15:15 Doncaster

Saturday 27 January 2018

All12:5513:3014:0514:4015:1515:5016:20

Sky Bet Handicap Chase (Listed)

Off time: 15:15 | Winning time: 6m 9.4s

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Selected odds by:

Tenor Nivernais²⁹⁴

Age: 11| Weight: 11-12| J: Aidan Coleman| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 157| D

33/1

Won in this grade at Ascot last season (3m, soft) and has a good record when fresh. Down the field in the Grand National when last seen in April. Looks weighted up to the hilt, but couldn't rule him out of the frame.

Form: 343120-

L'Ami Serge^h³⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-7| J: D N Russell| T: N J Henderson| OR: 152

13/8

Never out of the frame in six chases, winning his first two in 2016 and made frame twice in Grade 1s. Returns after a fruitful year hurdling, including at elite level and could be capable of defying this mark on handicap chase debut. Loves cut.

Form: 51-2122

Flying Angel⁴⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 152

6/1

Former smart hurdler who has done even better over fences and won a Grade 1 (2m4f, good) at Aintree last year. Not quite kicked on this term, but still running well and each-way claims again from this mark on handicap debut.

Form: 61P-543

Label Des Obeaux^p⁵⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: Wayne Hutchinson| T: A King| OR: 151| D

20/1

Enjoyed a good novices' chase campaign and won decent Ayr event (3m½f, good) in April. Handles soft ground, but out of sorts in both handicap starts this season and bit to prove despite 2lb drop.

Form: 101-83P

Vibrato Valtat^t⁴²

Age: 9| Weight: 11-4| J: L P Aspell| T: Miss E C Lavelle| OR: 149

16/1

Former Grade 2 Haldon Gold Cup winner, though yet to add to that 2015 success. Went close to doing so last time over C&D when neck second to Mustmeetalady. 2lb better off today and again has each-way claims from 4lb higher.

Form: 2P5-542

Warriors Tale^t⁵⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 11-2| J: S Bowen| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 147| D

12/1

Improved on some decent form over 2m4f last season when a neck second at his beloved Newbury (2m6½f, good to soft) in December. Raised 4lb for that but form is very solid and should go well for trainer who won 2009 renewal.

Form: 3115-U2

Wakanda³²

Age: 9| Weight: 11-0| J: Henry Brooke| T: J Parkinson & S Smith| OR: 145| D

8/1

Has been a standing dish in these sorts of contests in the past three seasons, winning at both Listed and Grade 2 level. Goes on any ground and went very close from 1lb lower at Wetherby last time. Each-way claims again.

Form: 2P3-252

Long House Hall^h,t⁵⁶⁰

Age: 10| Weight: 11-0| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 145| D

18/1

Not seen since landing Market Rasen's Listed Summer Plate in July 2016 by 8L. Up just 2lb for that today after his lengthy absence. Remains unexposed and if he is straight enough then he is interesting upped in trip.

Form: 1U25/41-

Coologue⁹¹

Age: 9| Weight: 10-6| J: J J Burke| T: C E Longsdon| OR: 137

16/1

3lb lower today than when winning a Cheltenham handicap chase (3m1f, good) in October 2016. Has not seen much action since then and although back on a handy mark, he has a bit to prove after what he produced in October.

Form: P28P3-P

Mustmeetalady^p⁴²

Age: 8| Weight: 10-3| J: R P McLernon| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 134| CD

20/1

Handles cut in the ground and stays 3m4½f, while he returns here after success last time when getting the better of Vibrato Valtat over C&D. 2lb worse off with him this time and fro 6lb higher he needs improvement to follow-up.

Form: 41-98U1

Minella On Line¹⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 10-3| J: Conor Shoemark| T: O Sherwood| OR: 134| D

33/1

Won a couple of handicap chases at Plumpton (2m3½f/3m1½f) last season on good/soft ground. Handicapper has been in control since, though last two runs were over hurdles. May struggle to match the class of some of these.

Form: 1U1P-83

Thumb Stone Blues^p,t⁶⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 10-1| J: C Gethings⁽³⁾| T: K Bailey & M Nicholls| OR: 132| C

7/1

Won around here over hurdles (2m3½f, soft) last year. Trainer wasted no time in sending him chasing and he has been competitive without winning, including on handicap debut last time. Big ask to break his chasing duck in this field.

Form: 122-322

Federici^b1²⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 10-0| J: B S Hughes| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 128| BF

25/1

Stays 3m4f and acts on any ground. Recorded the latest of his three chase wins at Kelso (2m5½f, good) in November from 7lb lower. Held by the handicapper since then and 3lb 'wrong' here, so up against it.

Form: 55-5145

Non-Runners

Pilgrims Bay³¹

Weight: 10-4| Age: 8

T: N P Mulholland J: James Best

Forecasts

L'Ami Serge (13/8), Flying Angel (6/1), Thumb Stone Blues (7/1), Wakanda (8/1), Pilgrims Bay (10/1), Warriors Tale (12/1), Vibrato Valtat (16/1), Coologue (16/1), Long House Hall (18/1), Label Des Obeaux (20/1), Mustmeetalady (20/1), Federici (25/1), Minella On Line (33/1), Tenor Nivernais (33/1)

Despite being one of the north's major handicap chases of the season, this prize has gone south in all of its last eight renewals, during which time only two favourites have obliged. That suggests that this is far from a done deal for the popular ante-post favourite L'AMI SERGE, but there is no doubting his class and a mark of 152 does not look frightening for a handicap debutante who is a recent Grade 1 winner. Plenty of others make some sort of appeal if Nicky Henderson's charge misfires, with Pilgrims Bay, Wakanda, Warriors Tale and Vibrato Valtat among them. Long House Hall would also be very interesting if supported.