fourtothefloorracing's blog: Betfair Chase: Saturday 23rd November 2013

Hello & welcome along to my new blog, the weather has really turned with the biting wind & low temperatures becoming the norm over the last week winter has finally arrived.

I paid my first visit to Wincanton racecourse on Thursday which was a lovely surprise.

Tucked away in the Somerset countryside off the A303 it is a small & compact course with welcoming staff members. My friend drove so I took the short train journey from Bracknell to Didcot & 1hr 30mins later we arrived at the course much easier than using the train. The only negatives for the drive in were as you came off the A303 the signpost had been knocked over presumably by an accident & from there on the signs were sporadic at best including the car park sign for the racecourse which we whizzed passed & I only caught out of the corner of my eye.

I found Wincanton an easy course to navigate & the staff were very friendly. The course itself is even tighter than it looks on TV with quite a climb from the back straight into the home straight. The fences also take some jumping so all it was all the more impressive the way Miss Tenacious jumped for fun never putting a foot wrong in the 2nd race on Thursday alas the mares Novices Chase was a disaster error strewn with only 1 finishing from the 6 runners.

Views are excellent from both the Grandstand & Members, the positioning of the big screen is perfect as is the betting running along the bottom of the screen so as not to minimise the effect of the big screen.

The only negatives were no card payment facilities in the Grazers area in the Badger Bar which is actually a fabulous facility for such a small facility serving a great array of foods at reasonable prices. I was also disappointed that the confectionery truck that you see at most courses apparently does not attend Wincanton anymore so there was no where to buy an obligatory cigar. The other criticism is more to do with my phone network O2 than Wincanton itself as I had no Internet all afternoon even the wifi was very limited yet my friend who is on '3' had perfect connectivity. All in all one of the best small racecourses I have been to & I would quite happily attend again a solid 7/10.

I followed up my two days of National Hunt action with a much shorter trip up the road to Ascot for the first day of their 2 day meeting on Friday. A disappointing turn out for some of the races but a card full of intrigue in which the performance of the day came from Niceonefrankie (see below) who was ridden with the utmost confidence by the excellent Liam Treadwell to eventually bolt up by 13 lengths.

Onwards to tomorrow's action & I certainly cannot remember a race so stacked in quality this early in the season as The Betfair Chase; out of the 8 runners 7 have won at the highest level. Those races include Gold Cup x 2, King George x 2, Feltham x 2, Ryanair, Champion Bumper, Ascot Chase, Betfair Chase, JNWine.com Champion Chase, RSA Chase, Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle.

Bobs Worth

Current Gold Cup Title holder who makes his seasonal debut, some within the racing fraternity are questioning as to whether he will be vulnerable first time out which seems an odd train of thought as he won a corking Hennessy first time out last year. This horse probably still does not the credit he deserves as he is not as flashy as the horses we have been royally treated to over the last decade but he gives you everything & whatever if anything beats him Saturday will know they have been in a race.

Cue Card

Cue Card is the name on the majority of lips from racegoers to race writers this week, stepping up to 3 miles for a second attempt after fading on atrocious ground in last year's King George, he had travelled beautifully into the race before the ground caught him out. That has to be the worry tomorrow as Haydock is already soft after heavy rain this week & I doubt this excellent chaser wants real deep ground over this trip. I have no doubt he will stay 3 miles on good to soft but really soft ground is a worry.

Dynaste

Bold jumping grey who won the Fixed Brush Hurdle on this card 2 years ago who was only beaten once in his Novice season when I think finding the fast pace & trip of 2m4f slightly too short at Cheltenham. He missed the Paddy Power in favour of this which I believe to be the right move, this race & the King George are his 2 early season targets so expect him to be pretty straight for tomorrow.

Long Run

The famous picture above is sighted as one of the reasons for his lacklustre run at Wetherby a few weeks ago but in all honesty he has been liable to hit one. He went out like a light at Wetherby, since coming from France this horse has had so many hard races & may finally just be feeling it. Not for me

Roi Du Mee

Roi Du Mee gained a deserved Grade 1 success after his consistent efforts in lesser company a few weeks ago when beating Sizing Europe & a lacklustre First Lieutenant. It will take an almighty effort to topple the cream of the crop but he should not be underestimated as he is a bold jumper who is clearly in top form & with the dead could be an each way horse

Silviniaco Conti

Last year's winner is just not an animal I like, he would not have won the Gold Cup last year as some pundits have said, he was not travelling as well as some may lead you to think as before his fall Ruby had started to ask him. Some of Paul Nicholls have been running well while some have been awful as the former Champion Trainer eluded to last week so a lot is taken on trust with this horse. Fresh may be best for him if he is one of the Nicholls string that is in form.

