'The three-mile trip and soft ground should be right up his street' - trainer quotes and analysis for a competitive handicap chase

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Should Exeter survive the forecast deluge this 3m handicap will be a proper test on bottomless ground.

Vision De Maine ran well in a handicap chase at Ascot on a much quicker surface on his return, but has no issues with soft ground. He only just failed to stay 3m4½f in the Sussex National at Plumpton last season, so should have the reserves for this.

That can't be said about all of his rivals, with forecast second favourite Gyenyame mostly kept to shorter. He got this trip well enough over course and distance last time, but that was on much quicker ground so does have something to prove.

Not quite as much as Rosscahill, though, as he stopped to nothing on his return at Ffos Las and finished weakly when favourite upped in distance on his final start last season.

Joint-topweight Isaac Des Obeaux has flattered to deceive more often than not, but he is taking a large drop in class after running in a Listed chase at Cheltenham on his return, albeit a weak one for the grade. 

The interesting one might be the other joint-topweight Coolvalla, who won a string of soft-ground staying races in the 2022-23 season, including one here, and ended up running fifth in the bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown. The downside is that he has been absent for 964 days since.

He's been allowed 8lb for his absence and represents Chris Gordon, whose stunning season is showing no signs of abating.
Analysis by Paul Kealy

Going and weather 

The going was described as soft, heavy in places, on Wednesday, but the track will inspect at 7.30am on raceday due to the threat of between 15-40mm of heavy rain.

Clerk of the course Jason Loosemore said: "The rain will get heavier overnight, ease off a bit early on and then become heavier again between 9-10am and then be set for most of the day. If we get the lower end, we'd be happy as we can be, but if we get 40mm then it'll get a bit edgy."

What they say

Tom Lacey, trainer of Operation Manna
He's been off the track for a long time, but has done plenty of work and should come on for the run. He's schooled nicely.

Nigel Twiston-Davies, joint-trainer of Rosscahill
He disappointed first time over fences, but was consistent over hurdles last season. The three-mile trip and soft ground should be right up his street.

David Pipe, trainer of Vision De Maine
He ran nicely first time out at Ascot and has come forward since that run. It looks competitive, but he's at the right end of the weights. We’ll see if he wants it as soft as it’s going to be.
Reporting by Sadie Iddenden

Three things to note

By David Carr

1. What better way is there to celebrate reaching a prize-money landmark than by, well, winning more prize-money? Tony Carroll may just have passed £1 million in earnings for the season, but he is keen for more and has two big chances in the £40,000 sprint final at Chelmsford (7.30) this evening. Justcallmepete is on a hat-trick after wins at Kempton and here late last month yet remains 3lb lower in the handicap than when scoring over this course and distance in 2023, while stablemate Charlie Mason has finished first or second in five of his last six starts and ran to his highest ever all-weather Racing Post Rating the last time he raced on this surface.

2. Jamie Snowden asked Grade 2 hurdles winner Hollygrove Cha Cha a tough question in a smart intermediate event on her chasing debut at Carlisle and felt she "ran a belter" in finishing third of four. Her jumping was novicey, however, and she went left on occasions and it is far from certain she will take advantage of the 6lb she receives from Bluey in the 2m1½f mares' novice chase at Exeter (1.00) as that rival impressed over her fences when winning at Kempton and again when fourth in a competitive novice handicap chase at Newbury. As they say, jumping is the name of the game.

3. Classic colts do not make their debuts in a 6f novice (1.52) at Southwell a week before Christmas. Or do they? Well Firewalker is entered in the Irish 2,000 Guineas, one of just five put in the race by increasingly powerful owners Amo Racing. He evidently has something about him as he was bought for 360,000gns as a foal, two years ago this month. He's a Kingman half-brother to Group 1-placed sprinter Dragon Symbol, who made a winning start himself in a Class 5 novice on the all-weather. Firewalker attempts to do the same here in a contest for which the first prize is less than one per cent of his purchase price.

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