Chase Meredith Memorial Trophy Open Hunters' Chase

Off time: 15:10 | Winning time: 6m 30.0s

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Selected odds by:

Mendip Express^t³⁸

Age: 12| Weight: 12-6| J: Mr D Maxwell⁽³⁾| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 130| D

9/4

Acquitted himself well in three of the biggest hunter chases on the British/Irish calendars last season and had a decent pipe-opener at Fontwell in handicap company last month. Should be spot on for another big effort.

Form: 32952-4

Lilbitluso²⁰

Age: 10| Weight: 12-2| J: Mr G Crow⁽³⁾| T: J J O'Shea| OR: 103| BF| D

16/1

Prolific in point-to-points and a hunter chase in 2015/16 though not seen much action from then until making frame in two point-to-points towards the end of 2017. Will need to improve a fair bit on those runs to figure.

Form: 12FP-23

Tugboat²²³

Age: 10| Weight: 12-2| J: Mr J Smith-Maxwell⁽⁷⁾| T: G Slade-Jones| OR: 87| CD

66/1

Has recorded two of his three wins here, one over C&D (soft), but was in nothing like that form last season and returns to his favourite venue with a bit to prove.

Form: PPP-347

Real Milan^b¹¹

Age: 13| Weight: 11-12| J: Mr J H Jones⁽⁷⁾| T: Nick J Jones| OR: 110| BF| D

7/1

Was runner-up in a hunter chase over C&D (soft) in March and made frame in decent Cheltenham contest in May. Unlucky not to win a point-to-point on recent reappearance, but looks to have frame claims at best this time.

Form: U122-33

Virak²⁷³

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: Lorcan Williams⁽⁵⁾| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 139| D

10/11

It is only two years since he was rated 159 over fences when a smart performer who was very competitive in Grade 2 and Listed company. Not in same form last season, but should be tough to beat at this level for all that.

Form: 2/56456-

Wild Bill²⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: Mr Zac Baker| T: Mrs A Rucker| OR: 107| D

10/1

Sole success under rules came over this trip at Doncaster in 2015. Best form has been on good ground and also well below the level of the two leading lights in this line-up. Little encouragement in recent point-to-point outing.

Form: P/1P1-5P

Non-Runners

Now Ben¹⁸

Weight: 12-6| Age: 10

T: P Rowley J: Alex Edwards

Forecasts

Virak (10/11), Mendip Express (9/4), Now Ben (6/1), Real Milan (7/1), Wild Bill (10/1), Lilbitluso (16/1), Tugboat (66/1)

This looks very much a match between VIRAK and Mendip Express and in receipt of weight, the latter gets the vote in the hope that he can shrug off last season's form and prosper at this level. Three years his senior, Philip Hobbs-trained Mendip Express comes here in better recent form and can make a race of it. Now Ben and Real Milan can battle for third spot.