The Giant Bolster

How can you not like this horse?

Small Trainer, Small Horse & Small Owner who is always underrated yet has been been 4th & 2nd in the last 2 Gold Cups, can really clout a fence or 2 yet has a really big heart. He is not quite top class but he always has a go in the big league. I nearly raised the roof the year he was 2nd at Cheltenham as I had backed him at 100/1 ooh so close.

In recent seasons he has needed his first run & in a stellar line up is likely to struggle but don't be surprised to see him bang there at his beloved Cheltenham in March.

Tidal Bay

And finally but not least the reformed enigma that is the 12 year old Tidal Bay, he has all the ability in the world & you couldn't write him off but surely he can't beat these rising 13?

He looked in great order over hurdles at Wetherby recently so clearly retains all his ability & love of the game. Match fitness will count for a lot tomorrow but still it will be some effort.

All in all the most fabulous of races in which I wouldn't want to consider having a bet so instead I think it will be between Bobs Worth, Dynaste & Roi Du Mee running into a place.

The Fixed Brush Hurdle is another excellent race on what promises to be an excellent card at Haydock in which Trustan Times bids to defy top weight for a 2nd year running. The race is in its 8th year & has produced some fabulous horses.

2 x 7 year olds / 2 x 6 year olds / 2 x 5 year olds & 1 x 4 year old

Carrying between 11-12 - 10-10

Horses carrying Top Weight have won 4 renewals

David Pipe has trained 2 winners

David Pipe relies this year on another grey in the shape of Gevrey Chambertain who is of course former winner Grands Cru's full brother. He started of last season in good style winning 3 before losing the plot at the big spring festivals, his brother is now a shadow of his former self so has it already started with his younger brother? You would hope not & he has been well backed this week so you have to see how he goes on Saturday before thinking he is going on the same downward spiral as his older sibling.

Trustan Times won this race is grand style from top weight last year on his seasonal debut, this year he has already had a run & not a very good one at that behind Tidal Bay at Wetherby.

Gullinbursti comes from the still in-form Emma Lavelle stable who have many well handicapped horses after an abysmal season last time around. I don't believe this horse is up to this against some quality opposition. Master Of The Sea is another to have been well backed all week, he excelled all last season rising 114 to his new lofty mark of 143, its a tall order for me. Lie Forrit bounced back on his first start for another in-form trainer Lucinda Russell, formerly a classy hurdler he rates a danger out on the lead but Two Rockers (see below) is my idea of the winner a very classy Novice Hurdler on extreme ground last season as he showed when hacking up over today's course & distance in February. A staying chaser of the future he can take this before going fencing.

I am really looking forward to seeing the exciting Clondaw Kaempfer (see below) back on the track at Haydock earlier in the card, no Novice Hurdler impressed me more last season with his superb slick quick jumping. All did not look good after he was pulled up in the Challow at Newbury, thankfully he got through it & I hope he can resume the progress of his Novice campaign from a very tempting mark tomorrow but for win purposes he will face a good test from Zuider Zee who was badly in need of his first run at Huntingdon recently a race in which he travelled fabulously until tiring, he will appreciate the softer conditions tomorrow.

Ascot's 2nd day is unfortunately not where I'm headed tomorrow for me it's Ikea on a Saturday as preparations continue for the arrival of my first child but I do hope to be back in time to catch all the fabulous action on the Tele Box.

Carraig Mor should maintain his unbeaten record in the first & cement his place at the top of the Albert Bartlett ante post markets.

Both feature races have attracted disappointing turnouts with only 3 runners in the Amlin 1965 Chase which is basically a match between the returning Al Ferof who won last season's Paddy Power in good style, he I'm sure will need the run but I imagine connections will need to see something if he is to go to the King George while last year's winner Captain Chris will be primed for a repeat.

The Ascot Hurdle sees what is believed to be the first of many Saturday raids on our big races by the master Irish trainer Willie Mullins in the shape of the unbeaten Annie Power