15:20 Kempton

Saturday 15 March 2025

All13:3714:1014:4515:2015:5716:3217:07

Virgin Bet Daily Extra Places Handicap Chase (GBB Race)

Off time: 15:20 | Winning time: 5m 4.00s

Authorized Art^p⁹⁸

Age: 10| Weight: 12-0| J: Rob Hargreaves⁽⁷⁾| T: G & J Moore| OR: 146| D

33/1

Smart chaser for Willie Mullins and positive start for new yard when third in 2m listed hurdle here in October. However, let down by his jumping back over fences in the Grand Sefton at Aintree next time and then ran poorly with cheekpieces refitted returned to hurdles at Sandown. Bit to prove.

Form: P-3030P

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Midnight River^t⁷³

Age: 10| Weight: 11-13| J: C Gethings| T: D Skelton| OR: 145| D

25/1

Ended 2022/23 with Grade 3 handicap win at Aintree Grand National meeting. Lightly raced and generally below par since but he's certainly not one to write off given that he's now 6 lb below that winning Aintree mark. One of 3 representing the Dan Skelton yard.

Form: 1/3F-305

Outlaw Peter^t¹²⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 11-11| J: N de Boinville| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 143| CD

7/1

Ended last term on the up, proving 1¼ lengths too strong for Flegmatik (18 lb pull) in this race 12 months ago prior to finishing second in a competitive Sandown handicap. Absent since finishing down the field in the Grand Sefton in November but he likes it here and tends to peak during the spring.

Form: 23112-9

Sure Touch²¹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-6| J: S Bowen| T: O Murphy| OR: 138| D

13/2

Smashing start over fences last year, a fourth success in this sphere coming in the Summer Plate at Market Rasen (21.4f) in July. However, he has found life tougher since and was beaten over 15 lengths when fourth in the 9-runner C&D handicap won by Bad 3 weeks ago.

Form: 1-158P4

Jetoile^p,t²¹

Age: 10| Weight: 11-5| J: Dylan Johnston⁽³⁾| T: R Potter| OR: 137| D

12/1

Sprung a surprise when winning last season's Old Roan Chase at Aintree and ended that campaign with a good effort at Punchestown. Failed to fire first 4 runs of this season but took a step back in the right direction when runner-up at Newcastle last time and he's lurking on a dangerous mark.

Form: 40P672

Bad^b²¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: Ben Jones| T: B Pauling| OR: 134| CD

5/2

Belatedly (and deservedly) opened his account on these shores when scoring in good style over C&D last time, a much more patient ride in retained blinkers getting the best out of him. 9 lb rise to contend with (and ground likely to be quicker this time) but he's a big player nonetheless.

Form: 0-232F1

Flegmatik^p,t²⁸

Age: 10| Weight: 10-12| J: Tristan Durrell⁽³⁾| T: D Skelton| OR: 130| CD

13/2

Three of his 4 wins over fences have been gained here, the latest a 3m handicap (strong form) off 7 lb higher last January before two solid efforts in defeat back here (latterly when chasing home Outlaw Pete in this race). Not at his best for the most part this season but could easily bounce back.

Form: 845334

Bourbali²¹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-11| J: Brendan Powell| T: J Tizzard| OR: 129| C| D

4/1

Both wins over fences gained here, including when making all over 2¼m (good to soft) on return in October. Remained in good form since, coming home 10½ lengths third of 9 to Bad over C&D 3 weeks ago and 9 lb swing offers hope that he will finish closer to that rival this time.

Form: 6-31333

Hidden Heroics¹³

Age: 8| Weight: 10-10| J: Harry Atkins⁽⁷⁾| T: D Skelton| OR: 128| D

40/1

Bounced back from a couple of lesser efforts when winning a 27.5f Stratford handicap last summer but it's been all downhill since and he was safely held on recent return from a break at Huntingdon.

Form: 6P7-1P5

Bashers Reflection^p,t¹⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 10-2| J: J M Quinlan| T: B I Case| OR: 119| BF| D

7/1

Progressed into a fairly useful hurdler last term and hasn't done much wrong switched to fences this season, runner-up in handicaps at Wetherby and Newbury (both at around this trip) since undergoing a wind op. Surely a matter of time before he wins one and should give this a good shot.

Form: 9-63322

Forecasts

Bad (5/2), Bourbali (4/1), Flegmatik (13/2), Sure Touch (13/2), Bashers Reflection (7/1), Outlaw Peter (7/1), Jetoile (12/1), Midnight River (25/1), Authorized Art (33/1), Hidden Heroics (40/1)

Though FLEGMATIK has largely struggled this season, he's been set some pretty stiff assignments and showed more than enough when third at Ascot in January (his standout effort of the current campaign so far) to suggest that the fire still burns bright. The 10-y-o enjoys a significant swing at the weights with Outlaw Peter compared to when second to that rival in this 12 months ago. Bad was a decisive winner over C&D recently and is feared most ahead of Outlaw Peter and Bashers Reflection.