Each Way Extra At bet365 Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race)

Off time: 15:00 | Winning time: 4m 50.80s

Midnight River^t³³⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 12-0| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 153| CD

5/2

Very smart performer who signed off fine 2022/23 season by landing a Grade 3 handicap upped to 25f at the Aintree Grand National meeting. Below par in the Charlie Hall and fell in a major Newbury handicap in 2 starts of a truncated campaign last term. This trip may be on the sharp side nowadays.

Form: 3101/3F-

Prairie Wolf¹⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 10-12| J: Nick Scholfield| T: J Parkinson & S Smith| OR: 137| D

4/1

Winner of 3 of his half-a-dozen starts switched to fences last term, finishing a solid third off this mark in a strong 10-runner Ayr handicap on final start of that campaign in April. Reappearance spin over hurdles here last month will have blown away the cobwebs and he's of strong interest.

Form: 14113-6

Galop De Chasse³⁵⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 10-7| J: Charlie Deutsch| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 132

16/5

Produced a career-best when landing a competitive Newbury handicap (19.8f, good to soft) on what turned out to be his sole appearance of last season. 9 lb rise fair given that he pulled well clear of the rest with the runner-up and this 8-y-o evidently goes well fresh. Strong claims.

Form: 21P23/1-

Genois²⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-2| J: S Bowen| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 127

15/8

Useful hurdler/chaser at his best for Enda Bolger in Ireland. Sole win was a in a maiden hurdle over 3 years ago but he shaped well when third on debut for this yard at Warwick (2½m, good) where he wasn't knocked about. Down another 2 lb and he's dangerous to discount.

Form: 253-373

Non-Runners

Heltenham¹⁹⁶

Weight: 11-3| Age: 7

T: D Skelton J: C Gethings

Forecasts

Genois (15/8), Midnight River (5/2), Galop De Chasse (16/5), Prairie Wolf (4/1), Heltenham (4/1)

Compelling cases can be tabled for each member of the quintet. PRAIRIE WOLF made good progress in this sphere last season and, with the promise of better to come from him this time round and a recent run over hurdles under his belt, he gets the nod. Galop de Chasse enhanced his good record when fresh by landing a Newbury handicap on his sole start of last season and he is a big threat, while Heltenham could be the pick of the Skelton-trained duo, despite jockey bookings suggesting otherwise.