Can stable debutant Not Long Left continue Venetia Williams' fine form in staying handicap chase?

Venetia Williams has been firing in winners left, right and centre and Not Long Left is tasked with keeping up the good work for the yard. He seems certain to be popular on his first start over fences and stable debut.

Williams is as good as anyone at having her runners ready following a long absence, and we haven’t seen Not Long Left since he ran out a fortunate novice hurdle winner on his final start for Christian Williams 562 days ago. The former three-mile point-to-point runner-up is bred for this game, but faces a stack of rivals with something to recommend them on their best form. 

The last time Autonomous Cloud ran at Uttoxeter he was fourth in the Midlands National, seemingly failing to stay that extreme distance. 

Post Chaise enjoyed a productive spring but lacked the pace to lay up with them over two and a half miles at Bangor last time. That race, won by his highly progressive stablemate Jagwar – who runs in the novice handicap earlier on the card – appeals as strong form with the second and fourth winning on Friday. 

Imperial Alex drops in class after his four-timer bid was thwarted in the Summer Cup here when last seen in June. The Tom Lacey-trained seven-year-old was 8lb wrong that day and unsurprisingly struggled in a warm event, but rates a big player if ready to rock for his first start since.

It is probably also worth forgiving Fantastikas his laboured effort at Wincanton last time. A right-handed track on a quick surface are the opposite set of circumstances Fantastikas requires to excel, and the handicapper has given him a chance.
Analysis by Robbie Wilders

Going update

The going was soft, good to soft in places on Monday afternoon when clerk of the course Richard Fothergill said: “Thankfully, we’re the right side of a storm for a change. Last season, we always ended up in the eye of the storm. At least this year we're a couple of days afterwards. It’s still quite breezy here today so I imagine it’ll be good to soft, soft or soft, good to soft by the time we get to racing. It could well ride quite tiring because the top will dry and it could be quite tacky ground.”

What they say

Olly Murphy, trainer of Here Comes McCoy
He progressed over fences last season and will have to improve again off a career-high mark. He loves soft ground.

Kim Bailey, trainer of Broomfield Present
We’ve waited for soft ground. He's in a really good place and is a really nice stayer in the making.

Oliver Greenall, joint-trainer of Post Chaise
He'll have come on from his run at Bangor but he's not thrown in. I think he's probably still a little bit too high in the handicap but we'll see.
Reporting by Charlie Huggins

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