| No. |
|
Selection |
Form |
|
Guide |
|
|
|
- Brookie
- Sam Twiston-Davies / A J Honeyball
|
|
145
|
25/1 |
Brookie
Record of 4-9 (hurdles/fences) for current yard, most recently scoring off a low weight in Class 2 handicap chase at Doncaster (2m, good); useful but faces a much stiffer assignment on these terms; would be receiving weight from all of his opponents if this were a handicap.
|
|
|
|
- Kalif Du Berlais
- H Cobden / P F Nicholls
|
|
159
|
15/8 |
Kalif Du Berlais
Seems versatile as regards ground; non-stayer over a testing 2m4f in the Scilly Isles at Sandown last time; has form figures of 111311 in completed starts at about 2m, the third-place finish in Grade 1 juvenile hurdle at this meeting last year; has proved ahead of his mark in two novice handicap chase wins, markedly so at Cheltenham on second occasion; interesting back down in trip, with a resumption of progress plausible.
|
|
|
|
- L'eau Du Sud
- Harry Skelton / D Skelton
|
|
164
|
5/4 |
L'eau Du Sud
Acts on any ground; useful handicap hurdler and an even better novice chaser, producing form figures of 11114 in this sphere; the only Grade 1 winner in this field, having beaten Touch Me Not in the Henry VIII at Sandown (1m7f, soft) in December, and most recently ran well in a thrilling Arkle where he wilted towards the finish having hit the front a tad sooner than Harry Skelton had planned (left in lead two out); major contender, provided he takes well to first-time cheekpieces.
|
|
|
|
- Special Cadeau
- D J O'Keeffe / H De Bromhead
|
|
145
|
12/1 |
Special Cadeau
Flat bred but took well to fences at Thurles (2m, good) two months ago, belying his 66-1 odds and finally adding to debut success in a bumper; upped sharply in grade for second chase attempt but may have more to offer in this sphere and is fresher than some of his rivals.
|
|
|
|
- Touch Me Not
- Sam Ewing / G Elliott
|
|
158
|
9/2 |
Touch Me Not
Grade 2 winner at Punchestown in November (2m, soft) then ran creditably in two Grade 1 contests, including at Sandown behind L'Eau du Sud; normally consistent but folded tamely and came home tailed-off last of five in the Arkle most recently; difficult to support on the back of that effort.
|
|
|
|
- Only By Night
- K M Donoghue / G P Cromwell
|
|
165
|
11/4 |
Only By Night
Seems versatile as regards ground; progressive mare whose record of 3-4 since switched to chasing features wins in Cork Grade 2 and Exeter Listed event, both against her own sex; belied her 25-1 odds with an excellent second in a dramatic Arkle at Cheltenham most recently, edging ahead and looking the likely winner on the run-in only to be collared by the fast-finishing winner close home; appears to have a Grade 1 prize in her.
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