188Bet Air Wedding Open Hunters' Chase

Off time: 17:00 | Winning time: 5m 35.1s

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Selected odds by:

Mon Parrain^b,t¹⁴

Age: 11| Weight: 12-6| J: Mr D Maxwell⁽³⁾| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 139

5/6

Classy stayer at his peak, winning twice at Cheltenham, and though he disappointed at Taunton on his hunter chase bow, he quickly made amends when sluicing up on an easier surface at Fontwell latest. Clearly the one to beat but maybe not bombproof over 2m4f.

Form: 02/5125-

Open Hearted^t³⁶

Age: 10| Weight: 12-6| J: Jack Andrews⁽⁷⁾| T: D Skelton| OR: 125

8/1

Fakenham winner (3m, good) in October 2015 from a mark of 138 and a classy sort at his best. Pulled up on seasonal return at Warwick in January but shaped better than bare result suggests in a slog at Wetherby last time. Drop in trip probably in his favour.

Form: P/P3512-

Mr Madeit²³

Age: 11| Weight: 12-2| J: Mr G Greenock⁽⁷⁾| T: G Bailey| OR: 115

10/3

Fairly prolific in point-to-points. Won a hunter chase at Fakenham a year ago and may well have reappeared with a win on that course last month but for falling (hampered by loose horse). Something to prove over this shorter trip but cannot be entirely discounted.

Form: 1/1112-F

Poole Master³⁰

Age: 12| Weight: 11-12| J: Mr D Edwards| T: C Honour| OR: 118

9/2

A 148-rated chaser at his best, having scored in the Sefton over the National fences at Aintree, but patently not anything like the force of old on the evidence of two ordinary recent runs in hunter chase company. More needed.

Form: 5/5410-F

Whichwaytobougie¹¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: Mr Tommie M O'Brien⁽³⁾| T: R A Owen

80/1

Boasts a win over hurdles on his CV but no joy in point-to-points and has found it tough going at long odds in two recent runs in hunter chase company. Unlikely to be good enough here.

Form: 754454-

Non-Runners

Simply Wings²

Weight: 12-6| Age: 13

T: Kerry Lee J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Mon Parrain (5/6), Simply Wings (3/1), Mr Madeit (10/3), Poole Master (9/2), Open Hearted (8/1), Whichwaytobougie (80/1)

There was a lot to like about the way Mon Parrain hacked up in the mud at Fontwell recently and it would be no surprise to see him follow up with the minimum amount of fuss. However, the fact that he has never won over a trip shy of three miles is not to be sniffed at and, for that reason, he may be worth taking on at the likely short odds. A solid case could be built for Simply Wings, though Friday's Leicester exertions may have taken their toll, so preference is for OPEN HEARTED who hinted at better things to come at Wetherby last time.