1

Made frame in 2022 Scottish National and back to form with a trio runner-up efforts this spring. They were all in small fields, though, and a bit more will be needed to go close in this much deeper race.

Form: 05922-2

Cap Du Nord^p⁴³

Age: 10| Weight: 10-13| J: Jack Tudor| T: Christian Williams| OR: 130

13/2

Back to winning ways in valuable event at Ascot in February. Creditable third of 11 here 6 weeks ago and likely primed for a big run for a stable does so well in top-end handicap chases.

Form: 02190-3

Organdi³⁴

Age: 11| Weight: 10-13| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: R T Phillips| OR: 130

33/1

Back to winning ways in 25f Warwick handicap in September. Similar form when third of 7 in a veterans' event at Cartmel 5 weeks ago but this is probably going to be too competitive for her.

Form: 631P-73

Amateur^p⁴¹

Age: 10| Weight: 10-10| J: Toby Wynne⁽⁵⁾| T: J L Flint| OR: 127| D

11/1

Added to his good Ffos Las record with a win in May but pulled up in this race 12 months ago and suspicion he might struggle again.

Form: P/P6P3-1

Kalooki^p¹⁸³

Age: 9| Weight: 10-8| J: Nick Scholfield| T: Christian Williams| OR: 125

16/1

Lost his way for Philip Hobbs after a Doncaster win in December 2021 but has come down a long way in the weights as a result and if anyone is going to revive him it could be Christian Williams. One to keep a very close eye on in the betting.

Form: P6P/P66-

The Abbey^p²⁰

Age: 10| Weight: 10-5| J: S Bowen| T: G Elliott| OR: 122| BF| D

11/1

Winner of handicap chases around this trip at Down Royal and Limerick in May. Couldn't complete the hat-trick but ran well again when third of 11 at Roscommon 3 weeks ago. Has to enter the reckoning.

Form: U03-113

Jaytee^b1²⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 10-3| J: Harry Bannister| T: Ian Williams| OR: 120| D

7/1

Better than ever when back-to-back winner of small-field events at Southwell in recent months. Thriving but this is a much more competitive environment.

Form: 445-211

Captain Tommy^p,t²⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 10-2| J: R T Dunne| T: Ian Williams| OR: 112| C

22/1

Capitalised on a freefalling mark in no uncertain terms when running away with a 3m handicap chase at Bangor (good) in May. Similar form when second at Stratford a fortnight later but he's running from 7 lb out of the weights here.

Form: P36-P12

Easkey Lad^p,t²⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 10-2| J: Ben Jones| T: Miss R Curtis| OR: 107| C

25/1

Has improved to win a pair of 3m Ffos Las handicaps in recent months but he's effectively 21 lb higher than last time (12 lb out of weights) so a much bigger performance will be required to complete the hat-trick.

Form: 13PF-11

Forecasts

Twig (10/3), Kinondo Kwetu (9/2), Cap Du Nord (13/2), Jaytee (7/1), Ruthless Article (9/1), The Abbey (11/1), Amateur (11/1), Definite Plan (16/1), Kalooki (16/1), Fidux (20/1), Captain Tommy (22/1), Coeur Serein (22/1), Easkey Lad (25/1), Organdi (33/1), Anightinlambourn (50/1), Russian Diamond (66/1)

The excellent record of the Christian Williams yard in valuable handicap chases swings the vote the way of CAP DU NORD. The very progressive Kinondo Kwetu is feared most despite clear top weight. Twig, who won over hurdles here off an identical mark on his latest start, last year's runner-up Ruthless Article and The Abbey also make the shortlist in one of the highlights of the summer jumps season.