BET365 SCOTTISH CHAMPION CHASE - PREVIEW & TIPS

2:20 MUSSELBURGH
BET365 SCOTTISH CHAMPION CHASE (FOR THE BOWES-LYON TROPHY) (A HANDICAP) (GBB RACE)

A small-field handicap with last year’s winner back to defend his crown against a mix of classier top-weights and improving mid-division types.

SCOTTISH CHAMPION CHASE - PREVIEW

Musselburgh’s Scottish Champion Chase is still a relatively new contest but it has already developed a clear identity. It is a sharp, tactical handicap chase that places a premium on travelling, jumping at speed and holding position around this tight, left-handed circuit. The trip sits in that awkward middle ground too. It is far enough to punish any who waste energy but still sharp enough to expose out-and-out stayers who lack gears. With the going described as good to soft, soft in places, conditions should reward those who can jump slickly and maintain rhythm rather than grinding it out in the mud.

This year’s renewal looks a proper little puzzle despite only eight runners. The class angle is obvious at the head of the weights, but the race also features a proven course winner, a reigning champion who may be arriving here fitter for a recent spin and at least one improver who still has untapped upside at this sort of trip. In a small field, there is nowhere to hide. If they go steady it becomes a sprint from three out. If they go a proper clip, the best jumper who settles will often be the one still travelling when others begin to feel the squeeze.

SCOTTISH CHAMPION CHASE - RUNNER BY RUNNER GUIDE

A high-class handicapper at his best and his recent form suggests he is back operating close to that level, notably when clear of the rest in a Cheltenham handicap in December. The main question is whether he wants the ground drying rather than riding softer and this step up in trip asks him to settle early and jump fluently under top-weight. If he does, his raw ability makes him a major player, but he does not have much room for error giving weight away around this track.

A proven Musselburgh operator who bolted up over this course and distance in a novice handicap at this meeting last season and that piece of course form carries plenty of weight in a race like this. He was not at the same level on his next two starts, but an eight-month break appears to have helped and he returned with a solid third here on New Year’s Day. If that run has brought him forward as expected, he looks one of the most reliable profiles in the line-up.

A veteran with plenty of mileage but he has slipped onto a mark that gives him a squeak if the tempo and track play to his strengths. His fourth here on New Year’s Day was more encouraging than some of his earlier efforts this season, suggesting he may be closer to form than the bare record implies. The concern is whether he still possesses the finishing kick required in a race that can turn into a test of speed between the last two fences.

Last year’s winner and a strong fit for this particular contest, having improved markedly since switching to fences and showing he handles Musselburgh well. He returned to this track on New Year’s Day with a respectable fifth that reads like a prep run, especially given he had been off for a while beforehand. A repeat of his performance in this race twelve months ago makes him very hard to keep out of the frame and there is a strong case that he can step forward from those two runs this season at exactly the right time.

Capable on his day and he has already shown he can win a strong handicap, landing a Premier Handicap at Ascot in November. That said, his follow-up effort back at Ascot was notably below that level and he can be difficult to predict. If he returns to the form of that November success he has the talent to be involved, but he is not the safest proposition in a race where rhythm and consistency are so important.

A likeable, tough type who returned to winning ways at Wetherby five weeks ago and has the right kind of profile for Musselburgh, where fluent jumping is often rewarded. He also has solid race history, having finished third in this contest last year from a higher mark than he runs off now. The big positive is that he is proven in the sort of competitive handicap environment this demands and he looks a genuine each-way threat if he reproduces his best.

A high point last season came when winning a Premier Handicap at Cheltenham around this time of year, but he has not hit the same level in the current campaign. He arrives here on the back of another defeat in that Cheltenham race a week ago and connections now reach for blinkers. That headgear could sharpen him up, but he needs a marked revival to trouble the principals.

Opened his chase account at Carlisle in April but has not shown much on his first few starts for this yard, even if there was a hint of promise when seventh here on New Year’s Day after being in the mix before a late stumble. Being out of the handicap is a significant negative in a tight little race like this. He will likely need several others to underperform to get seriously involved.

SCOTTISH CHAMPION CHASE - FINAL THOUGHTS

The shape of this race is fascinating because it brings together two different winning profiles. At the top end, JPR One has the class to boss a field like this even under 12st, but he has to jump accurately and settle into a smooth rhythm on ground that might not be ideal if it rides more on the soft side. Insurrection is the obvious course specialist, having already shown he can dominate over this track and trip and his New Year’s Day run suggests he is building towards a peak effort.

However, the horse who ticks the most boxes for this specific contest is The Kalooki Kid. He is the defending champion, he handles Musselburgh and his recent run here reads like the perfect stepping stone back into this richer assignment. With only eight runners, track position and fluency at the fences will matter more than ever and he has already proved he can deliver that combination in this race.

Scottish Champion Chase TIPS