dragonbet.co.uk Open Hunters' Chase

Off time: 16:50 | Winning time: 6m 16.37s

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Selected odds by:

Shearer^t⁶⁰¹

Age: 9| Weight: 12-6| J: Miss Olive Nicholls⁽³⁾| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 137

11/4

Fairly useful handicap hurdler who took well to fences in 2023, winning small-field novice handicaps at Ludlow and Aintree in May/June of that year. Subsequent absence is naturally a concern but his claims on this hunter debut are otherwise very appealing.

Form: 1U88/11-

Angels Breath²⁹

Age: 11| Weight: 12-2| J: Mr Edward Vaughan⁽⁵⁾| T: Tim Vaughan| OR: 132| D

6/4

Ended last season with a poor effort in a handicap hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival but, having warmed up with a run between the flags in December, he made a winning reappearance for new yard back chasing in a Taunton hunter (21.7f, soft) last month. Should be in the mix.

Form: 445P-21

Drop Flight³⁶

Age: 10| Weight: 12-2| J: Mr Ben Sutton| T: S Loxton| OR: 107| D

16/1

Landed 5-runner hunter at Exeter last March but more miss than hit since and it's probably best to look elsewhere.

Form: 7837PP

Acey Milan^b,t¹⁹

Age: 11| Weight: 11-12| J: Mr William Biddick| T: A J Honeyball| OR: 123| BF

10/3

Fairly useful chaser in his pomp and while it's been around 2 years since his latest appearance under Rules, he has won 3 times between the flags since and went close when returning to action in that sphere last month. Likely player with William Biddick booked.

Form: 031/11-2

Caldwell Diamond^t³¹¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: Mrs Izzie Hill⁽⁵⁾| T: A Hill| OR: 125

11/1

Fairyhouse maiden hurdle winner for Gordon Elliot in November 2022 but no show in 3 subsequent starts under Rules and while he was a wider-margin point winner last spring, others make more appeal on this occasion.

Form: 4108/P1-

Chilinlikeavillain^t¹¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: Mr Harvey Barfoot-Saunt⁽⁷⁾| T: M Bowen| OR: 120

14/1

Landed a Southwell maiden hurdle in March 2023 but well held next 2 starts and probably worth taking on here, for all that his wellbeing is not in doubt following a recent win between the flags.

Form: P842U1

Shang Tang^t³⁹

Age: 11| Weight: 11-12| J: Miss Aimee Jones⁽⁷⁾| T: Miss H Brookshaw| OR: 103| D

50/1

Fairly useful chaser on his day but pulled up on latest start in this sphere at Stratford last May and also well beaten in a point back from a break in December.

Form: 1U1-5P3

Forecasts

Angels Breath (6/4), Shearer (11/4), Acey Milan (10/3), Caldwell Diamond (11/1), Chilinlikeavillain (14/1), Drop Flight (16/1), Shang Tang (50/1)

SHEARER achieved a pretty useful level of form over hurdles and made a seamless transition to fences back in 2023. He still has low mileage overall for a horse of his age and, provided all is well following 20 months off, he could prove a tough nut to crack in his bid to make it 3-3 over the larger obstacles. Acey Milan gets the nod for forecast purposes, albeit only marginally as Angels Breath is also a very viable candidate for that role.