Paul Ferguson's Jumpers To Follow Handicap Chase (GBB Race)

Defied a virtually identical absence to today's at Perth this time last year (good); inconsistent when last seen, however, and over three and a half years since he last lowered a mark in the 120s.

Hurdle win here in 2022 (2m5f) came in a match, and he's more synonymous with Worcester staying chases these days, albeit falling in one such two starts ago (confidence fillip since); 3lb below last winning mark.

Not wholly straightforward and nearly threw it away over C&D in February (good to soft), but kept sweet enough in blinkers (replaced here) to run second in an Aintree class 2 latest, a nose ahead of next-time Summer Cup scorer Only The Bold; chance off almost the same mark here.

Sound-surface wins in another C&D 0-120, a Cartmel hurdle and a Witton Castle open point since May; never travelling at Uttoxeter latest (first loss under Brian Hughes), but is one proven capable of bouncing back.

Four class 5 wins shared between hurdles and fences since joining James Owen, hacking up in a Newton Abbot chase latest (3m2f, good to soft); a fifth race in 25 days, a step back up in class and most significantly an additional 20lb hike all ask different questions this time.