bet365 Handicap Chase (GBB Race)

Runner-up in this race last year and he ended a long losing sequence in the Old Roan at Aintree (2m4f, good to soft) on reappearance; however, he's less consistent than he once was and he was well held in the Peterborough Chase at Huntingdon last time; needs to bounce back from that.

Low-mileage 12yo; had a record of 3-3 for Willie Mullins and 2-5 for Henry de Bromhead, but he was tailed off on stable debut at Cheltenham (22-1) on New Year's Day and needs to have come on a ton in the 16 days since.

Far from reliable but he's a classy chaser on his day, as he showed when making all under a dynamic ride over 2m3f here just before Christmas; the cheekpieces need to work for a second time and he's unproven over this longer distance, but he still can't be ruled out if on another going day.

Wasn't going from some way out when favourite behind Etalon here last time but he'd previously won comfortably at Kempton (2m2f, good) and run creditably in the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham (2m4f, soft) where the hill proved too much; still relatively young; 5lb better off with Etalon and could turn the tables.

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