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12:40 Haydock

Saturday 25 November 2017

All12:1012:4013:1513:5014:2515:0015:35

Betfair Each Way Edge Handicap Chase

Off time: 12:40 | Winning time: 8m 5.0s

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Selected odds by:

Royale Knight^p⁵³

Age: 11| Weight: 12-1| J: B S Hughes| T: Dr R D P Newland| OR: 136

20/1

Stays 4m but has not found winning easy recently, his latest being over a similar trip to this at Sedgefield in October 2015, from today's mark. That gives him a squeak here, though he has never won on heavy and has points to prove.

Form: 4/5640-4

Dawson City²¹⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: A Thornton| T: P Gundry| OR: 133

8/1

ABest form has been on soft/heavy and it was very testing when he last won at Wincanton (3m1f) in March from 7lb lower. Off since being pulled up in the Scottish National in April. Stays this far and has the ability but yet to win when fresh.

Form: 5V231P-

Hainan²¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-11| J: Danny Cook| T: Mrs S J Smith| OR: 132

13/2

Yet to race beyond 3m1½f (over which he has won), so steps into the unknown here, but still has scope for a bit of improvement and his trainer has won plenty of similar races at the venue, so knows what it takes. Acts on heavy. Interesting.

Form: 82135-P

Belmount^p⁴⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-10| J: Jamie Bargary⁽³⁾| T: N A Twiston-Davies| OR: 131

10/1

Goes on any ground and gets 3m2f, though yet to prove himself over this far. Was beaten 19½L from this mark last time and, while he is not totally written off here, he clearly needs to improve a fair bit to win from it.

Form: 52-3416

Courtown Oscar³⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 11-9| J: A Nicol| T: P A Kirby| OR: 130

11/4

Conditions are absolutely ideal for this mudlark who was runner-up in a similar contest over C&D in April from 5lb lower and returned with a gutsy win at Carlisle (3m2f, heavy) last time. Has to enter calculations.

Form: P1224-1

Buachaill Alainn^b,t²³

Age: 10| Weight: 11-6| J: James Bowen⁽⁵⁾| T: P & M Bowen| OR: 127

20/1

Proved that he sees out these more extreme trips with a win over 3m5f in the Durham National at Sedgefield last season when 1lb lower. Not in the same form when trying to repeat that last time and is better on a sound surface.

Form: 8-52255

Russe Blanc^b²⁰

Age: 10| Weight: 11-6| J: R Johnson| T: Kerry Lee| OR: 127

10/3

Had a good 2015/16 season and won Warwick's Grade 3 Classic Chase (3m5f, heavy) from today's mark. Has been unable to add to the win column, but went close from 3lb higher at Carlisle in February and is short-listed after a recent pipe-opener.

Form: 692P5-4

Emperor's Choice^p²⁵²

Age: 10| Weight: 11-6| J: T Scudamore| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 127| CD

4/1

2014 Welsh National winner (heavy), who won this in 2015 when fresh on his very next start from 8lb higher than today. More letters than numbers against his name since then, but is fresh again and would be very interesting if the market speaks well.

Form: P/8PP5P-

Forecasts

Courtown Oscar (11/4), Russe Blanc (10/3), Emperor's Choice (4/1), Hainan (13/2), Dawson City (8/1), Belmount (10/1), Buachaill Alainn (20/1), Royale Knight (20/1)

Fascinating stuff here with the proven former winner Emperor's Choice back on a very good mark if Venetia Williams has got him to recapture his old form, the young pretender Hainan from a yard with a good record in big staying chases here and others such as Belmount with ability, but also in his case the need to prove his stamina. It is stamina that is the key here and with proven ability on the trip, in heavy ground and from this mark, the considered choice is RUSSE BLANC, whose reappearance run should have him ready for this. Dawson City may well be capable from this mark, but his record when fresh is a concern, while Royale Knight could go well and acts on soft, though is unproven on heavy. Meanwhile, Courtown Oscar will relish this and he looks a serious danger to the selection.