14:50 Stratford

Monday 8 May 2017

All13:5014:2014:5015:2015:5016:2016:50

Tim Cox Associates Handicap Chase

Off time: 14:50 | Winning time: 4m 49.6s

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Selected odds by:

Days Of Heaven^h⁵¹

Age: 7| Weight: 12-3| J: N de Boinville| T: N J Henderson| OR: 142

3/1

Relishes a sound surface and stays this trip well. Last seen with a commanding win at Kempton in March and has gone up 6lb for that. May need a career best to win it, but is largely consistent and he will take some beating.

Form: 0/1U51-1

It's A Gimme²⁸⁵

Age: 10| Weight: 11-12| J: Aidan Coleman| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 137

14/1

Showed good form at this track a couple of years ago when runner-up over 2m1f (good) from 3lb higher. Has possibly had problems since, given that he has only raced four more times and shown nothing in any of them. Hard to enthuse about his chance until seeing more.

Form: 6269/90-

Always On The Run^h⁸¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: Adrian Heskin| T: T R George| OR: 135

7/2

Spring horse who relishes a sound surface and is effective from 2m-2m5½f. Yet to win from a mark as high as today's, but has been very competitive from similar and is likely to go close.

Form: 183252-

Yorkist¹⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 11-8| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 133

9/2

Won a couple for Micky Hammond and current yard got another one out of him at Wetherby over Christmas. That was from 3lb lower but has been competitive from higher than this since then. Conditions suit and he has won over this trip, so he is another who has claims.

Form: 61344-2

Mercers Court²¹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-8| J: Lizzie Kelly⁽³⁾| T: N B King| OR: 133

15/2

4lb higher than when scoring at Kempton in November (2m4½f, soft). Went well at Huntingdon last time out under today's pilot and has plenty of winning form on good ground, so like a few of these he has the right sort of credentials.

Form: 411F32-

Johnny Og^b²¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-4| J: Andrew Tinkler| T: M Keighley| OR: 129

14/1

Well placed to win six of his 27 starts, the last of those success being over C&D (good) in October from 3lb higher. Has lost his way since then, but returning to a venue where he is 3-3 we may well see a revival in fortunes.

Form: 99PPP6-

No Likey^p,t¹⁹³

Age: 10| Weight: 11-0| J: R Johnson| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 125

8/1

1lb worse off with Johnny Og on their running here in October, when this runner was over 6L behind his reopposing rival. Not seen since and has yet to win when fresh, so he will need to improve to win this. Goes well here.

Form: 4754U3-

One For The Boss^p³⁷

Age: 10| Weight: 10-7| J: R T Dunne| T: D Burchell| OR: 118

25/1

3lb higher than when recording his latest of five career wins, which came over C&D in June (soft). Has always had some cut in the ground when winning and comes into this out of form, so looks one to take on in a competitive event.

Form: 12PP05-

Bobcatbilly⁴²³

Age: 11| Weight: 10-4| J: T Scudamore| T: Ian Williams| OR: 115

10/1

Has proved difficult to get to the racecourse, running just 23 times, though has won five of them. Latest was over two years ago at Doncaster (2m3f, good) from 18lb higher. Well handicapped on that evidence and has won when fresh, but will probably need to be spot on to win after another 14-month absence.

Form: 157473/

Forecasts

Days Of Heaven (3/1), Always On The Run (7/2), Yorkist (9/2), Mercers Court (15/2), No Likey (8/1), Bobcatbilly (10/1), It's A Gimme (14/1), Johnny Og (14/1), One For The Boss (25/1)

A very competitive event for the money and several have claims, including Days Of Heaven, Always On The Run, Yorkist and Mercers Court. However, back at a venue where he has won all three of his starts, JOHNNY OG may be able to shrug off some recent indifference and make the most of an attractive mark.