Highflyer Bloodstock Open Hunters' Chase

Off time: 15:35 | Winning time: 6m 54.6s

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Selected odds by:

Dieu Vivant^t1²⁵⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 12-6| J: Mr Ed Glassonbury⁽³⁾| T: J Guerriero| OR: 132

7/1

Makes stable debut after achieving nothing when in the care of Oliver Greenall. Kept decent company when trained in France, but that was in late 2018. Plenty to prove as he makes debut as a hunter chaser. Best watched.

Form: F6460-6

Wizards Bridge^b²⁸⁸

Age: 11| Weight: 12-6| J: Mr C Bickers Price⁽⁷⁾| T: Callum Bickers-price| OR: 110| D

33/1

Makes debut in the hunter chase sphere for the first time, but has a point to prove on seasonal reappearance given he was pulled-up at Wincanton (3m1f; good) on his final start of last season. Others look less risky.

Form: P7535P-

Alcala^t⁵⁴⁴

Age: 10| Weight: 11-12| J: Angus Cheleda⁽⁷⁾| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 143| CD

4/9

Enters this grade for the first time, and should enjoy plenty of success if none the worse for long absence. Hasn't been seen since finishing sixth in the Summer Plate at Market Rasen (2m5f; good) in July 2018. May not need to be at best to win.

Form: U45/426-

Ballynagour^h,t¹⁸

Age: 14| Weight: 11-12| J: Alex Edwards| T: J W Stevenson| OR: 125| D

7/2

Smart when at his very best, but you would have to go back five years ago to find his best form. Seven-length behind Bletchley Castle (finished second) at Cottenham (3m; good) on second run back from a break. Difficult to see him reversing the form.

Form: P0UP/F3

Magna Sam⁴⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Mr Tommie M O'Brien| T: G Slade-Jones

20/1

Sole taste of success came three starts ago at Cocklebarrow (2m4f; good) in January 2019. Showed he still possesses some ability when runner-up at Larkhill (3m; good) last month. Tough task against classier rivals however.

Form: 0/4510-2

Non-Runners

Cut The Corner¹⁸³

Weight: 12-6| Age: 12

T: A Ralph J: Mr Adam O'Shea

Bletchley Castle¹⁸

Weight: 12-2| Age: 11

T: Miss H Brookshaw J: Mr Huw Edwards

Forecasts

Alcala (4/9), Ballynagour (7/2), Dieu Vivant (7/1), Cut The Corner (10/1), Bletchley Castle (10/1), Magna Sam (20/1), Wizards Bridge (33/1)

An uncompetitive affair with ready preference for the Paul Nicholls-trained ALCALA who may not need to be at his absolute best to win this on return from a 544-day break. On ratings he is almost 20lbs clear of his nearest rival, which should enable him to enjoy a winning return to action on his first foray into the hunter chase scene. Cut The Corner was in consistent form when last seen during the summer, but he is likely to need the run and better ground. Therefore, the main danger to the selection is Bletchley Castle who was comfortably in front of Ballynagour when the pair met in a point-to-point recently.