Uttoxeter preview: Adios Alonso poised to follow-up

Adios Alonso scored in impressive fashion last time out and can make light of a 9lb rise in the weights to follow-up in the 2m 4f handicap chase on this evening’s card at Stratford (18.40).

The Rosemary Gasson trained gelding showed improved form to get off the mark over fences at Stratford when beating Knockyoursocksoff by eight lengths.

Adios Alonso jumped well and travelled strongly throughout before being produced to take up the running at the last and forge clear and score with tons in hand.

The pair pulled 24 lengths clear of the third to give the form a solid look, and it was a performance which suggested the nine-year-old was one to keep onside.

Although now running off a career-high mark of 93, Adios Alonso remains unexposed and open to further improvement over fences having had just three starts over the larger obstacles and may still be ahead of the assessor.

In the 2m handicap chase (19.45), Ulis De Vassy can get the better of Irish raider Five O’Clock Tea to land the spoils.

The seven-year-old became the latest in a long line of horses to improve for the switch to trainer Dan Skelton when scoring in facile fashion by 23 lengths over course and distance nine days ago off a mark of 111.

Ulis De Vassy won in the manner of a horse who was well-ahead of the handicapper, and if turning up in the same form will light work of a 7lb penalty.

Indeed, the son of Voix Du Nord is due to run off a revised mark of 128 in future so is officially 10lb well-in at the weights and impossible to oppose.

Trainer Dr Richard Newland has his team in terrific shape and Significant Move can provide him with another winner in the 2m handicap hurdle (20.15).