2.50 3m. 1f. 23 Declared. Ultima Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race) (Class 1 ) of £125,000.00 5-y-o plus
1st - €70,338.00 2nd - €26,500.00 3rd - €13,262.00 4th - €6,625.00 5th - €3,325.00 6th - €1,662.00 7th - €825.00 8th - €425.00
Formscan - Novices filled the first five places in last year's renewal, which brings progressive chasers such as Monbeg Genius and Oscar Elite into the equation, with both arriving in winning form. CORACH RAMBLER was the winner 12 months ago, doing well to overcome traffic from the rear and staying on strongly to get up near the finish. Lucinda Russell's inmate is now only 6lb higher than for that success, due to being dropped 1lb for a respectable fourth in the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury in November, and he is taken to successfully defend his crown. Nassalam is feared most after staying on into third over an extended 2m4f here on New Year's Day and he looks the type to relish this step up in trip over 3m1f. The Irish last won this race in 2006 with Dun Doire, with Death Duty of Gordon Elliott doing best of the Irish contingent when finishing sixth in last year's renewal. This year he has a sole representative in The Goffer, who was last seen winning an ultra-competitive event at Leopardstown last month, and the seven-year-old shouldn't be underestimated, despite still having to prove his stamina over this longer trip. Into Overdrive is another to note having won two premier handicaps at Wetherby this season and a 5lb rise for his latest success on Boxing Day shouldn't prevent him from being competitive, although the lack of course experience may count against the eight-year-old.