15:15 Haydock

Saturday 21 January 2017

All12:5513:3014:0514:4015:1515:5016:20

Peter Marsh Handicap Chase (a Limited Handicap) (Grade 2)

Off time: 15:21 | Winning time: 6m 22.49s

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Selected odds by:

Alary^t1⁷⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: Aidan Coleman| T: C L Tizzard| OR: 162

4/1

Grade One runner up in France last time and has joined a yard who have monopolised the big staying prizes this season. Early market moves suggest a big run is expected.

Form: 3632PF

Sausalito Sunrise^p⁴³

Age: 9| Weight: 11-3| J: R Johnson| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 155

12/1

Excuses can be made for his two defeats this term. Has a realistic chance based on last year's efforts.

Form: 2143-05

Bristol De Mai⁵⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: D A Jacob| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 154

4/1

Ran well on first attempt at this trip last time. Strict interpretation of that form gives him the edge over Otago Trail and Definitly Red. Has been trained with this race in mind and underfoot conditions are perfect.

Form: 1122-22

Virak^p⁵⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-0| J: H Cobden⁽³⁾| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 152

16/1

Distant second in this 12 months ago and had won his two previous starts over these fences. Handicapper has given him a chance but his latest effort raises concerns as to his wellbeing.

Form: 2202-56

Otago Trail²⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 10-13| J: Charlie Deutsch⁽³⁾| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 151

11/1

Impressed when landing Newcastle's Rehearsal Chase but pulled up in hot company since. Soft ground is a help but has a lot to prove off this mark.

Form: 113P3-1

Seventh Sky^p,t²⁶

Age: 10| Weight: 10-11| J: N D Fehily| T: C J Mann| OR: 149

40/1

Has been struggling in the face of tough tests since winning here 13 months ago. Remote fourth in this last year and difficult to see him faring much better.

Form: 7P40-24

Definitly Red²⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 10-11| J: Henry Brooke| T: B Ellison| OR: 149

5/1

Impressive winner on Boxing Day but subsequent rise in the weights sets him a stiff task in trying to reverse Newcastle form with Otago Trail and Bristol de Mai. Tactics may have been wrong then and it could be a different story now.

Form: 22F1-13

Bishops Road²⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 10-11| J: J E Moore| T: Kerry Lee| OR: 149

8/1

Impressive winner of the National Trial here last February. Jumping has let him down since but has a realistic chance if that element improves.

Form: 11UF-40

O Maonlai^t⁵⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 10-5| J: Adrian Heskin| T: T R George| OR: 143

14/1

Handicapper has had his say following an impressive victory at Newbury. Did not jump well here on previous visit and others are preferred.

Form: 2P0-P1P

Firebird Flyer²⁵

Age: 10| Weight: 10-4| J: Adam Wedge| T: Evan Williams| OR: 140

33/1

Thorough stayer as shown when winning the Midlands National in March. Probably needs further than this against this calibre of opposition.

Form: 21-28PP

Katenko²⁸⁷

Age: 11| Weight: 10-4| J: B S Hughes| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 139

25/1

Has not won for three years. Although this represents his easiest task for some time he is hard to fancy.

Form: P0F-P86

Gevrey Chambertin^b⁴¹

Age: 9| Weight: 10-4| J: David Noonan⁽³⁾| T: D Pipe| OR: 136

50/1

Switches back to chasing for the first time since April 2015. Better handicapped than over hurdles but his record shows he is difficult to catch right.

Form: 1-P762U

Berea Boru^p,t³⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 10-4| J: S Bowen| T: P & M Bowen| OR: 136

80/1

The softer the ground the better as shown when rattling off a hat-trick last season. Stable are showing signs of coming back to form but he is hard to fancy at this level.

Form: 11P/P5P-

Vintage Clouds³⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-4| J: Danny Cook| T: J Parkinson & S Smith| OR: 136

9/1

Stable took this last year and this novice bids to give them their fourth win in the race. Faces a stiff task for one so inexperienced and his jumping certainly needs to improve. Has finished second eight times due to the lack of an extra gear.

Form: 222P-22

Forecasts

Bristol De Mai (4/1), Alary (4/1), Definitly Red (5/1), Bishops Road (8/1), Vintage Clouds (9/1), Otago Trail (11/1), Sausalito Sunrise (12/1), O Maonlai (14/1), Virak (16/1), Katenko (25/1), Firebird Flyer (33/1), Seventh Sky (40/1), Gevrey Chambertin (50/1), Berea Boru (80/1)

Colin Tizzard has such a strong hand in the staying chase department that it would come as no surprise to see ALARY emerge as another potential star. His French form shows him as holding his own at the highest level there and he can advertise his Gold Cup claims by claiming this valuable prize. His handicap mark may underestimate him and he can defy top weight.Bristol de Mai is a smart young horse but once again he is destined to find one too good. Definitly Red won well at Wetherby on Boxing Day and although he will run his usual honest race his revised mark may be beyond him. 1. Alary 2. Bristol De Mai 3. Definitly Red