16:20 Kelso

Wednesday 8 May 2024

All13:4014:1014:4015:1015:4516:2016:5517:25

Bedmax Handicap Chase

Off time: 16:25 | Winning time: 4m 9.99s

A Wave Of The Sea^p⁵⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 12-0| J: R P McLernon| T: B Haslam| OR: 132| D

28/1

Useful handicap chaser for Joseph Patrick O'Brien, in frame in Galway Plate and Munster National last season. Come down the weights after seriously low-key start for Ben Haslam.

Form: 04PU7P-

Frere d'Armes¹⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-11| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 129

10/3

Useful chaser who has edged back to a feasible mark and has shaped as if back in form the last twice, fourth from a poor position at Kempton last time. Race should be run to suit and a bold showing is expected.

Form: 2P6P34-

Parisencore⁹⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-11| J: Danny McMenamin| T: N G Richards| OR: 129

18/5

Couple of good efforts over fences in the winter and shaped as if still in form back over hurdles at Musselburgh three months ago. Should give another good account.

Form: 24/P227-

Pay The Piper^t²⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 11-11| J: Sean Quinlan| T: Mrs A Hamilton| OR: 129| D

11/2

Useful winning chaser who, having been given a chance by the handicapper, returned to form when runner-up at Newcastle last time. Stable is going well and he's worth a chance to go one better.

Form: U3P632-

Guy^p²⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 11-10| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 128

14/1

Back to winning ways in 8-runner handicap chase at Hereford (16f) in January but his wins have come in lower-grade contests and he didn't fire at Aintree last time.

Form: 554310-

Bollingerandkrug^t⁴⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 11-2| J: D R Fox| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 120| CD

10/1

Has shown improved form switched to front-running tactics, landing a hat-trick here in November. Below form since but return to his favourite track (all 6 wins here) could spark a revival.

Form: 111566-

Coastguard Station^p²⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-2| J: Henry Brooke| T: Henry Oliver| OR: 120

4/1

Consistent chaser who jumped more efficiently when readily scoring at Fakenham last time. Still on a fair mark and can be relied upon, so should be competitive once more.

Form: 537P21-

Gold Des Bois^p1,t⁶⁷

Age: 10| Weight: 10-12| J: C O'Farrell| T: I Jardine| OR: 116| CD

12/1

Hasn't got his head in front since back-to-back wins here in 2022 but the handicapper has relented and he returned to form when second in a 5-runner contest over C&D 2 months ago. Looks a player in new headgear.

Form: 329482-

Fearless⁷⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 10-10| J: B S Hughes| T: D Brooke| OR: 114| D

12/1

Lightly raced since winning at Aintree (15.8f) but returned with good placed efforts at Uttoxeter/Sedgefield in the autumn. Below best since, however.

Form: 2/233U5-

Duty Calls⁵⁹

Age: 11| Weight: 10-2| J: Lewis Stones⁽³⁾| T: Miss S E Forster| OR: 102| CD

25/1

Recorded second C&D win 2 months ago in determined fashion with positive tactics readopted for the first time in a while. This is tougher and not sure to be in the same form.

Form: 422741-

Forecasts

Frere d'Armes (10/3), Parisencore (18/5), Coastguard Station (4/1), Pay The Piper (11/2), Bollingerandkrug (10/1), Fearless (12/1), Gold Des Bois (12/1), Guy (14/1), Duty Calls (25/1), A Wave Of The Sea (28/1)

PAY THE PIPER bounced back to form at Newcastle last time and he's handicapped to win if he can build on that for a stable that has been amongst the winners, so he gets the marginal vote. Frere d'Armes and Coastguard Station look the main dangers.