Virgin Bet Vieux Lion Rouge Veterans' Handicap Chase

Off time: 14:25 | Winning time: 6m 33.66s

Rapper^v¹⁸³

Age: 10| Weight: 12-0| J: Stan Sheppard| T: H D Daly| OR: 137| D

11/1

Three-time winner over fences but wasn't the most consistent last term and only 17th of 20 in handicap chase (40/1) at Sandown (28.7f, good) final run. Needs to hit the ground running on his seasonal return.

Form: P4P2F-0

Fortescue^b¹⁸³

Age: 10| Weight: 11-12| J: Hugh Nugent⁽³⁾| T: H D Daly| OR: 135

7/1

Temperamental sort who came in 16th of 20 in handicap chase (50/1) at Sandown (28.7f, good) 6 months ago. It's now 12 runs since his last win in 2022.

Form: 42722-0

Cap Du Nord⁸⁶

Age: 11| Weight: 11-4| J: Nick Scholfield| T: Christian Williams| OR: 127

18/1

Resumed winning ways at Perth in July and badly hampered 5 out when eleventh of 20 in handicap chase at Galway (22.5f, soft) 86 days ago. Not ruled out.

Form: 961-310

Diol Ker¹⁶

Age: 10| Weight: 11-4| J: Adam Wedge| T: Evan Williams| OR: 127| D

40/1

A useful chaser for Gordon Elliott but he was pulled up on his yard debut at Chepstow 16 days ago. Needs to take a big step forward.

Form: 760P7-P

Torn And Frayed¹⁹³

Age: 10| Weight: 11-3| J: Finn Lambert⁽³⁾| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 126

15/8

Winless last season but he signed off with a solid fourth of 12 in handicap chase at Cheltenham (20.6f, good) 6 months ago. Yard among the winners so he's a player off a reduced mark.

Form: F65604-

Copperhead^p,t¹⁶

Age: 10| Weight: 10-13| J: Freddie Gingell⁽³⁾| T: J Tizzard| OR: 122| D

11/5

Off 5 months before landing handicap chase at Chepstow (23.6f, good to soft) 16 days ago. Back up 5 lb but he's not taken lightly in his hat-trick bid.

Form: 3344-11

Five Star Getaway⁵⁸³

Age: 10| Weight: 10-9| J: H Cobden| T: Christian Williams| OR: 118| BF

5/1

Winless since 2021 and off for 19 months since a below-par sixth of 8 in handicap chase at Newbury (22.4f). Has his fitness to prove.

Form: 045026/

Forecasts

Torn And Frayed (15/8), Copperhead (11/5), Five Star Getaway (5/1), Fortescue (7/1), Rapper (11/1), Cap Du Nord (18/1), Diol Ker (40/1)

TORN AND FRAYED hails from an in-form yard and resumes on an attractive mark so looks the way to go here. Joe Tizzard also has his string in great nick and his Copperhead rates the obvious threat in his hat-trick bid, with Cap du Nord appealing as the pick of the remainder for minor honours.