Bangor-On-Dee Grand Wynnstay Handicap Chase (GBB Race)

Off time: 15:57 | Winning time: 4m 12.61s

Calico^p,t²⁸

Age: 10| Weight: 12-0| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 150| D

9/2

Brilliantly primed to win 2 £100k handicaps at Cheltenham and Ascot during the autumn. In better heart of late than form figures suggest, heavy ground probably not to his liking when fourth of 7 at Ayr (2m) 4 weeks ago and he's now only 1 lb above last winning mark.

Form: 2/11404-

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Personal Ambition^b⁶⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-2| J: Ben Jones| T: B Pauling| OR: 138| D

11/4

Back to form when winning 3-runner novice at Newbury (2m) 3 weeks ago, seeming to relish the combination of first-time blinkers and drop back in trip under a typically attacking ride. Couldn't dominate in the Grand Annual at Cheltenham last time but these are calmer waters than he is used to,

Form: P/4P51P-

Homme Public^b,t⁷⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 10-5| J: Toby Wynne| T: O Greenall & J Guerriero| OR: 127| DWS

5/1

Good servant for this yard but he completely lost his way last season and has plenty to prove again despite now racing from another career-low mark on the back of a breathing operation.

Form: 2/6660P-

Grain D'oudairies^t³⁷

Age: 10| Weight: 10-4| J: Harry Cobden| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 126| CD

9/2

Made it 2 wins from first 3 starts this season when scoring at Haydock (19.9f) in December. Posted a decent second at Doncaster in January and shaped as if back in form faced with a pretty stiff task in the Red Rum at Aintree last month, travelling well for a long way. Respected.

Form: 151269-

Sir Tivo^p,t²¹³

Age: 12| Weight: 10-2| J: Danny McMenamin| T: G Hanmer| OR: 123| CD

14/1

Capitalised on much-reduced mark after 5 months off at Cartmel (17.3f) around this time last year and resumed winning ways after another 12-week break in a 4-runner handicap chase at Wetherby (15f, good to firm) in October. Often does well at this of time year, so worth betting check.

Form: 7/132P1-

Gabriel's Getaway^p1,t⁷⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 10-2| J: Ben Godfrey| T: A J Honeyball| OR: 123

10/1

Runner-up in an Ascot premier handicap in November. Not quite in the same form of late, though has been notably easy to back on his last few outings and is potentially thrown in from this mark on the pick of his winter form. Interesting if market support comes now wearing cheekpieces.

Form: 24U433-

Obsessedwithyou³⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 10-2| J: Isabelle Ryder⁽⁵⁾| T: Jamie Snowden| OR: 121| C

4/1

Consistent mare won back-to-back chases at Ffos Las and this track in May/June last year and notched a first success outside of mares only company at Sedgefield in October. Enhanced good strike rate in 3-runner race at Wincanton last month but career best likely needed from out of weights here.

Form: 132121-

Forecasts

Personal Ambition (11/4), Obsessedwithyou (4/1), Grain D'oudairies (9/2), Calico (9/2), Homme Public (5/1), Gabriel's Getaway (10/1), Sir Tivo (14/1)

A trappy contest in which top-weight CALICO is fancied to make his class tell having shaped better than the result in stronger races than this of late. Personal Ambition drops in grade and is also shortlisted, with Gabriel's Getaway rating as an interesting runner now sporting cheekpieces from a reduced mark.