17:40 Bangor-on-Dee

Friday 4 August 2023

All13:4014:1014:4515:2015:5516:3017:1017:40

RW Hough & Sons Handicap Chase

Off time: 17:42 | Winning time: 4m 5.24s

Gold Link¹²^{(ex 7)}

Age: 7| Weight: 12-2| J: Thomas Bellamy| T: Miss E C Lavelle| OR: 113

9/2

Much improved when opening account in 19.4f Stratford novice handicap chase 12 days ago. Can progress further and good shout under a penalty.

Form: 22/24U1

Image of Stars that are filled with the colour gold

Barton Knoll⁴⁹

Age: 11| Weight: 12-0| J: D A Jacob| T: J Mackie| OR: 118

16/1

No battler and an increasingly infrequent winner, tying up again late at Aintree 7 weeks ago. Others preferred.

Form: 4452-P3

Trapista¹⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-11| J: Jonjo O'Neill Jr.| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 115

11/2

Winning hurdler who again wasn't seen to best effect (conceded first run) back over fences at Worcester a fortnight ago, but there's no escaping the fact that she's proving expensive to follow.

Form: 5335-42

Dr T J Eckleburg¹⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-11| J: Adam Wedge| T: Evan Williams| OR: 115

50/1

Fairly useful hurdler at best but hasn't returned in much form for new yard, well beaten on chase debut a fortnight ago. Plenty to prove.

Form: 2438-06

The Big Jetaway¹³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-11| J: Theo Gillard| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 115| D

3/1

Made it 2-3 as a chaser in impressive fashion at Market Rasen (17.2f) a fortnight ago, jumping well and drawing clear before 3 out. Up 7 lb and has more to offer in this sphere.

Form: 31/5-321

Vinnie The Hoddie¹⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 11-9| J: David Noonan| T: Miss G Haywood| OR: 113

22/1

Error-prone sort who won at Newton Abbot (2m) in March 2022. Stopped the slide back from 9 months off at Worcester recently but must back that up now.

Form: P1/357-3

Getaway Luv^p,t³³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-8| J: Sean Quinlan| T: Lizzie Quinlan| OR: 112| D

6/1

Successful at Ayr in March and resumed winning ways in first-time tongue strap at Cartmel 5 weeks ago. More needed up 7 lb but will be a threat if he again gets a strong pace to aim at.

Form: 15P-541

Sao^h,t³¹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-8| J: B S Hughes| T: R Menzies| OR: 112

17/2

Not scored for some time and risky in the sense that he rarely runs two races the same nowadays. Failed to settle at Stratford last time and while he continues to edge down the weights, others look stronger.

Form: 2-U5525

Stumps Or Slips^t⁶²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-1| J: Lewis Stones⁽³⁾| T: T H Weston| OR: 105

5/1

Is going the right way over fences now, impressing most with the strength of his finish when following up his Warwick success at Worcester 9 weeks ago. Another bold bid expected up 8 lb.

Form: 653P1-1

Gouet Des Bruyeres^p,t¹⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-4| J: Craig Nichol| T: O Greenall & J Guerriero| OR: 94| D

14/1

Three-time winner over fences, the latest at Southwell (2m) in September. Ran well here in May but well beaten at Stratford last time. Cheekpieces back on.

Form: 26-3246

Non-Runners

Blaze A Trail³¹

Weight: 11-2| Age: 9

T: J L Flint J: Non Runner

Forecasts

The Big Jetaway (3/1), Gold Link (9/2), Stumps Or Slips (5/1), Trapista (11/2), Getaway Luv (6/1), Sao (17/2), Blaze A Trail (12/1), Gouet Des Bruyeres (14/1), Barton Knoll (16/1), Vinnie The Hoddie (22/1), Dr T J Eckleburg (50/1)

Some unexposed chasers here, with GOLD LINK getting the narrow vote over The Big Jetaway and Stumps Or Slips, the three of them all open to further improvement after victories last time out.