14:25 Warwick

Thursday 21 November 2024

All12:2312:5313:2313:5314:2515:0015:31

John Sumner Memorial Veterans' Handicap Chase

Off time: 14:25 | Winning time: 6m 18.0s

Eldorado Allen^t²²²

Age: 10| Weight: 12-0| J: Freddie Gingell⁽³⁾| T: J Tizzard| OR: 150WS

15/8

Capable of smart form on his day over fences, proving as much when fourth in Coral Gold Cup at Newbury in December. Well beaten having rare start over hurdles at Plumpton in January and struggled in Ultima at Cheltenham and Grand National since. This much easier on return.

Form: 4/345P0-

Bennys King²²⁴

Age: 13| Weight: 10-13| J: Miss Heidi Palin⁽⁷⁾| T: D Skelton| OR: 135| D

12/1

Not the force of old but has paid his way in hunters in recent seasons and signed off latest campaign with excellent second in the Foxhunters at Aintree. Record suggests he'll need this after 7 months off.

Form: PP3212-

Rapper^v²⁵

Age: 10| Weight: 10-13| J: Stan Sheppard| T: H D Daly| OR: 135

9/2

Three-time winner over fences who shaped as if retaining ability after 6 months off when third at Aintree, but predicting his good days even when fitness was assured last season proved a thankless task.

Form: 4P2F0-3

Torn And Frayed²⁵

Age: 10| Weight: 10-3| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 125| BF

10/3

Winless last season but he signed off with a solid fourth of 12 in handicap chase at Cheltenham (20.6f, good). However, started this season with a performance so clumsy at Aintree last month.

Form: 65604-5

Diol Ker²⁵

Age: 10| Weight: 10-2| J: Adam Wedge| T: Evan Williams| OR: 123| D

33/1

A useful chaser for Gordon Elliott but well held both starts for this yard last month. Needs to take a big step forward.

Form: 60P7-P6

First Lord De Cuet^t,p²²⁷

Age: 10| Weight: 10-2| J: Jack Tudor| T: D Pipe| OR: 121| D

3/1

Produced one of his best efforts in this sphere when second to Anglers Crag at Market Rasen (23.8f, good to soft) in January. However, he didn't quite match that level in 4 subsequent starts and record over fences now stands at 0-14. 3 lb out of the handicap.

Form: P24433-

Non-Runners

Empire Steel¹⁸⁸

Weight: 11-7| Age: 10

T: A M Thomson J: Ryan Mania

Smarty Wild⁶⁷⁷

Weight: 10-5| Age: 10

T: P Hobbs & J White J: Ben Jones

Forecasts

Eldorado Allen (15/8), First Lord De Cuet (3/1), Torn And Frayed (10/3), Rapper (9/2), Empire Steel (5/1), Smarty Wild (6/1), Bennys King (12/1), Diol Ker (33/1)

It could be worth chancing the reliable SMARTY WILD, who has been off for almost 2 years but has been given a chance by the handicapper and is from a stable that is in good form. Eldorado Allen often keeps much better company than this and is the obvious threat ahead of Empire Steel.