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15:40 - Paddy Power Plate Handicap Chase
The Shunter bids to earn his connections a £100k bonus after winning at Kelso over hurdles last time, prior to that he had looked highly progressive over both hurdles and fences and this trip looks certain to play to his strengths. Clearly the question with Emmet Mullins's likable 8 year old is the proximity of that most recent run and the potential mark that effort left, that being said, he looks a very worthy favourite and a massive amount of respect is afforded.
Oldgrangewood made an uncharacteristic blunder and unseated Harry Skelton at Warwick the last day, still challenging that day and fairly consistent in the main, he can easily be forgiven that mishap and he did run a highly credible 4th in this last season.
Happy Diva hasn't really fired the last couple of times though she was an honourable second in last season's renewal and now finds herself on a four pounds lower mark. Trainer Kerry Lee will likely have had this race in mind ever since and a big run looks on the cards.
Mister Whitaker is closely matched with a few of these and is another who ran with plenty of credit in this race twelve months ago, his most recent spin at Warwick strongly suggested he was beginning to come to the boil and the drying ground won't bother him one bit. Currently rated 150, you could hardly call him well handicapped although his eye catching course record brings him right into the equation and he is 2lbs below what he raced off last term.
Farclas has performed with credit in three deep handicaps without quite managing to win, his rise in the weights for finishing fourth last time looks very harsh although you just can't help but feel he has a big pot in him.
Cases for quite a few of the others can be made although at the odds, both Mister Whitaker and Oldgrangewood make most appeal and both are given on that score.
MISTER WHITAKER (E/W)
OLDGRANGEWOOD (E/W)
written by Chris Connolly