188bet.co.uk Many Clouds Chase (Grade 2)

Off time: 14:36 | Winning time: 7m 12.8s

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Alpha Des Obeaux^p²³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: J J Burke| T: M F Morris| OR: 157

5/2

Led a mixed campaign as a novice last term over fences, and proved just that bit short of top class, when finishing 18+L fourth to Might Bite in the RSA Chase. More solid of late, and a 5½L winner of the Grade 2 2m4f+ Clonmel Oil Chase last month.

Form: 486-241

Definitly Red³⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-4| J: Danny Cook| T: B Ellison| OR: 158| D

9/4

A progressive handicap chaser last season, winning three times including by 14L in the Grimthorpe Chase at Doncaster in March (3m2f soft). Predictably hit hard and his sights have been raised; beaten 23½L by Bristol De Mai in the Charlie Hall Chase.

Form: 31U1P-3

Cloudy Dream²⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-3| J: B S Hughes| T: J M Jefferson| OR: 159

9/4

Progressive chaser who made the best of a bad situation after accidentally missing the BetVictor Gold Cup, when an 8L runner up to Fox Norton in the 2m Grade 2 Shloer Chase. Solid at Aintree over 2m4f, but upped in trip on testing ground.

Form: 2221-22

Flying Angel¹⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: Thomas Bellamy| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 154| C

4/1

Showed a useful level of form as a novice over fences, winning the Kingmaker (2m) at Warwick, and the Grade 1 Manifesto (2m4f) at Aintree in April. Not quite proved up to this level yet; 12L fourth to Top Notch in the 1965 Chase (Ascot) latest.

Form: 161P-54

Forecasts

Definitly Red (9/4), Cloudy Dream (9/4), Alpha Des Obeaux (5/2), Flying Angel (4/1)

A small field, so perhaps a muddling gallop, and that could suit the adorable grey Cloudy Dream who tackles this 3m trip for the first time, continuing to improve, and narrowly beaten on both previous visits to this track (2m4f), including as a novice by Flying Angel in the Grade 1 Manifesto Chase. Definitely Red is rated too highly for handicapping nowadays, and we know that he stays well on testing ground, but he wasn't strong enough for Bristol De Mai and Blaklion in the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby last month. Therefore, in a race which takes some solving, a chance is taken on the second season Irish chaser ALPHA DES OBEAUX. He appears stronger this campaign, and whilst perhaps not having the same level of scope or speed as Cloudy Dream, he looked on good terms with himself when taking the Clonmel Oil Chase in mid-November, so he gets a narrow nod.