Punters can find some Real Value in the Victor Chandler Sussex National at Fontwell today. The £20,000 contest has been rescued from the abandoned meeting at Fontwell on December 30th and Real Value can reap the benefit.
Gardie Grissell's gelding was one of last season's leading hunter chasers with a fine three-quarters of a length second to Cavalero in the Christie's Foxhunter Chase at the Cheltenham Festival to his credit.
Formerly a smart point-to-pointer, Real Value was only just caught on the climb to the line that day after taking the lead at the third-last fence.
The nine-year-old has faced a step up in grade on his last two starts in handicap chases but he has shaped encouragingly.
Looking in need of the race Real Value lined up for the Charisma Gold Cup at Kempton in October and ran well until lack of a recent outing told on the turn for home. He came home in seventh place, about 25 lengths behind the winner Tremallt.
Last time he showed improvement at Cheltenham. He raced up with the leaders and held every chance three out only to weaken from the penultimate fence, in the end coming home fifth, beaten 18 lengths, behind Royale De Vassey. He ran as though he still needed the outing and he can be expected to improve further on that effort.
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/YVIRIOZQ35EWRPZXR27KGMO6YU.png)