Bristol De Mai won Saturday’s Betfair Chase by a whopping 57 lengths at Haydock Park and the grey was cut from 16s to 8/1 at BetVictor for the King George VI Chase in the immediate aftermath of the race and was trimmed again to 7/1 yesterday.
Nigel Twiston-Davies’s stable star is 50/1 with BetVictor to win the Chase Triple Crown (Betfair-King George-Gold Cup) but the horse needs soft ground to be seen at his best and he does not strike me as a potential Gold Cup winner.
A cracking card at Kempton this afternoon and in the opener Potterman is looking to maintain his unbeaten record having made a winning start in a Huntingdon Bumper on good ground back in the spring. Nicky Henderson trained the 10l runner up in that event – Raising The Bar – and his Burrows Edge (12.50) gets a narrow vote with David Mullins taking the ride.
The selection finished second in a Newbury Bumper – well backed – on his British debut earlier in the month but ran with considerable promise and can take what looks a most informative contest.
Mullins is over from Ireland principally to ride Henderson’s Brain Power in the Novices’ Chase and he was at his best over timber on a flat right-handed track, at the minimum trip on decent ground. Conditions are described at the time of writing as good to soft and I hope conditions do not deteriorate with rain forecast overnight.
Alan King’s Winter Escape (1.20) has a history of going well fresh, having returned from a long break to finish an excellent fifth in the County Hurdle at Cheltenham back in March. The six-year-old looked a potential star when winning a Grade 2 Novice Hurdle here in February 2016 and this slight step up in trip to 2m 2f should suit.
Morello Royale won the listed OLBG Mares’ Hurdle two years ago and reverts to timber having been chasing in recent starts for Colin Tizzard. She must go close but if she stays today’s 3m trip Irish raider Jers Girl (2.00) will be very hard to beat for Gavin Cromwell and Barry Geraghty.
The selection was beaten 2l by the top class Apples Jade in a Grade 2 earlier in the month at Navan and she is well worth a try at today’s three- mile trip.
The two-and-a-half mile chase is a cracker and Dance Floor King (2.30) gets a narrow each way vote having been hampered at Wincanton last time behind Play The Ace who reopposes this afternoon on 10lbs worse terms.
Good Man Pat makes his handicap debut over 3m for Alan King and must go close having shaped as though a step up in trip would suit when runner up at Stratford over 2m 6f last time. The marginal vote, however, goes to Right Of Reply (3.00) who has his first start for Dan Skelton having cost connections £70,000 at Cheltenham Sales back in June. The selection won at Hexham back in May for Alistair Whillans and Skelton has a reputation for improving horses in his care. Note neither Right of Reply or Good Man Pat would want soft or heavy ground.
At Ludlow, Bright Tomorrow (2.45) looks sure to appreciate stepping back up in trip having passed beaten horses when running over the minimum trip at Fakenham last time. Only a six-year-old the selection had some decent form in Ireland for Jessica Harrington and is potentially very well treated for Warren Greatrex; a check of the market is advised to see if there is any stable confidence.
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