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15:15 Ascot

Saturday 25 November 2017

All12:2012:5513:3014:0514:4015:1515:50

Shawbrook Handicap Chase

Off time: 15:15 | Winning time: 4m 11.35s

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Selected odds by:

Sire De Grugy³⁵

Age: 11| Weight: 11-12| J: J E Moore| T: G & J Moore| OR: 165| CD

6/1

A wonderful horse over the years and as classy as they come over this 2m trip (2014 Champion Chase winner). Bolted up in this contest in 2016 before his season was sadly later curtailed by injury. 5lb higher today, but fit from a hurdles spin.

Form: 4/712U-3

Sir Valentino^t¹⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 11-6| J: J J Burke| T: T R George| OR: 159| D

16/1

Hasn't won since November 2016 (Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter), but has competed in all of the very top races, and was only beaten just over 6L by Special Tiara in the Champion Chase in March. Not at his best on his seasonal bow latest.

Form: 15236-P

Vaniteux^p,t⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-5| J: David Noonan| T: D Pipe| OR: 158| D

20/1

Frustrating, and seemingly not always the most willing of conveyances. However, he has ability (a dual Listed winner last season for Nicky Henderson). With a new trainer nowadays, but no show in the Shloer Chase at Cheltenham last Sunday.

Form: 1814-75

San Benedeto^p,t¹⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Bryony Frost⁽⁵⁾| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 157| CD

2/1

Bypassed the Cheltenham Festival in notching a four-timer (7L C&D winner in April). Back in decent order and beaten by stablemates (Old Guard and Politologue) in two races this term, but that latest Haldon Gold Cup second was a solid effort.

Form: 1113-22

Quite By Chance²¹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-7| J: T J O'Brien| T: C L Tizzard| OR: 146| CD

7/2

Beaten 1½L by Sire De Grugy in this race in 2016 (Vaniteux third) but his overall form profile shows he's far stronger at Ascot than anywhere else. Folded from the second last when a 7L runner up to Exitas recently, but surely spot on for this now.

Form: 46F0P-2

Upsilon Bleu²¹

Age: 9| Weight: 10-3| J: Craig Nichol| T: Miss P Robson| OR: 142| D

11/1

Best suited by 2m with cut in the ground, so conditions might not be testing enough today. However, flies high and makes the journey South after a reasonable reappearance at Ayr; albeit this is much tougher. Sixth to Sire De Grugy in 2016.

Form: 86210-2

Dandridge^t²⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 10-1| J: Aidan Coleman| T: A L T Moore| OR: 140

10/1

Ran a bold race in finishing fourth to Rock The World in the Grand Annual at the Cheltenham Festival in March (2m good), but he's not really shown up in three races since and doesn't appear strong enough at this level.

Form: 6540-08

Cepage²⁶⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 10-0| J: L Treadwell| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 133

11/2

Lightly raced for this trainer, but was an impressive UK debut winner at Newbury in December (2m good to soft). His better days lie ahead of him if he can iron out a few jumping errors, but this looks far too competitive on balance.

Form: 141F33-

Forecasts

San Benedeto (2/1), Quite By Chance (7/2), Cepage (11/2), Sire De Grugy (6/1), Dandridge (10/1), Upsilon Bleu (11/1), Sir Valentino (16/1), Vaniteux (20/1)

The best advice is to roll back the clock to November 2016 and you'll see that Sire De Grugy (winner), QUITE BY CHANCE (second), Vaniteux (third) and Upsilon Bleu (sixth) are all back in action for another crack at the Shawbrook Handicap Chase. The classy veteran Sire De Grugy will have to be at the top of his game in order to hold off the Ascot specialist Quite By Chance this time around. The selection should be spot on for this race now after his 7L C&D second to Exitas recently. San Benedeto is improving, and looks the most likely danger on the back of a pleasing effort in the Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter where he was beaten by his talented stablemate Politologue.