hameansmore Handicap Chase (GBB Race)

5YO plus | Class 3 | 2m 3f 200y | 9 Runners | Turf

Age: 11| Weight: 11-12| J: S Bowen| T: G Hanmer| OR: 130| D

Healthy strike rate over fences but never really looked like landing veterans event at Haydock for the second time last month. This looks a shade easier and cheekpieces may help him travel with a bit more purpose.

Form: 1/1P728-

Genois⁴¹

Age: 10| Weight: 11-8| J: H Cobden| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 126

Cashed in on a much-reduced mark at Wetherby in December and has remained in excellent heart since, a veterans chase win at Exeter in March flanked by runner-up efforts. Shaped particularly well at Haydock latest and very interesting with Cobden taking over.

Form: 6/51212-

Parisencore³⁴

Age: 10| Weight: 11-8| J: Danny McMenamin| T: N G Richards| OR: 126| D

Shaped as though in need of the run on February's return from 9 months off and much more like it when adding to tally in 5-runner contest at Newcastle a month ago, well on top finish. This is a slightly better race but he's fresh and in form.

Form: 324/441-

Coastguard Station^p²⁹

Age: 10| Weight: 11-7| J: David Noonan| T: Henry Oliver| OR: 125

Landed a gamble when seen to good effect upped to 21.5f at Market Rasen in September. Couple of heavy defeats after but back on his game when second at Hereford a month ago, making effort earlier than ideal.

Form: 441762-

Bleu D'enfer^t,p³⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 11-6| J: Theo Gillard| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 124| D

Signed off for Stuart Crawford with breakthrough chase win at Carlisle last spring. Record for this yard since has been rather patchy, good second at Bangor followed by a heavy defeat at Haydock, albeit in a better race than this.

Form: 574829-

My Noble Lord^b,t²⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: Toby Wynne| T: O Greenall & J Guerriero| OR: 123| D

Won in the mud at Uttoxeter (2½m) in January and took form to a new level when doubling tally over fences at Bangor in first-time blinkers 4 weeks ago, kept up to work. Up 6 lb but he demands respect.

Form: 241561-

Breizh River^t,p²⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-5| J: Harry Reed| T: T Davidson| OR: 123| D

Resumed winning ways (in first-time tongue tie) on third run for present yard at Musselburgh on New Year's Day and continued the excellent work for latest success at Kelso 25 days ago, driven out. Up 5 lb in a better race but he needs considering.

Form: 331251-

Fringill Dike^b²³

Age: 9| Weight: 11-4| J: Sean Quinlan| T: Jedd O'Keeffe| OR: 122

Ran well when second in 5-runner handicap at Bangor last spring but struggled for form afterwards. Slid a long way in the weights and expected to step up on last month's return.

Form: 565544-

Southoftheborder^t³¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-2| J: Brendan Powell| T: Miss H C Knight| OR: 120| BF

Hasn't always found much when push comes to shove but belatedly got off the mark in this sphere at Kempton in March. Sound run on the figures when second at Market Rasen last time but he did look to get outbattled.

Form: 233512-

Forecasts

Parisencore (4/1), Genois (9/2), Breizh River (5/1), Southoftheborder (5/1), My Noble Lord (11/2), Coastguard Station (10/1), The Flier Begley (10/1), Fringill Dike (12/1), Bleu D'enfer (16/1)

JP McManus has a couple of very interesting contenders in GENOIS and My Noble Lord. They are at different ends of their career but the former has been in good order for a while now and caught the eye in a big way at Haydock 6 weeks ago. My Noble Lord was better than ever last time, while Parisencore is another in-form rival to consider.