16:20 Uttoxeter

Sunday 1 July 2018

All13:3014:0014:3515:1015:4516:2016:5517:30

Marston's Pedigree Summer Cup (Listed Open Handicap Chase)

Off time: 16:21 | Winning time: 6m 24.3s

Settings

Selected odds by:

The Romford Pele²¹⁰

Age: 11| Weight: 11-12| J: Adrian Heskin| T: T R George| OR: 149| CD

14/1

Won this in 2014 and back to form down in class in two handicaps at the end of last year. Up 2lb in the weights from the second of those and has form both fresh and over C&D. Holds strong claims in a competitive heat.

Form: 4PPP/11-

Virgilio^t⁴⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 149

8/1

A winner over the regulation fences at Aintree last time having fallen prior to that in the Grand National. Up 4lb but placed in a Grade 1 as a novice, so at his best this rating could underrated him.

Form: 3/18PF-1

Gas Line Boy^v⁷⁸

Age: 12| Weight: 11-11| J: R T Dunne| T: Ian Williams| OR: 148

22/1

Seventh in the Grand National last time and good form in less competitive handicaps prior to that, and has never won on good ground or better.

Form: 45/F137-

Beeves^v²⁸

Age: 11| Weight: 11-10| J: Sean Quinlan| T: J Candlish| OR: 147

22/1

Behind Hennllan Harri at Perth last time though remains on the same mark here and has shown himself to be ground versatile; not ruled out.

Form: 1/197-32

Stellar Notion^t³⁵

Age: 10| Weight: 11-6| J: T Scudamore| T: T R George| OR: 143

33/1

Easy winner at Kelso last time out. This is much more competitive up 6lb, but that rise probably could have been worse and he has to be considered.

Form: PP/P04-1

Geordie Des Champs⁶⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-2| J: N P Madden| T: Miss R Curtis| OR: 139

9/1

Denied at hat-trick at Sandown last time out on return to handicaps, but that seems unlikely to be due to his mark, and this step up in trip shouldn't an issue following a short break.

Form: 30/4113-

Ballyalton^p¹⁹

Age: 11| Weight: 11-1| J: T J O'Brien| T: Ian Williams| OR: 138| C

5/1

Placed over hurdles at Southwell last time but all his best recent form is over fences, and on the same mark as when placed in the Grade 3 Plate at the Cheltenham Festival three starts back.

Form: 44P45-3

Drumlee Sunset^t⁵³

Age: 8| Weight: 10-13| J: J J Burke| T: T R George| OR: 136| D

16/1

Won at Newton Abbot last time but up 5lb for what wasn't the most comprehensive of victories, and this looks a much tougher race.

Form: 2P/292-1

Another Hero⁴⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 10-13| J: Aidan Coleman| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 136| D

12/1

Beaten 20L by Virgilio at Aintree last time and no reason he should be capable of reversing that form off the same mark.

Form: 4300/1-4

Relentless Dreamer^p,t⁶⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 10-11| J: Adam Wedge| T: Miss R Curtis| OR: 134

11/1

Wins infrequently enough these days and down the field in Grade 3s at Sandown the last twice. Needs to leave that sort of form behind.

Form: 216364-

Henllan Harri^b,t²⁸

Age: 10| Weight: 10-7| J: S Bowen| T: P & M Bowen| OR: 130| C| D

6/1

Beat Beeves to win at Perth last time, and just up 2lb but this is tougher and jumping often leaves something to be desired (unseated last time he was here).

Form: 3P6-U71

Sporting Boy^b,t²²

Age: 10| Weight: 10-6| J: Brendan Powell| T: J Farrelly| OR: 129

40/1

Unseated when looking beaten in a weaker race at Stratford last time, so looks likely he'll struggle to match it with the best of these even off a 3lb lower mark.

Form: 2184-6U

Silver Man^v¹⁶

Age: 11| Weight: 10-6| J: N de Boinville| T: J Hughes| OR: 129

50/1

Beaten by double figure lengths on his last three completed starts, including this last year, and could be a similar situation here.

Form: 610-P56

Toviere⁵⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 10-5| J: Thomas Garner⁽³⁾| T: O Sherwood| OR: 128

20/1

Behind Bugsie Malone at Kempton last time though dropped 4lb and could have more to offer over fences given he's had less racing in chases compared to most of these.

Form: 14412-5

Winter Lion^p,t⁴⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 10-5| J: P J Brennan| T: F O'Brien| OR: 128

7/1

Just a length behind Virgilio at Aintree last time and edges up 2lb in the weights, though still has to prove himself at this level.

Form: 33441-2

Easy Street²⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 10-4| J: R P McLernon| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 127| C

25/1

Winner of a much less competitive race at Warwick two starts back but then pulled-up at Fakenham last time (following a poor jump), and needs to leave that run behind.

Form: 1P/67-1P

Bugsie Malone^p⁵⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 10-0| J: Harry Reed⁽⁵⁾| T: C Gordon| OR: 123

11/1

Winner over 3m at Kempton the last twice, 5lb rise probably fair but slight concern all wins under rules have come at one course.

Form: F4P41-1

Good Man Vinnie³⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 10-0| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: P Henderson| OR: 122| CD

9/1

Hat-trick seeker who won over C&D last time out, though higher in the weights and (slightly) out of the handicap should make things too difficult for him here.

Form: 2467-11

Forecasts

Ballyalton (5/1), Henllan Harri (6/1), Winter Lion (7/1), Virgilio (8/1), Geordie Des Champs (9/1), Good Man Vinnie (9/1), Relentless Dreamer (11/1), Bugsie Malone (11/1), Another Hero (12/1), The Romford Pele (14/1), Drumlee Sunset (16/1), Toviere (20/1), Beeves (22/1), Gas Line Boy (22/1), Easy Street (25/1), Stellar Notion (33/1), Sporting Boy (40/1), Silver Man (50/1)

A typically competitive renewal of this in which previous winner and top-weight The Romford Pele holds obvious claims given his form at the end of last year, while Stellar Notion deserves a place on the shortlist having won very well at Kelso last time out. However VIRGILIO hasn't quite managed to build on the promise of his early career (including when runner-up in the Grade 1 Kauto Star), but still arrives here in good form having won at Aintree last time. He may well prove a bit better than this mark in time, and can record another win on his preferred good ground here.