16:50 Carlisle

Saturday 8 April 2023

All13:5514:3015:0515:4016:1516:5017:25

Watch Irish Racing On RacingTV Handicap Chase

Off time: 16:51 | Winning time: 5m 11.4s

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Selected odds by:

Maid O'Malley^t²⁰

Age: 10| Weight: 12-1| J: Sam Coltherd| T: W Coltherd| OR: 121| C| D

9/1

Improved when landing back-to-back mares' handicap chases last season, including over 21f here. Has found life tougher since, though, and remains 7 lb above her last winning mark.

Form: F5-2434

Dalyotin^v²⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-13| J: Nathan Moscrop| T: R Menzies| OR: 119

17/2

Off the mark over fences at Sedgefield (21f) last March and started this campaign with good second of 8 at Kelso in November. However, form has dipped badly since and hopes now pinned on the addition of a visor helping to trigger a return to form.

Form: 41-27P6

Buster Valentine²⁷

Age: 10| Weight: 11-10| J: Danny McMenamin| T: M Walford| OR: 116

10/1

Game winner of a 5-runner Wetherby handicap chase last March. Hasn't made much of an impact in 4 subsequent completions (over hurdles the last twice) but he's now too well-handicapped to ignore.

Form: 1F-6655

Tfou¹³⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-8| J: Sean Quinlan| T: N G Richards| OR: 114| D

11/2

Brought along steadily in bumpers/over hurdles last term and improved when making a winning chase debut on return at Ayr (20.5f, good to soft) in October. Didn't do much wrong when second upped to 23.4f at Kelso the following month and he's a key player back down in trip here.

Form: 243-12

Paddy The Horse²⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 11-8| J: Jonathon Bewley⁽³⁾| T: G Bewley| OR: 114| D

4/1

Point winner who won maiden and handicap hurdle at Hexham in the autumn. Creditable efforts both completed starts in this sphere, most recently finishing third of 10 over C&D, and he's in with an each-way shout.

Form: 311F43

Operation Overlord^t⁵³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-4| J: B S Hughes| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 110| D

4/1

Winner of a handicap hurdle at Ayr in November 2021 and appears to be gradually finding his feet over fences, not seen to best effect when fourth back at Ayr last time. Eased 2 lb since and he remains open to improvement in this sphere.

Form: 5/21-P24

Wild Polly⁶⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 10-12| J: Craig Nichol| T: R Dobbin| OR: 104| D

14/1

Fairly promising novice hurdler a few seasons back and there were positives to glean from her second run following a lengthy absence when fourth in a handicap at Ayr (24.3f, soft) in February. This former point winner is worth a second look now switched to fences.

Form: 3123/64

Dawn Raider^p,t⁶¹

Age: 11| Weight: 10-8| J: Jack Hogan⁽⁵⁾| T: G Hanmer| OR: 100| CD

11/1

Successful over C&D and at Leicester last term but has failed to scale those heights so far this season. Others preferred.

Form: 3-44957

Knocknamona¹³

Age: 12| Weight: 10-4| J: Joshua Thompson⁽¹⁰⁾| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 96| CD

12/1

Resumed winning ways at Newcastle in January and followed up over this C&D a month later. Came up short in a Class 2 handicap back here recently and while that race wasn't run to suit, he's probably worth taking on.

Form: 4-05116

Victory Echo^t³⁸

Age: 10| Weight: 10-3| J: Thomas Dowson| T: M A Barnes| OR: 95| D

20/1

Now 5 lb below last winning mark and produced his best effort for a while when third in a 6-runner Musselburgh (20.3f, good to soft) handicap last month. Not without each-way hope.

Form: P35P53

Contre Ordre^p1,t¹⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 10-2| J: Emma Smith-Chaston⁽³⁾| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 94

14/1

Fairly useful chaser in France but yet to fire on these shores and hopes now pinned on the first-time cheekpieces working the oracle.

Form: 5-4956P

Forecasts

Operation Overlord (4/1), Paddy The Horse (4/1), Tfou (11/2), Dalyotin (17/2), Maid O'Malley (9/1), Buster Valentine (10/1), Dawn Raider (11/1), Knocknamona (12/1), Wild Polly (14/1), Contre Ordre (14/1), Victory Echo (20/1)

OPERATION OVERLORD and Tfou, both of whom have low mileage, could be the pair to concentrate on. The latter is likely to appreciate dropping back in trip here after finishing second over 23.4f at Kelso and he is greatly respected. However. the vote goes to Lucinda Russell's charge, who left the impression that he could be about to come good in this sphere when fourth at Ayr in February and is lurking on a potentially handy mark. Chasing debutante Wild Polly is best of the rest.