16:40 Plumpton

Monday 13 March 2017

All14:0014:3015:0515:4016:1016:4017:10

Aspen Finpro Handicap Chase

Off time: 16:41 | Winning time: 6m 52.65s

Settings

Selected odds by:

Itoldyou^p²⁸

Age: 11| Weight: 11-13| J: Tom Cannon| T: Mrs L C Jewell| OR: 101

9/2

Has been in good form of late but continues to find at least one too good. Stiff test under these terms but it has to be a bonus that he likes this course, so to make the shortlist when consideration that his is 17lb below his last winning rating is taken into account.

Form:

Finish The Story^b,t²¹

Age: 11| Weight: 11-13| J: Brendan Powell| T: J Farrelly| OR: 101

13/8

Benefited from the way the race panned out to win at Southwell on his penultimate start but was disappointing last time out. This is a big step up trip and he needs to prove he has the resilience to cope, as he has never been asked to stay beyond an extended 2m1f up until now.

Form:

Venetian Lad⁴³

Age: 12| Weight: 11-12| J: A Glassonbury| T: Mrs L Richards| OR: 100

14/1

Has won here in the past but is more of a Fontwell specialist. Also opposable as he has a bit to prove over his capability to see out the trip also.

Form:

Royals And Rebels^b1,t¹⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-11| J: T Dowling⁽⁷⁾| T: C J Mann| OR: 99

11/2

Yet to really impress over fences and has improvement to find. Fitting of blinkers might bring about a revival in his fortunes.

Form:

Big Georgie^b1¹⁴

Age: 10| Weight: 11-2| J: Benjamin Poste⁽³⁾| T: Katy Price| OR: 90

5/1

Yet to win since switching codes from the Flat and is in danger of becoming frustrating to follow. However, he has a fair record over C&D and is no forlorn hope for at least a place in the frame on these terms.

Form:

Citadel²⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 10-4| J: J E Moore| T: Mrs D Grissell| OR: 80

25/1

Out of sorts lately and it has to be a concern that he has failed to complete in each of his last two outings. His stamina will also be stretched to the limit over this extended 3m 1f.

Form:

Spartilla^p⁹¹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-4| J: Thomas Garner⁽³⁾| T: D C O'Brien| OR: 78

10/1

Showed very little last time out and it has to be a concern that he has been so lightly raced this season. However, he has a fair record over C&D, so is no forlorn hope of at least making the frame on these terms.

Form:

Goring Two^b¹³

Age: 12| Weight: 10-0| J: T E Whelan| T: Miss A M Newton-Smith| OR: 74

20/1

Likes this course but has never really been convincing as an out-and-out stayer (indeed, he was pulled up in the 2014 renewal of this race) and has been found wanting on a couple of occasions recently. Others appear to hold more solid claims of at least completing the course.

Form:

Bonnie Major^p²⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 10-0| J: S Corby⁽³⁾| T: Miss A M Newton-Smith| OR: 64

80/1

Fell and finished a distance behind on his only starts over fences; also up against it from out of the weights. Not difficult to overlook his claims this time.

Form:

Forecasts

Finish The Story (13/8), Itoldyou (9/2), Big Georgie (5/1), Royals And Rebels (11/2), Spartilla (10/1), Venetian Lad (14/1), Goring Two (20/1), Citadel (25/1), Bonnie Major (80/1)

This is no easy task for ITODYOU but he arrives here in better form than most of his rivals and will be a tough customer to deal with if he runs up to expectations. Spartilla doesn't stand much racing but it will be interesting to see if he attracts any support from the betting ring. Like Big Georgie, he has bits and pieces of form that entitle him to be involved in the thick of the action.