14:35 Market Rasen

Friday 17 January 2025

All11:4512:1512:5013:2514:0014:3515:1015:45

Unibet Veterans' Handicap Chase (2024 Veterans' Chase Series Final)

Off time: 14:35 | Winning time: 6m 24.4s

Sam Brown^b,t⁴⁸

Age: 13| Weight: 12-0| J: Chad Bament⁽¹⁰⁾| T: A J Honeyball| OR: 153| D

11/2

Smart veteran chaser who won 3m handicaps at Warwick and Ascot last season. Returned with a fine third in the Charlie Hall at Wetherby but wasn't in the same form in a strong handicap at Newbury last time. Blinkers go back on.

Form: 5126-30

Eldorado Allen^t,p³⁵

Age: 11| Weight: 11-10| J: Brendan Powell| T: J Tizzard| OR: 149

7/2

Positive start to this season following another wind op when runner-up at Warwick and backed it up with a good third at Cheltenham. Step back up in trip is well in his favour and he boasts solid claims.

Form: 45P0-23

Remastered^b1,t⁴⁸

Age: 12| Weight: 11-5| J: David Noonan| T: D Pipe| OR: 144| D

18/1

Bounced back to form to take advantage of his reduced mark on his Wincanton reappearance in October. Has been let down by jumping on both subsequent outings and others make more appeal.

Form: 7PP-1FU

Cloudy Glen¹⁶

Age: 12| Weight: 11-4| J: Charlie Deutsch| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 143

14/1

Hard to predict but talented on his day, as he proved when making a winning return in veterans event at Haydock in December. Came in last of 5 at Cheltenham since though and others appeal more.

Form: 253P-15

Empire Steel⁴⁴

Age: 11| Weight: 11-3| J: Ryan Mania| T: A M Thomson| OR: 142

5/1

Gives his running more often than not, which counts for plenty in this sort of event, so merits respect on the back of another creditable third at Haydock last time.

Form: 3219-43

Copperhead^t,p³⁵

Age: 11| Weight: 10-8| J: Freddie Gingell⁽³⁾| T: J Tizzard| OR: 133| D

7/2

Ended a long losing run at Plumpton in May and added handicaps at Chepstow and Aintree in October. Excellent second the last twice at Sandown and Cheltenham and is a leading player here back up in trip.

Form: 4-11122

Fortescue^b⁵⁵

Age: 11| Weight: 10-5| J: Hugh Nugent⁽³⁾| T: H D Daly| OR: 130| D

9/2

Lightly raced in recent times and ran well when runner-up to Copperhead on reappearance. Didn't fire at Ascot subsequently but this is easier back against fellow veterans.

Form: 7220-24

Smarty Wild⁴⁴

Age: 11| Weight: 10-2| J: Sean Houlihan| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 125

12/1

Useful handicap chaser, placed all 3 starts in 2022/23, but pulled up on the back of a long lay-off at Haydock last month. Might come on for it.

Form: 2F232/P

Forecasts

Copperhead (7/2), Eldorado Allen (7/2), Fortescue (9/2), Empire Steel (5/1), Sam Brown (11/2), Smarty Wild (12/1), Cloudy Glen (14/1), Remastered (18/1)

Joe Tizzard has revitalised COPPERHEAD and Eldorado Allen recently and this pair of classy types could be the ones to fight this out, with the former marginally preferred. Empire Steel is reliable at this level, so he's considered a player, too.