Verdict

Copsale Lad can make the step up in trip pay off, with Tom Fruit, Dumadic and Cool Cossack taken to give him most to do. If Etendard Indien obliges in the opener, many will fancy Copsale Lad to complete a double on the card for Nicky Henderson, and after his second to Liverpool Echo at Kempton 12 days ago, he has every chance of obliging. The eight-year-old ruined his chance last time with a blunder three out, but to his credit he stuck to his task well, and with the extra half-mile and long finishing straight to help, he can make amends. Hopefully he will not remember his last visit here when he was made favourite on his chase debut but unseated his rider at the sixth fence. He was classier than all of these over hurdles and can start to make a name for himself over the bigger obstacles. Tom Fruit won a bumper here in 2003 and has also been successful over hurdles since. By Supreme Leader out of a Phardante mare, Tim Easterby's charge is sure to have been well schooled for his introduction to chasing, but surely has it to do with the selection, as does Dumadic, although in his favour he has a fair bit of experience over fences already. Cool Cossack was always going to be a chaser and gave an encouraging account when second to Toulon Rouge at Kelso. Sue Smith will place him to score in time, but unfortunately today, he and the rest come up against a potentially smart sort in Copsale Lad, who can take this en-route to a crack at the Jewson Novices Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

Formwatch

Cool Cossack (IRE) 5-1 Chased leaders, headway to lead 8th, headed approaching 14th, hit 3 out, blundered next, soon no chance with winner, 2nd of 9, 7l behind Toulon Rouge at Kelso 3m 1f beg chs (D) gd.

Copsale Lad 5-2 Held up in touch, steady headway from 12th, challenged 4 out, every chance when blundered 3 out, no extra from next, 2nd of 8, 3 1/2l behind Liverpool Echo at Kempton 2m 4f beg chs (D) gs.

Dumadic 11-2 Held up and keen, mistake 8th, good headway 12th, tracked winner last, ridden and no impression flat, hung left close home, 2nd of 11, 19l behind Leyland Comet at Sedgefield 3m 3f mdn chs (E) sft in Jan.

Glensan (IRE) 100-1 Mid-division, behind from 8th, tailed off when pulled up 3 out in race won by Kausse de Thaix at Towcester 3m hcp chs 0-95 (F) gs in Jan, 14 ran.

Jacarado (IRE) 18-1 Chased leader until jumped slowly 7th, soon struggling, continued almost a fence behind, last of 4, well behind Premier Estate at Folkestone 2m 5f nov chs (E) gs in Jan.

Jballingall 20-1 Chased leaders, left 2nd 10th, ridden approaching 2 out, soon no extra, 3rd of 10, 17l behind Super Sammy at Sedgefield 2m 5f beg chs (E) sft.

Powder Creek (IRE) 22-1 Held up, behind when mistake 14th, tailed off when pulled up at the 14th in race won by Home James at Huntingdon 3m nov hcp chs 0-125 (C) gs, 9 ran.

Ravenscar 300-1 In touch, lost place when not fluent 8th, well behind from 12th, 7th of 8, well behind Farmer Jack at Newbury 3m chs Grd 2 (A) gs.

Three Spires 14-1 In touch, close up 14th, hit 4 out, weakened 2 out, 6th of 13, 28l behind Red Perk at Kelso 3m 1f hcp chs 0-90 (F) gd.

Tom Fruit 11-4 Tracked leaders, going well when blundered and unseated rider 4 out in race won by Red Georgie at Wetherby 2m 7f nov hdl (D) gs, 6 ran.

Morgan Be 50-1 Took keen hold in rear, headway halfway, weakened well over 3f out, 10th of 17, 39l behind Buena Vista at Doncaster 2m mdn nhf (H) gd in Jan.