Edwardstone sets the standard in Sussex Champion test
The 2.35 at Plumpton may only have five runners, but it is still a proper little handicap chase and one where the market should not be overcomplicated.
From an HRB TimeWise Master angle, the race revolves around the top two. Edwardstone is Rank 1 and Secret Des Dieux is Rank 2. That is the right place to start, because most winners come from that pair of positions and this race looks no different.
Edwardstone has the best overall rating in the field and still brings the strongest class form. He won at Kempton in January, then found Grade 1 company too hot at Ascot, which is no disgrace. Back in a handicap, he looks the horse they all have to beat. He is a 12-year-old now, so there is no hiding from that, but he still has enough ability to win races of this nature and the drop back into this grade gives him a major chance.
Secret Des Dieux is the obvious threat. He is progressive, arrives here after a wide-margin Kempton win and is clearly thriving over fences. Timeform gives him the vote and there is plenty to like about an unexposed six-year-old getting weight from an older rival. The concern is that his comment profile is not as straightforward as the bare form suggests. He has shown a tendency to weaken at times, and that matters in a race where the pace could be stronger than ideal.
That race shape is worth noting. Comment Shaper points towards two front-runners and a strong pace scenario, with Matterhorn and Scorsese the likely early goers. That could make this an uncomfortable race for those forcing it. In theory, that should suit something ridden with a bit more patience.
That brings us back to Edwardstone, who still looks the most solid answer. He is not a horse who needs to lead, and if the pace develops as expected, his proven class and finishing strength should come into play late on.
Matterhorn is not without interest. He was second in this race last year and Paul Nicholls’ runners always command respect in these spring handicaps. He also gets a tongue-tie. The issue is that his best chance may have come in a steadier race, whereas this looks more likely to be run at a proper clip. He is respected, but more as a place player than the winner.
Kotmask has course form and runs in cheekpieces and a tongue-tie, but he looks vulnerable in this company, especially if his jumping comes under pressure. Scorsese is consistent and keeps finding plenty, but he may struggle to dominate and could be vulnerable late if the pace turns too searching.
This looks a straightforward call in the end. Edwardstone is the class act, the HRB Rank 1 horse, and the one with the strongest all-round case. Secret Des Dieux is the progressive danger, but he is being asked to take on a proven veteran who now gets a much more suitable assignment.
Selection: Edwardstone
Main danger: Secret Des Dieux
Confidence: Medium