Lee Strand Novice Chase

Off time: 15:40 | Winning time: 4m 25.0s

Aspurofthemoment¹³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Kieren Buckley| T: G P Cromwell| BF

11/2

Fairly useful chaser. 2/1, good third of 15 in handicap hurdle at Bellewstown (24.5f, good) 13 days ago, running on. Switches from hurdles to chase. Should give a good account, but he faces a pretty tall order on these terms.

Form: 3111-13

Special Cadeau¹⁰⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: Darragh O'Keeffe| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 142

5/1

Useful chaser. Latest win in chase at Thurles in February. 15 lengths last of 5 to Kalif Du Berlais in Maghull Novices' Chase (12/1) at Aintree (15.8f, good) 104 days ago. Couldn't rule out, for all that, strictly speaking, he shouldn't beat Nurburgring on these terms.

Form: 2/42015-

Nurburgring^t³¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: J J Slevin| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 143| CD

8/13

Smart hurdler. Promising novice chaser, finishing fourth of 19 in a Grade 2 novices' handicap at the Cheltenham Festival on latest start in this sphere in March. Went close in a Royal Ascot handicap on the Flat last month and he's very much the one to beat.

Form: 3/13394-

Amanha^h,t⁴⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: P J O'Hanlon| T: D A McLoughlin

11/2

Fairly useful chaser. 11/2, career best when winning 5-runner novice chase at Tramore (15.6f, good to soft) on debut over fences 48 days ago, soon clear. This is tougher, but she has clearly taken well to fences.

Form: 44010-1

Non-Runners

Royal Eagle¹⁷

Weight: 10-9| Age: 7

T: G Elliott J: Jack Kennedy

Forecasts

Nurburgring (8/13), Special Cadeau (5/1), Aspurofthemoment (11/2), Amanha (11/2), Royal Eagle (10/1)

On the back of a cracking effort in a major handicap on the Flat last month, NURBURGRING is likely to prove hard to beat in his bid to make it fifth time lucky over fences. He also put in a very good shift on his latest start in this sphere at the Cheltenham Festival and now finds himself in more shallow waters. Amanha, who made a winning chase debut at Tramore, gets the nod for forecast purposes ahead of likely improver Royal Eagle.