Roberto Goldback was well below his best in the Scottish National last time, pulled up having lost his place, but he has been given a chance by the assessor and could offer decent value in the extended three-and-a-quarter mile handicap chase at 16:00. Now a twelve-year-old, Roberto Goldback is in the veteran stage of his career, but he showed on a couple of occasions last season that he retains a fair chunk of ability - his third in the Kim Muir at the Cheltenham Festival being a case in point - and this represents a drop in class for Nicky Henderson's charge. Racing off a 5 lb lower mark than when third at the Cheltenham Festival, Roberto Goldback could be capable of delivering one last hurrah.
A useful handicapper on the Flat for Roger Varian, Ittirad got off the mark over hurdles at the third time of asking, easily winning a novice affair at Market Rasen last August, and he makes plenty of appeal in the 16:35 Last seen finishing third in a handicap hurdle at Fakenham seven months ago, Ittirad shaped as if he was capable of striking from this sort of mark, simply needing to be ridden with greater restraint to utilise his relative speed. The step up in trip is not certain to suit, indeed it is probably a slight negative, but the application of a hood could help Ittirad to settle, and he can show himself to be well handicapped.
Like so many horses before him, Neverownup (17:10) improved for the switch to the Dr Richard Newland yard, producing just about a career-best effort to win at Worcester on Wednesday, and he looks the type to run up a sequence. Neverownup, who was well backed at Worcester, was always travelling well in touch, never in any danger once committed for home still going strongly as they turned for home, and he clearly has loads in hand now that his shrewd new stable have found the key to him. That Worcester success was achieved over hurdles, and Neverownup looks absolutely chucked in racing from a lower mark in this handicap chase.
Timeform UK SmartPlays:
All at Fontwell
Back Roberto Goldback in the 16:00
Back Ittirad in the 16:35
Back Neverownup in the 17:10
