Virgin Bet Supports Safe Gambling Handicap Chase (GBB Race)

Off time: 15:15 | Winning time: 4m 4.94s

Mighty Bandit³⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: James Bowen| T: W Greatrex| OR: 134| D

6/5

Fairly useful hurdles winner for Gordon Elliott who has made a positive start over fences for his current yard, landing 2m Newbury handicap (good to soft) last month. 5 lb rise fair enough and there may well be better to come from him in this sphere.

Form: 9P0/P-21

Harper's Brook^p²⁸

Age: 10| Weight: 10-12| J: Kielan Woods| T: D Skelton| OR: 132

13/2

Unreliable sort who typically found little when third of 6 in handicap chase at Wetherby (15.2f, soft) 28 days ago Easing in the weights but others are still preferred.

Form: 43P7-53

Grain D'oudairies^t²⁵

Age: 10| Weight: 10-10| J: B S Hughes| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 130| CD

7/1

Has resumed in fine fettle this season, producing another personal best when staying on well to score at Haydock (2½m, good) last time. Drop back in trip won't be an issue but will need to raise his game another notch in order to follow up here off this 4 lb higher mark.

Form: 634-151

Gabriel's Getaway^b1,t²¹

Age: 9| Weight: 10-9| J: Rex Dingle| T: A J Honeyball| OR: 129| CD

12/1

Winner of 2024 running of this and, following a very light campaign last term, he resumed this season with a string of creditable efforts in defeat. However, he suffered an early departure at Kempton's Christmas meeting and followed that with a low-key display at Sandown. Now tried in blinkers.

Form: P-224U4

Milan Tino³⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 10-2| J: J J Burke| T: T R George| OR: 121| D

85/40

Fairly useful ex-French hurdler. Safely held on first run over fences/second start for this yard at Warwick but left that well behind back at 2m in a truly-run race at Ludlow (soft) where he came from off the pace to score in tidy fashion. 5 lb rise fair and he should have more to offer.

Form: F63-441

Non-Runners

Brookie⁶³

Weight: 12-0| Age: 9

T: A J Honeyball J: Non Runner

Petit Tonnerre⁸⁴

Weight: 11-2| Age: 8

T: J & A O'Neill J: K Brogan

Here Comes Georgie³⁵

Weight: 10-8| Age: 8

T: Dylan Cunha J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Mighty Bandit (6/5), Milan Tino (85/40), Harper's Brook (13/2), Grain D'oudairies (7/1), Petit Tonnerre (15/2), Brookie (8/1), Here Comes Georgie (10/1), Gabriel's Getaway (12/1)

The two that stand out are MILAN TINO and Mighty Bandit, both of whom struck at the second time of asking over fences on their latest starts at Ludlow and Newbury respectively. Mighty Bandit is not passed over at all lightly but he's unlikely to represent much in the way of value and preference is for Milan Tino, who brings clear potential to the party and this mark looks a good one judged on the pick of his hurdles form. Here Comes Georgie is best of the rest.