Day: 19 November 2016

We’ve already advised DODGING BULLETS in the 14:05 at Ascot and CUE CARD in the 15:00 at Haydock, but there’s high-class racing across several cards today and I fancy Nicky Henderson’s VANITEUX to make a winning reappearance in the 15:15 Handicap Chase at Ascot. A high-class novice chaser last season, he narrowly lost to…

Haydock’s Betfair Chase is the first Grade 1 of the English jumps season, run over three miles of mud, and this year’s renewal will be as testing as it is classy. Dual-winner and reigning champ Cue Card trades favourite after defeat on reappearance to the also-present Irish Cavalier in the…

At the weights I fancy ex-Champion-Chaser DODGING BULLETS to land this Ascot Grade 2 chase. His best form is over two miles, where he’s a triple Grade 1 winner was and one of the stars of the 2014/2015 jumps season. Aged eight it’s hard to believe his best days are behind him,…

The last race at Haydock looks set to be an attritional staying handicap. Firebird Flyer was a winner of the Midlands Grand National last year in similar conditions, but it will take a career best off his current mark to be victorious here. Midnight Prayer will also need to produce…