GRAND SEFTON HANDICAP CHASE
Saturday 9th November, 2:40pm
Frero Banbou @ 5/2
Latenightpass @ 6/1
Percussion @ 13/2
King Turgeon @ 13/2
Sure Touch @ 7/1
view odds
*prices correct at time of writing.
THE RACE
The £75,000 Grand Sefton at Aintree (2-40) is over eighteen of the Grand National fences, so The Chair – number fifteen in April – is the third over this two miles and five furlongs. Evidence from recent races presents a mixed bag in terms of the usefulness of course experience, but several of the leading fancies know their way around alright.
THE MARKET
Frero Banbou finished a close third last year off a marginally higher weight level, when conditions were heavy; it’s now nearly three years (and sixteen races) since he last won.
Latenightpass was one of the stars of last season’s Grand National when not quite getting home – having led at the second last – and finishing twelfth for the Ellises, who have their runners in good order. Being aged eleven is a slight negative, but he’s a course and distance winner (and fourth) in the Foxhunters’, and has undergone a breathing procedure.
Just two six-year-olds have won in the race’s modern guise, but King Turgeon certainly bolted up at Chepstow after a wind op. He gets a seven-pound penalty, but if building on that is potentially thrown in.
Percussion has been in the frame here, and in next month’s longer Becher Chase, for the last two years and put in a couple of good efforts on the summer circuit – he rarely runs a bad race but is another not to have got his head in front for yonks.
Sure Touch comes to Aintree on a roll, having risen nineteen pounds in the last year. This is his toughest task to date but he’s definitely progressive. Outlaw Peter is another to have had wind surgery, and his Sandown second in April, conceding weight to Ascot winner Martator, looks to have been a pretty fine effort.
Idalko Bihoue has been given time by Nigel Twiston-Davies and is the type with which the trainer excels at Aintree.
Gaboriot, representing last year’s winning stable, has won five out of seven in the last year or so, three of them hunter chases and all over further. He unseated at the Canal in the Foxhunters’. Authorized Art warmed up with quite a promising first run for the Moores, over hurdles.
THE WINNER
King Turgeon for me, having had a run and winning well – what about you?
CORN’S QUARTET
At Wincanton, it’s the 63rd Badger Beer (3-30) in which Forward Plan entered many trackers when finishing fifth last year, something which was rewarded during the subsequent season. His mark remains very competitive.
Pretending (1-45) put in a taking performance to win at Uttoxeter last month, and especially with the trainer and jockey going well, it may take more than a six-pound rise to stop a follow-up.
Handstands has looked a smashing chaser-in-the-making so running in the Rising Stars Novices Chase (2-23) is appropriate.
In Doncaster’s November Handicap (3-45), the three-year-old Valvano is first-string for red-hot Ralph Beckett but, with a useful five-pounds off, the stable’s more experienced Lord Melbourne is no also-ran.
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