THIS IS AN INTRIGUING RACE AS IT BRINGS TOGETHER TWO MILE CHASERS THAT HAVE BEEN SCARED AWAY BY MASTER MINDED, ANS HORSES THAT ARE DOUBTFUL GOLD CUP STAYERS. THIS YEARS RACE IS PARTICULARY STRONG WITH VOY POR USTEDES A STRONG FAVOURITE. HE SIMPLY ROMPED HOME IN THE ASCOT CHASE IN FEBRUARY OVER A 2 MILES AND 5 FURLONG TRIP. HE WAS ENTITLED TO WIN THAT RACE AS HE WAS THE BEST HORSES IN THE RACE. HE WAS DISAPPOINTING IN THE KING GEORGE WHEN FANCIED BY CONNECTIONS, EVENTUALLY FINISHING A WELL BEATEN THIRD. HIS CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL RECORD STANDS CLOSE INSPECTION. WINNER OF THE ARKLE AS A NOVICE, HE FOLLOWED UP IN 2007 BY WINNING THE QUEEN MOTHER CHASE. LAST SEASON HE WAS RUNNER UP, ALBEIT AT SOME DISTANCE, TO MASTER MINDED. HE GAINED HIS REVENGE AT AINTREE, BEATING A BELOW PAR MASTER MINDED. AT AROUND THE EVEN MONEY MARK THE PRICE LOOKS SLIGHTLY SHORT. THE OPPOSITION IS HEADED BY LAST YEARS WINNER, OUR VIC. THIS ENIGMATIC CHARACTER HAS BEEN CALLED A FEW NAMES IN THE PAST BUT IS TOP CLASS. HE LOWERED KAUTO STARS COLOURS AT AINTREE LAST SEASON. HE COMES INTO THE RACE FRESH AFTER NOT BEING COMPETETIVE IN THE KING GEORGE. VIBES FROM THE PIPE STABLE ARE POSITIVE AND AT AROUND THE 15/2 MARK HE REPRESENTS GOOD VALUE. IMPERIAL COMMANDER WON THE PADDY POWER CHASE HERE IN NOVEMBER IN THE STYLE OF AN IMPROVING HORSE. IN THE KING GEORGE HE ALSO DISAPPOINTED, FINISHING SIXTH AND APPEARING NOT TO STAY THE TRIP. HE NEEDS TO IMPROVE IF HE IS TO FIGURE AND REPRESENT NO VALUE AT THE PRICE, CURRENTLY 6/1. TIDAL BAY IS A HORSE WHO IS HARD TO WEIGH UP AT THE MOMENT. HAVING STARTED THE SEASON IN THE TINGLE CREEK OVER 2 MILES AND RUNNING WELL TO FINISH BEHIND MASTER MINDED, THE HORSE THEN WAS UPPED IN TRIP AT WETHERBY. HE WAS A GALLANT SECOND GIIVING 18LBS TO THE WINNER, NOZIC. A GOLD CUP BID WAS TOUTED BY CONNECTIONS. HE RAN AT CHELTENHAM ON TRIALS DAY BUT RAN AS IF HIS STAMINA HAS LIMITATIONS. BEATEN OVER 20LENGTHS BEHIND JOE LIVELY. JUMPING PROBLEMS HAVE ALSO SURFACED WITH THE HORSE. HE HAS MADE SERIOUS ERRORS IN EVERY RACE THIS SEASON. IN HIS PRESENT FORM HE HAS PLENTY TO PROVE. GWANAKO HAS PLACE CLAIMS ON HIS BEST FORM. HE WAS BEATEN SOUNDLY BY VOY POR USTEDES AT ASCOT. QUICKER GROUND WILL SUIT HIM BETTER THAN THE HEAVY GROUND AT ASCOT AND STILL HAS IMPROVEMENT IN HIM AS A 6 YEAR OLD. SCHINDLERS HUNT HAS BEEN RUNNING ON ATROCIOUS GROUND ALL SEASON. HIS OVERALL FORM LEAVES HIM WITH PLENTY TO FIND BUT A BETTER PERFORMANCE CAN BE EXPEXTED ON THE LIKELY BETTER GROUND. MONETS GARDEN SEEMS ON THE DECLINE BUT DID RUN WELL WHEN WINNING AT HUNTINGDON. L’ANTARTIQUE HAS STRUGGLED TO MAKE THE PROGRESSION FROM TOP HANDICAPS TO GRADED CHASES.

CONCLUSION

ON THE FORM BOOK OUR VIC AND VOY POR USTEDES HAVE SIMILAR CHANCES. OUR VIC COMES HERE FRESH AND HAS NO WORRIES REGARDING GROUND, TRIP OR COURSE. AT 13/2 HE IS OUTSTANDING VALUE. OBVIOUSLY VOY POR USTEDES IS A MASSIVE DANGER AND WORTHY FAVOURITE BUT IS SIMPLY TO SHORT AT EVEN MONEY. SEVERAL OF THE HORSES HAVE MAJOR DOUBTS.. TIDAL BAYS JUMPING, IMPERIAL COMMANDERS FORM ARE WORRYING.

ON A SCALE OF 1 -10 POINTS UNIT STAKE THE RECOMMENDATION IS A 4 POINTS E/W BET ON OUR VIC @ 15/2 WITH SPORTINGBET