Leicestershire And Derbyshire Yeomanry Open Hunters' Chase

Off time: 17:06 | Winning time: 4m 11.40s

Densworth^t²⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 12-6| J: Miss Natasha Cookson⁽⁷⁾| T: J Cookson| OR: 131| D

5/2

Three-time hurdles winner who left last season's reappearance/chase debut behind when landing a 5-runner Wetherby handicap (19.5f, good). It's been all downhill since, though, and he was well held in an open point on recent return. Makes Rules debut for present yard.

Form: 51P08-8

A Jet Of Our Own^p,t³⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 12-2| J: Mr Milo Herbert⁽⁵⁾| T: Mrs N Sheppard| OR: 122| D

7/2

Fairly useful performer who posted a solid third of 7 in a Cheltenham hunter (16.3f, good) on final run of last season. No show both starts at around 21f since returning from a break in January but possible that he'll bounce back returned to what is probably his optimum trip.

Form: 25-31P3

Snipe^p²²

Age: 9| Weight: 12-2| J: Miss Heidi Palin⁽³⁾| T: D Skelton| OR: 125

4/5

Bounced back to form on his first try in hunter company when landing 5-runner event at Hereford (21f, soft) in January. Ultimately paid the price for trying to match strides with the superior winner when safely held at Taunton last time but faces nothing of that rival's calibre here.

Form: 448714

Calidad²⁶

Age: 10| Weight: 11-12| J: Miss Megan Bevan⁽⁵⁾| T: C M Clarke| OR: 82

28/1

Winning pointer but was again pulled up on latest start in that sphere and is hard to fancy.

Form: 3832P-P

Forecasts

Snipe (4/5), Densworth (5/2), A Jet Of Our Own (7/2), Calidad (28/1)

It's hard to look beyond SNIPE, who attempted to go toe-to-toe from flag-fall with a superior rival in a 23f Taunton hunter last month but this is a much easier assignment, plus dropping back in trip may well prove to be a good move. The return to this distance could also assist A Jet of Our Own, who looks the most likely candidate for forecast purposes given that Densworth has a fair bit to prove at present.