Chris Blanckley 79th Birthday Celebration Handicap Chase (GBB Race)

Off time: 14:55 | Winning time: 5m 41.06s

Ladronne^t²³

Age: 11| Weight: 12-0| J: Jack Power⁽⁵⁾| T: J Parkinson & S Smith| OR: 110| C

9/2

Capitalised on a falling mark when bagging handicaps at Wetherby and here (26f) on last 2 starts of last season. Looked extremely rusty on return at former track 23 days ago and should be sharper now.

Form: 94411-6

Kadjar Des Mottes³⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-11| J: Theo Gillard| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 107

4/1

Had 5 goes over hurdles without progressing but chasing over longer trips could show him in a better light.

Form: 63334-4

Largy Train^p¹⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 11-3| J: Danny McMenamin| T: H Hogarth| OR: 99| CD

13/8

Completed a hat-trick in handicap chases over this sort of trip in early 2024. Lightly raced since but looked as good as ever back from 11 months off when ¾-length second to El Muchacho over C&D 18 days ago. Player if this doesn't come too soon.

Form: 1115/4-2

Couldbeaweapon^b,t¹⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 10-12| J: Tom Midgley⁽³⁾| T: S England| OR: 94| CD

5/1

Found improvement to get off the mark over fences at Southwell in October but had fortune on his side (leader crashed out) when following up at Sedgefield (21.1f) later in the month. Good placed efforts next 2 starts but looks summed up by his mark now.

Form: 231123

El Muchacho^t¹⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 10-12| J: Aaron Anderson⁽⁵⁾| T: M E Sowersby| OR: 94| CD

17/2

Largely disappointing for various trainers since 2023/24 but returned to form from out of the blue to win over C&D 18 days ago by ¾ length from Largy Train. Big shout if able to back that up.

Form: P70801

Beat The Edge^b¹⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 10-2| J: B S Hughes| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 83

17/2

Not one to trust given his record and predictably failed to go through with his effort having moved into things pretty threateningly when 13 lengths fifth of 11 to El Muchacho in handicap chase at this C&D (good to soft) 18 days ago.

Form: 32-3235

Forecasts

Largy Train (13/8), Kadjar Des Mottes (4/1), Ladronne (9/2), Couldbeaweapon (5/1), Beat The Edge (17/2), El Muchacho (17/2)

EL MUCHACHO and Largy Train are closely matched on the form they showed when 1-2 over C&D 18 days ago, with the former taken to come out on top again.