Lucia Stevens Handicap Chase

Off time: 16:58 | Winning time: 5m 55.90s

Game Line^t1,v⁴⁸

Age: 11| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr Harvey Barfoot-Saunt⁽⁷⁾| T: P & M Bowen| OR: 87

25/1

Fair handicap chaser at his best but has offered little both starts since returning from a 26-month absence in December. Tongue strap now tried.

Form: 522P/PP

Image of Stars that are filled with the colour gold

Unspeakable^t²⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-8| J: Jack Tudor| T: Christian Williams| OR: 81| C

10/11

Losing run mounting up but he found just one too good here on penultimate start and has made the frame either side of that at Exeter and Chepstow. Trip/ground fine and this mark is a fair one, so it's not hard to envisage a bold show from this 7-y-o.

Form: 635324

School For Scandal²⁸

Age: 10| Weight: 11-7| J: Taylor Fisher| T: J Tickle| OR: 80| CD

7/2

Dual chase winner around 3m this season and got back on track when second of 14 over this C&D in January. Added to patchy record when pulled up next time and, though there was a valid excuse on that occasion (reportedly bled), he's likely to find one or two too good.

Form: 11362P

Firefly Lane^t⁸¹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-3| J: Charlie Deutsch| T: J D Frost| OR: 76

10/1

Winning pointer who opened her account over fences at Newton Abbot (21f, soft) in September. Form has dipped pretty badly since, though, and she looks vulnerable on balance.

Form: 2-71340

McGregors Charge^p1⁶⁷⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-1| J: Ben Godfrey| T: Ella Pickard| OR: 74

12/1

Didn't show much in half-a-dozen runs over hurdles a few years ago and 0-8 in points in 2022/23. Off best part of 2 years ahead of this chase/yard debut and he's probably best watched.

Form: 54PF/23-

Dreamsundermyfeet^b1³⁸

Age: 10| Weight: 10-11| J: Daire James McConville⁽⁷⁾| T: M Keighley| OR: 70| BF

4/1

Has become disappointing and again failed to trouble the judge when sent off favourite for a Huntingdon handicap chase last month. Hopes now pinned on the first-time blinkers sparking a return to form.

Form: 074666

Non-Runners

Bumpy Evans³

Weight: 11-13| Age: 7

T: Tim Vaughan J: Mr Edward Vaughan

Forecasts

Bumpy Evans (4/5), Unspeakable (10/11), School For Scandal (7/2), Dreamsundermyfeet (4/1), Firefly Lane (10/1), McGregors Charge (12/1), Game Line (25/1)

This looks between UNSPEAKABLE and Bumpy Evans. The latter is bound to be a warm order on the back of victories at Leicester and Ffos Las but this quick turnaround is reason enough to take him on. Unspeakable is just 1-18 under Rules but he's on workable mark and has shown enough on his last three starts to suggest that he has a race in him off this sort of mark. Dreamsundermyfeet has become disappointing and needs to get back on track now equipped with blinkers.