13:50 Taunton
There are only the five runners going to post in this one, but it is a good looking handicap chase being run over two miles and seven furlongs, for those rated 0-135.
The Fergal O'Brien trained Lovely Job is at the top of the handicap and he has been in excellent form this year. He has managed two wins and two second places from his last four races, at varying distances from 21 to 25 furlongs and either good, or good to soft underfoot conditions. He has risen a long way up the weights due to his consistent form, but gets to run from the same mark as his second place last time out at Aintree, and the drop back down in trip by two furlongs looks sure to help, as he tired badly over 25 furlongs there. The O'Brien yard is in excellent form at the moment, with 11 winners in the last month, therefore, it would be no surprise to see Lovely Job go well today.
Joe Farrell was second last time out at Ffos Las, where he found the soft going over three miles hard work towards the end. The furlong less here and the return to good ground look likely to be of assistance and he has been dropped a further four pounds in the handicap, which is a bonus. This is just his third race to date over the larger obstacles so I wouldn't be surprised to see a decent step forward on this sounder surface.
Beau De Brizais, trained by Philip Hobbs, was a useful second last time out at Stratford on good ground and over today's distance. That was in a lower grade of handicap, however, and prior to that he contested a 0-135 handicap and he was a well beaten fifth when he fell at the last. He is only five years old, so is still very much finding his way over fences, but he will need to find significant improvement here today if he is going to be involved at the business end of proceedings.
The Paul Nicholls trained Captain Bucks has been racing in some good quality hurdles races, and turns to fences for the first time today. His current mark of 124 looks quite reasonable, and if he takes to the fences as expected, he could have a bright future ahead of him. He won a hurdles race over 23 furlongs on good ground at Exeter, so conditions should be nicely in his favour, and it will be very interesting to see how he begins his chasing career.
Today's selection
Lovely Job - 3 points at 6/4.