16:45 Leicester

Tuesday 25 February 2025

All14:1514:4515:1515:4516:1516:45

Cottesmore Open Hunters' Chase

Off time: 16:45 | Winning time: 6m 29.06s

Autonomous Cloud^t³⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 12-4| J: Mr H D O'Dwyer⁽⁷⁾| T: F O'Brien| OR: 124

4/1

Fairly useful chaser. 10/3, solid third of 5 in handicap chase at Ayr (24.1f, soft) 36 days ago. Considered.

Form: 40-3P43

Bennys King^p³⁶

Age: 14| Weight: 12-4| J: Miss Heidi Palin⁽³⁾| T: D Skelton| OR: 125| CD

5/1

Veteran took this 12 months ago and posted a creditable second of 9 in hunter chase (12/1) at Warwick (24f, good to soft) 36 days ago. Can make his presence felt again.

Form: 12-UPP2

D'jango^t¹⁸

Age: 12| Weight: 12-4| J: Toby McCain-Mitchell⁽³⁾| T: Miss V Collins| OR: 123| D

33/1

Fairly useful chaser. 18/1, not disgraced when fifth of 7 in hunter chase at Bangor (24.1f, heavy) 18 days ago. Possibilities.

Form: 46-3P55

Gracchus De Balme¹⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 12-4| J: Mr Huw Edwards⁽⁵⁾| T: J J O'Shea| OR: 132

5/4

Useful ex-Irish hurdler/chaser for Joseph O'Brien. Good second of 6 in hunter chase (7/2) at Haydock (22.2f, good to soft) 10 days ago. Expected to be bang there on these terms.

Form: 23-0612

Rebel Dawn Rising²⁷⁰

Age: 11| Weight: 12-4| J: Mr D Peters⁽³⁾| T: D Kemp| OR: 125| BF| C

11/1

Multiple point scorer who is also pretty useful under Rules, winning hunters at Fakenham (3m) and Cheltenham (20.5f) last spring. Off 9 months but can't be ruled out.

Form: U/210-12

Bothwell Bridge^t²³

Age: 10| Weight: 11-12| J: Miss Ellie Callwood⁽⁷⁾| T: Miss Kelly Morgan| OR: 109

18/1

Pretty useful hurdler/chaser for Nicky Henderson at his peak and a winner in the pointing field for his new stable. Also second in that sphere 23 days ago so needs considering.

Form: 121-132

Lord Du Mesnil^p,t¹⁸

Age: 12| Weight: 11-12| J: Mr D Maxwell| T: R Hobson| OR: 127| BF| D

5/1

Fairly useful chaser. Creditable third of 7 in hunter chase at Bangor (24.1f, heavy, 15/8) 18 days ago, finishing well. Nineteen runs since last win in 2021, though.

Form: 264P-43

Non-Runners

Givega¹²

Weight: 12-1| Age: 9

T: L Morgan J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Gracchus De Balme (5/4), Givega (11/4), Autonomous Cloud (4/1), Bennys King (5/1), Lord Du Mesnil (5/1), Rebel Dawn Rising (11/1), Bothwell Bridge (18/1), D'jango (33/1)

GRACCHUS DE BALME rates the pick of the weights on the back of his good recent Haydock second so edges the vote from C&D scorer Givega who looks to have more to offer in this sphere and rates a big threat. Last year's victor Bennys King can also have a say in this competitive hunter chase.