One of three Grade 1 races on Kempton’s famous Boxing Day card, the three-mile Kauto Star Novices’ Chase is notoriously tricky to call and this year looks no different. It must be a decent betting heat with Anibale Fly trading a 3/1 favourite – the Tony Martin-trained J P McManus-owned…
Author: Joel Roberts
1.5pt win Ch'tibello @10/1, 14:40 Kempton, Boxing Day
There’s no Vroum Vroum Mag but we’ve still got a strong field for the Grade 1 Christmas Hurdle on Kempton’s Boxing Day card, run over two miles. My Tent Or Yours somewhat fortunately won this in 2013 when The New One clattered the last, and both horses re-oppose three years…
0.5pt each-way Wolf Of Windlesham @16/1, 15:35 Ascot, Saturday
I’m in no mood to abandon WOLF OF WINDLESHAM in the newly-named Wessex Youth Trust Handicap Hurdle at Ascot on Saturday, after he was twice a winner at big odds for these pages last season and was traveling like a dream when coming down two out in the Greatwood Hurdle…
0.75pt each-way A Shin Hikari @6/1, 08:30 Sha Tin, Sunday
There’s Group One flat action over in Hong Kong early tomorrow morning, and Royal Ascot flop A SHIN HIKARI looks a big price to bounce back to his brilliant best. He won the Longines Hong Kong Cup last year in brilliant style, defying a wide draw by running away with it from…
1pt win Minella Rocco @5/2, 14:40 Aintree, Saturday
Last year’s Grand National winner Many Clouds returns to Aintree for his seasonal reappearance in this Listed three-mile chase – but this slick-jumping nine-year-old isn’t the same horse first time out and isn’t an appealing bet. At 4/1 and behind MINELLA ROCCO in the betting, I reckon the market has this one…
1pt ante-post win Douvan @5/1, Tingle Creek Chase, Sandown, Saturday 3rd December
The best two-mile chasers are set to take centre stage again at Sandown this coming Saturday in the Grade-1 Tingle Creek Chase. Only eight have been declared at this early stage, with Arkle winner DOUVAN left in for Willie Mullins and Rich Ricci. He’s 5/1, and that’s a price well worth taking given…
41/1 Saturday racing treble
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…
1pt win Cue Card @2/1, 15:00 Haydock, Saturday
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…
1pt win Dodging Bullets @11/4, 14:05 Ascot, Saturday
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,…
1pt win Fox Norton @11/4, 13:55 Cheltenham, Sunday
Cheltenham hosts a good-quality card on Sunday, and the Grade 2 Shloer Chase is just one of many hot races. This was the scene of the beginning of the great Sprinter Sacre’s renaissance last season, as he waltzed this on his way to a second Champion Chase crown in March.…