Join RacingTV Today Handicap Chase

Off time: 16:00 | Winning time: 6m 44.23s

Samuel Jackson^p³¹

Age: 12| Weight: 12-0| J: M G Nolan| T: R Mitford-Slade| OR: 100| CD

14/1

Two of his 3 wins over fences have been gained here and while the latest was back in February 2021, he's now 23 lb below that winning mark. Conversely, he's not getting any younger and the hint of a potential rival at Warwick in January now looks like a false dawn judged on his latest effort.

Form: 3PP-P4P

Desert Fortune²¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: Ned Fox⁽⁵⁾| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 90| D

4/1

Didn't offer much over hurdles for Christian Williams but this former point winner fared much better when a clear second on yard/chase debut at Leicester (2½m, heavy) where she was returning from an 11-month absence. Mark unchanged and this stiffer test can help unlock improvement.

Form: 4795P-2

Caeruleum^t⁴⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: Harry Kimber⁽³⁾| T: R Walford| OR: 88| BF

3/1

Upped his game switched to fences for the first time when finding just one too good over this C&D in December. No show both subsequent starts, though, and now finds himself with a bit to prove.

Form: 76-6245

Lightonthewing¹²

Age: 9| Weight: 11-1| J: James Turner⁽⁷⁾| T: Mrs S Gardner| OR: 87| C

9/4

Capitalised on a drop in the weights when resuming winning ways from the front under Ellis Collier at Wincanton (25f, heavy) recently. 7 lb rise no great concern given that he won off this revised mark at Fontwell last term (also scored here during 2022/23 campaign) and another bold show likely.

Form: 1P-50P1

Our Friend Mo^p²⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: K Brogan| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 84

11/1

Bettered anything she achieved over hurdles when runner-up on chase debut at Bangor (2½m, heavy) in December. However, it would be something of an understatement to say that she has subsequently failed to build on that.

Form: 4U26F5

Cloudy Flamingo^b1,t¹⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-3| J: G Sheehan| T: Kieran Burke| OR: 75| D

10/3

Winning pointer who has made little impact under Rules to date and hopes now pinned on the first-time blinkers working the oracle.

Form: P-P5875

Non-Runners

River Tyne¹⁵

Weight: 11-6| Age: 9

T: N J Gifford J: James Davies

Forecasts

Lightonthewing (9/4), Caeruleum (3/1), Cloudy Flamingo (10/3), Desert Fortune (4/1), River Tyne (5/1), Our Friend Mo (11/1), Samuel Jackson (14/1)

DESERT FORTUNE made an encouraging start over fences when runner-up at Leicester three weeks ago, which was also her debut for this yard and first outing for 11 months. She left the strong impression there that this stiffer test would be very much in her favour and is taken to go one better this time. Having returned to form with an all-the-way success at Wincanton recently, Lightonthewing is feared most ahead of River Tyne, who also took a step back in the right direction last time.