Belhaven Brewery Handicap Chase (GBB Race)

Off time: 18:40 | Winning time: 4m 5.60s

Pay The Piper^p¹⁴⁷

Age: 10| Weight: 12-0| J: Danny McMenamin| T: Mrs A Hamilton| OR: 132| CD

9/1

Likeable type who scored twice over fences at Kelso (17f) last autumn, including in this corresponding event. Handicapper caught up with thereafter, but he reappears on a workable mark and is capable fresh.

Form: 123232-

Fringill Dike^b²⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 12-0| J: Charlie Maggs⁽⁵⁾| T: Jedd O'Keeffe| OR: 132| D

11/1

Returned to form when unlucky to bump into a rejuvenated veteran at Bangor (17.3f) in May. Below form last 3 outings, however.

Form: 00-2565

Primoz^t¹⁶⁷

6/4

A chaser on looks and impressive when scoring on return/debut over fences at Wetherby last October. Made the most of a good opportunity to double chase tally over C&D in February before having excuses in big-field festival handicaps final 2 outings. Sights very much lowered here. Had breathing op.

Form: 4F3107-

Malystic⁵⁹

Age: 11| Weight: 11-11| J: B S Hughes| T: P D Niven| OR: 129| D

7/1

Veteran who isn't the force of old but has least found some form again, finishing a creditable third in 9-runner handicap at Stratford (17f) in July. Player from a 2 lb lower mark.

Form: 5F66-43

Garde Des Champs^t,v1⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 10-13| J: Alan Doyle⁽⁵⁾| T: L Russell & M Scudamore| OR: 117

15/2

Unreliable type who got off the mark for 2025 in 2m handicap at Perth in July. Looked set to collect back there next time but was worried out of it late on and was never on terms in a similar event there on most recent outing. Visor on for 1st time and needs delivering as late as possible.

Form: 384123

Dog Fox^t⁶³

Age: 5| Weight: 10-4| J: Henry Brooke| T: O Greenall & J Guerriero| OR: 108| D

5/2

Strong-travelling hurdler who built on a promising reappearance second at Bangor when going one place better at Uttoxeter (2m, good) in July. Starts out over fences in a stronger race than he need contest but still capable of having a say if taking to the new discipline at the first attempt.

Form: 1545-21

Non-Runners

Arthur's Quay²³

Weight: 11-2| Age: 11

T: B Haslam J: R P McLernon

Forecasts

Primoz (6/4), Dog Fox (5/2), Malystic (7/1), Garde Des Champs (15/2), Pay The Piper (9/1), Arthur's Quay (10/1), Fringill Dike (11/1)

PRIMOZ probably didn't progress as well as might have been expected from an impressive winning chasing debut last autumn, but he had excuses in big-field Festival handicaps on his final 2 outings and is fancied to get back on track with his sights very much lowered on his comeback. Last-year's winner Pay The Piper is also capable fresh and warrants respect having been given a chance by the assessor, while chasing-debutant Dog Fox also enters calculations.