15:35 Sandown

Saturday 9 December 2023

All11:3512:0512:4013:1513:5014:2515:0015:35

Betfair Exchange London National Handicap Chase (GBB Race)

Off time: 15:35 | Winning time: 8m 22.17s

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Selected odds by:

Beauport³⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 12-0| J: Jordan Nailor| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 140| BF| C

3/1

Progressive hurdler who made a winning chase debut at Cheltenham last October. Largely underwhelming since, including on return at Ascot, but he's down to an attractive mark and will be a threat if on-song back here (form figures over hurdles at Sandown read 221), and assuming he stays this trip.

Form: 1249F-5

Certainly Red²⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: M Goldstein| T: Mrs L Richards| OR: 138| C

4/1

Likeable sort completed a hat-trick last season, scoring twice over 25f at Wincanton either side of a victory here (2½m) in January. Didn't shape badly returned to Wincanton on his reappearance last month and possibilities back up in trip here off a 2 lb lower mark.

Form: 11197-4

Truckers Lodge^b²⁰

Age: 11| Weight: 11-11| J: Freddie Gingell⁽⁵⁾| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 137

11/2

A regular in big-field staying handicaps and ended a losing run dating back to the Midlands National in 2020 when bagging a Ffos Las handicap over this trip in April. Brought down early on when returning to action at Cheltenham last month and each-way chance granted a clear round here.

Form: 94581-B

Boldmere⁴¹

Age: 10| Weight: 11-9| J: Bryan Carver| T: A M Hales| OR: 135

33/1

Just touched off by Cyclop at Newbury in March and he was a winner of 3m handicaps at Doncaster and Fakenham either side of that. Best to put a line through his reappearance display at Aintree, but likely to find one or two too good in any case.

Form: 5/7121-P

Broken Halo^t²²⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-7| J: Lorcan Williams| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 133| C

17/2

Useful chaser who landed back-to-back military races over 3m here last season. Struggled in a major C&D handicap when last seen during the spring (treated for heat stress in the aftermath) and, talented though he is, his overall profile is not convincing.

Form: 768110-

Fontaine Collonges²⁶⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 11-7| J: Ned Fox⁽⁵⁾| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 133WS

5/2

Benefited from step up to 25.6f when landing a valuable Haydock handicap on his reappearance last season. Ended that campaign on a downer, but since undergone another wind op and very much one to consider with his yard in teriffic form.

Form: 41/140P-

Coeur Serein^p²¹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-0| J: Jonjo O'Neill Jr.| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 126

12/1

Now 14 lb below the mark off which he landed a 3-runner Newbury handicap chase in February, but largely struggled since and he needs to bounce back in a major way.

Form: P5-F7U0

Non-Runners

Rapper⁴²

Weight: 12-0| Age: 9

T: H D Daly J: Alice Stevens

Fortescue²³⁸

Weight: 11-13| Age: 9

T: H D Daly J: 2nd Preference

Cyclop²⁷

Weight: 11-8| Age: 12

T: David Dennis J: 2nd Preference

Forecasts

Fontaine Collonges (5/2), Beauport (3/1), Certainly Red (4/1), Truckers Lodge (11/2), Broken Halo (17/2), Cyclop (10/1), Fortescue (10/1), Coeur Serein (12/1), Rapper (16/1), Boldmere (33/1)

The vote goes to CERTAINLY RED, a likeable type who should strip fitter following his reappearance spin at Wincanton and shapes as though well worth another try over a marathon trip such as this. The fact that he has winning form here is another plus point. Beauport hasn't gone on as hoped since his successful chase debut last term, but he's edged down to a dangerous mark and is feared most ahead of Fontaine Collonges and Truckers Lodge.