Jim 'Havana' McPherson Handicap Chase

Off time: 13:49 | Winning time: 6m 47.2s

Dorking Cock^t²⁴

Age: 10| Weight: 12-0| J: J J Slevin| T: S R B Crawford| OR: 128| D

3/1

Lightly raced for this yard and bounced back to form to capitalise on much lower mark over hurdles at Navan (22f, heavy) in November. Still going okay when unseated in last month's Becher Chase at Aintree and this rates less demanding.

Form: 3/2P0-1U

Marown^p²²

Age: 10| Weight: 11-12| J: Sean Quinlan| T: N G Richards| OR: 126| C| D

7/2

Dual winner over fences during 2020/21 who went close on a couple of occasions last term and ran well back from 8 months off when runner-up in a C&D handicap 3 weeks ago. Lines up from unchanged mark but no sure thing to be in same form.

Form: 24523-2

Mr Josiey Wales^p⁷²³

Age: 9| Weight: 11-8| J: S Mulqueen| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 122| D

18/1

Lightly-raced winner over hurdles (at 3m) who was operating below best when last seen during 2021/22 campaign. Goes chasing on back of a lengthy break and interesting what the market makes of him with yard also saddling Haute Estime.

Form: 213458/

Haute Estime³⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: Alan Doyle⁽⁵⁾| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 120

5/1

Kept on gamely when opening chase account in Warwick mares' novice (20f) in March. Going well when falling at Perth in September and whilst she hasn't built on promise of that in 2 starts since, she can't be ruled out having eased in weights.

Form: 413-F55

Up Helly Aa King^t¹⁸

Age: 13| Weight: 11-6| J: Danny McMenamin| T: N W Alexander| OR: 120| C| D

15/2

Course winner who last hit the target at Doncaster in February 2022 and solid second in handicap there (3m, good) back in March. Shaped as if better for the run on return at Cheltenham (20.6f) 18 days ago and likely he'll be much closer to form here.

Form: 1/4242-6

Anti Bridgie^t³⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-13| J: Henry Brooke| T: O Greenall & J Guerriero| OR: 113| BF

9/4

Fair form in winning her first 2 starts over hurdles at Sedgefield and Kelso last season and shaped well in pair of chase tries this winter, creditable third behind another improving sort at Catterick (25.2f) 39 days ago. Worth considering from 1 lb lower mark.

Form: 1P33-33

Forecasts

Anti Bridgie (9/4), Dorking Cock (3/1), Marown (7/2), Haute Estime (5/1), Up Helly Aa King (15/2), Mr Josiey Wales (18/1)

ANTI BRIDGIE cemented her positive start over fences when third behind another improving sort at Catterick 39 days ago and, less exposed than most, she could be the way to go operating from a 1 lb lower mark. Haute Estime takes a handy drop in class and is feared, with Up Helly Aa King fancied to step up on his reappearance effort at Cheltenham last month.