Sodexo Live! Veterans' Handicap Chase

Off time: 16:30 | Winning time: 5m 57.33s

Two For Gold^p,t⁹⁹

Age: 12| Weight: 12-0| J: C Gethings| T: K Bailey & M Nicholls| OR: 147| CD

11/2

Unreliable on the whole but landed this race 2 years ago and runner-up from a 1 lb higher mark 12 months ago. Resumed following wind surgery with a good third here in November and whilst disappointing a month later, bounce back not ruled out back from a break.

Form: 9P26-4P

Authorized Art^b1¹⁵

Age: 10| Weight: 11-8| J: Tom Cannon| T: G & J Moore| OR: 141

9/1

Smart chaser for Willie Mullins and positive start for new yard when third in 2m listed hurdle at Kempton in October. Let down by his jumping in Grand Sefton at Aintree next time and below best both starts over hurdles/fences since. Fitting of blinkers need to have positive effect now.

Form: 3-030P7

Numitor⁷²

Age: 11| Weight: 11-5| J: James Bowen| T: H Main| OR: 138

11/2

Enhanced healthy strike rate over fences at Wincanton on return and as good as ever when defying a 3 lb rise at Cheltenham in December. Freshened up following a rare poor effort at Market Rasen in January but this test could be on the limit of his stamina.

Form: 16-P11P

Credo^t,v⁷^{(ex 6)}

Age: 10| Weight: 11-3| J: H Cobden| T: A J Honeyball| OR: 130| D

10/3

Useful handicapper who made it 2 wins from 3 starts since the visor was applied in 4-runner veterans' handicap at Carlisle (24.5f) 7 days ago, leading last and keeping on run-in. Has to merit respect under a penalty in this form.

Form: 444141

Deise Aba^b⁹³

Age: 12| Weight: 10-11| J: Adam Wedge| T: Alexandra Dunn| OR: 130| D

10/1

Successful on 4 of 6 starts in points prior to just failing at Wincanton on debut for present yard in October. However, consistency not his strong suit and he was a well-beaten tenth of 11 in handicap chase at Kempton (3m) in December. Had a break ahead of this so he could revive.

Form: 11-P260

Northern Poet²¹

Age: 10| Weight: 10-2| J: James Davies| T: N J Gifford| OR: 121| D

6/4

Recorded a hat-trick switched to fences in the second half of 2022/23 and he lines up here as good as ever, following up his Doncaster veterans' success in 7-runner Warwick handicap (29.2f) 3 weeks ago, finishing best. Player up 4 lb in another hat-trick bid.

Form: 5-22P11

Non-Runners

Bretney³⁶

Weight: 10-6| Age: 10

T: H D Daly J: Sam Twiston-Davies

Forecasts

Northern Poet (6/4), Credo (10/3), Numitor (11/2), Two For Gold (11/2), Authorized Art (9/1), Deise Aba (10/1), Bretney (14/1)

Likeable mare CREDO justified good support when making it 2 wins from her last 3 starts equipped with a visor/under Harry Cobden at Carlisle last week and she could be the answer under a penalty in this sort of form. Fellow in-form 10-y-o Northern Poet arrives in search of the hat-trick and is feared, with Two For Gold, who landed this race 2 years ago, another worth a look back from a break.