16:25 Cheltenham

Thursday 18 April 2024

All13:3014:0514:4015:1515:5016:2517:00

NAF Mares' Handicap Chase

Off time: 16:25 | Winning time: 4m 3.94s

Found On³³

Age: 9| Weight: 12-0| J: S Bowen| T: M Keighley| OR: 138| C| D

11/1

Bagged 5 small-field handicaps last term and resumed winning ways at Market Rasen on reappearance in September. Respectable second in mares listed chase next time and might have needed the run after 4 months off at Kempton (20.5f, good to soft) recently. Drops back down in trip.

Form: 1PP-12P

Pink Legend¹⁹

Age: 10| Weight: 11-8| J: Charlie Deutsch| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 132| CD

11/1

Built on her return when landing 5-runner listed mares event at Newbury (23.4f) in December. Shaped a bit better than the result suggests when fourth at Doncaster 9 days later but has been most disappointing since. Won this last year from a 10 lb higher mark.

Form: 14FP9P

Sacre Coeur^h⁴⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 11-5| J: Tristan Durrell⁽³⁾| T: D Skelton| OR: 129| D

10/1

Front-runner who has won 3 times over fences this season. Not at best when third of 5 at Kelso last time but she's now only 1 lb above the mark she defied at Ludlow in December.

Form: 431423

Je T'ai Porte^h³³

Age: 6| Weight: 10-13| J: J J Burke| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 123| D

12/1

Winning hurdler who had her usual headgear discarded and caught the eye when third of 10 in a beginners chase at Leopardstown (17f, heavy) last month. Unable to repeat that effort at Thurles 13 days later but now heads into handicaps and warrants respect in a reapplied hood.

Form: 3U7034

Royale Margaux^t⁷³

Age: 6| Weight: 10-13| J: Benjamin Poste| T: T Symonds| OR: 123| BF

9/2

Five-time hurdles/dual chase winner in France for David Cottin and fairly useful form over fences in this country. Solid second in handicap at this track (20.6f, good to soft) in December but struggled on subsequent runs. Too soon to be writing her off, however. Second to Pink Legend last year.

Form: 42-8254

Voice Of Calm^t¹⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 10-8| J: Thomas Bellamy| T: Miss E C Lavelle| OR: 118| D

9/1

Triple hurdle winner who also scored over fences at Leicester (match race) last February. Wasn't at her best after 5 months off at Plumpton (17f, good to soft) 18 days ago so will need to leave that behind with Tom Bellamy back on board.

Form: 318-334

Somespring Special^t⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 10-2| J: Ben Godfrey⁽³⁾| T: A J Honeyball| OR: 112

6/5

Won twice over hurdles last spring but having initially disappointed over fences, proved a totally different proposition away from the mud after 4 months off when landing conditionals handicap at Plumpton (19.8f, good) 4 days ago. Escapes a penalty, so looks to have a huge chance.

Form: 31-1PP1

Lost Connections^t¹⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 10-2| J: Shane Quinlan⁽³⁾| T: Katy Price| OR: 105

12/1

Third in this before finally off the mark at Ludlow (20f, good) last May, putting her experience to good use. Returned from 11 months off and shaped as if as good as ever when runner-up at Chepstow earlier this month but this demands a jolt of improvement from 7 lb out of the weights.

Form: 2453-12

Forecasts

Somespring Special (6/5), Royale Margaux (9/2), Voice Of Calm (9/1), Sacre Coeur (10/1), Pink Legend (11/1), Found On (11/1), Je T'ai Porte (12/1), Lost Connections (12/1)

SOMESPRING SPECIAL proved a totally different proposition away from the mud to make it third time lucky over fences at Plumpton on Sunday so, provided this doesn't come too soon, Anthony Honeyball's unpenalised 6-y-o looks the way to go at the expense of Sacre Coeur, who failed to perform in a first-time tongue strap last month and is now only 1 lb above her last winning mark. Irish-raider Je T'ai Porte rounds off the shortlist making her handicap chase debut.