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16:15 Aintree

Saturday 9 April 2022

All13:4514:2515:0015:3516:1517:1518:20

Betway Handicap Chase (Grade 3) (GBB Race)

Off time: 16:15 | Winning time: 6m 22.64s

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Selected odds by:

Espoir De Romay³⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: David Bass| T: K C Bailey| OR: 155| BF

12/1

Dual winner around 2m4f last term but he's yet to hit top form in two runs this season, third of 7 to Nuts Well in listed chase (5/4) at Kelso (23.4f) 35 days ago. Needs to step forward.

Form: 121F-33

Shan Blue²³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-5| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 148

5/2

Landed Grade 1 Kauto Star as a novice and in process of delivering a most visually impressive performance when falling 3 out in Charlie Hall in October. Only sixth of 7 in Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham since but he's back in handicap company now off a favourable mark. Most interesting.

Form: 1252-F6

Sam Brown^t⁴⁹

Age: 10| Weight: 11-4| J: Aidan Coleman| T: A J Honeyball| OR: 147

28/1

Lightly-raced 10-y-o who posted excellent second in Peter Marsh Chase at Haydock in January. Pulled up there on his only outing since but he can't be dismissed now freshened up after a break.

Form: P/37-32P

Exelerator Express^t¹⁸²

Age: 8| Weight: 11-2| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: N P Mulholland| OR: 145| BF

40/1

Resumed winning ways in emphatic fashion at Worcester (23f) in August but off track since only eighth in handicap chase at Chepstow (23.6f) 6 months ago. Needs to hit the ground running here.

Form: 1-16218

Tea Clipper^p²⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-1| J: Stan Sheppard| T: T Lacey| OR: 144

5/1

Got right back on track after breathing surgery (also fitted with cheekpieces) when promising fourth of 24 in Ultima Handicap chase at Cheltenham (25f) 25 days ago. Solid contender off a 1 lb lower mark.

Form: 33-1244

Wishing And Hoping^p1²³

Age: 12| Weight: 11-0| J: Alex Edwards⁽³⁾| T: Mrs M Rowley| OR: 143| CD

25/1

Sound-jumping front runner who scored over C&D in October. Didn't jump nearly so well as usual when pulled up in Plate at Cheltenham, so needs to bounce back.

Form: 11P32P

Oscar Elite^t²⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 10-11| J: H Cobden| T: C L Tizzard| OR: 140

6/1

Useful winning hurdler who has yet to score in this sphere but he took his form up a level when excellent third of 24 in Ultima Handicap at Cheltenham (25f) 25 days ago. Highly respected novice.

Form: 3-F3453

Adrimel^t,v1²³

Age: 7| Weight: 10-11| J: Thomas Bellamy| T: T Lacey| OR: 140

25/1

Grade 2 winning hurdler last season and revitalised in blinkers when bagging two small-field chases at Haydock. Proved a disappointment in Plate at Cheltenham but no surprise to see him bounce back.

Form: PP-P119

Grumpy Charley²⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 10-11| J: Bryan Carver| T: C Honour| OR: 140

16/1

Multiple hurdles winner who has taken well to chasing, impressive when landing 22.5f Newbury novice handicap at Christmas. Pulled up in Ultima Handicap at Cheltenham, however, so he has something to prove.

Form: 16-513P

Espoir De Teillee^t1⁹⁸

Age: 10| Weight: 10-10| J: T Scudamore| T: T R George| OR: 139

80/1

Yet to add to his two chase wins last term, but in good form until only eleventh in Paddy Power Handicap at Cheltenham on New Year's Day. Tongue strap goes on for first time. No forlorn hope after a break.

Form: 1-64330

Cap Du Nord^p⁴²

Age: 9| Weight: 10-6| J: Jack Tudor| T: Christian Williams| OR: 135

15/2

Cheekpieces back on when capitalising on a good mark in 14-runner handicap chase at Kempton (24f) 42 days ago. That form is working out well, so he needs considering raised 8 lb here.

Form: 504831

The Hollow Ginge^p⁵⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 10-3| J: Jordan Nailor⁽³⁾| T: N A Twiston-Davies| OR: 132

25/1

Useful at his best but he's without a win since 2020 and comes here on the back of two below-par efforts at Warwick and Kempton. Others appeal more.

Form: PP-29P4

Killer Kane^t²⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 10-2| J: Brendan Powell| T: C L Tizzard| OR: 131

6/1

Much improved of late since fitted with a tongue strap, landing handicaps at Kempton and Sandown. Hit with a further 5 lb rise but he's still low mileage and must enter calculations.

Form: 1-33611

Didero Vallis^b²³

Age: 9| Weight: 10-1| J: Hugh Nugent⁽³⁾| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 130| D

80/1

Useful chaser who got back in track in first-time blinkers when third of 20 in Kim Muir at Cheltenham (26f) 23 days ago. Possibilities if headgear works the trick for a second time.

Form: 284843

Non-Runners

Empire Steel¹⁴

Weight: 11-4| Age: 8

T: A M Thomson J: Ryan Mania

Commodore¹²⁰

Weight: 10-13| Age: 10

T: Miss V Williams J: Non Runner

Mint Condition²³

Weight: 10-6| Age: 8

T: J Candlish J: D J O'Keeffe

Scene Not Herd²⁸

Weight: 10-4| Age: 7

T: C E Longsdon J: J J Burke

Forecasts

Shan Blue (5/2), Tea Clipper (5/1), Killer Kane (6/1), Oscar Elite (6/1), Cap Du Nord (15/2), Commodore (10/1), Espoir De Romay (12/1), Grumpy Charley (16/1), Scene Not Herd (16/1), Empire Steel (16/1), Mint Condition (20/1), Wishing And Hoping (25/1), Adrimel (25/1), The Hollow Ginge (25/1), Sam Brown (28/1), Exelerator Express (40/1), Espoir De Teillee (80/1), Didero Vallis (80/1)

A fiercely=competitive handicap but SHAN BLUE has a lot less on his plate than when a well-held sixth in the Ryanair Chase and can capitalise on a very attractive mark back in handicap company. Kempton-scorer Cap du Nord is another weighted to go well for the in-form Christian Williams team, while Ultima-fourth Tea Clipper figures high on the shortlist too.