Betfair Chase Day at Haydock plus Ascot Saturday 22nd November 2014

The best Chase run in the UK outside of the Gold Cup celebrates its 10th year on Saturday with another fantastic renewal featuring 6 Grade 1 winners amongst the 9 runners.

A race that since its inception has been dominated by one trainer; Paul Nicholls mainly thanks to Kauto Star.

Last year's impressive winner Cue Card bids to double up & gain a 5th Grade 1 win, he started off his campaign with a fairly lacklustre run in the Haldon Gold Cup (3rd in it last year before winning here). He didn't jump with anywhere near his usual fluency that day & that race needs to have brought him on a bundle if he is to repeat last year's victory.  

     Double Ross has been a consistent handicapper over the last year & his improvement continued with a determined 3rd in The Charlie Hall last time, softer ground here will be a plus for him so he could easily outperform his inflated odds to grab some of the action under man of the moment Sam Twiston-Davies.

Dynaste is class on his day as he showed when waltzing away with the Ryanair at the Festival, he produced a great performance first time up here last year to finish 2nd but that effort clearly left an impression on him as he was hugely disappointing in the King George next time. Stable could not be in better form on his return so that is a huge plus, I have a slight nagging doubt that on truly testing ground in top company 3 miles round Haydock just stretches him though.

Harry Topper makes his seasonal return in the best race he has ever contested, his jumping can be sometimes lack fluency & he will not want to making too many mistakes in this company. Ground is clearly in his favour but he will need to improve.

Medermit has been lightly raced in recent seasons & last year failed to really hit the heights of his fast finishing Ryanair 2nd from 2012, really soft ground is a slight issue & on some occasions so can his jumping be too. However like so many in this field is more than capable on his day.

Menorah produced what to me looked like his best chasing display when easily accounting for several of these in The Charlie Hall pulling well clear. Stable continues in red hot form & he is versatile as regards ground. My one worry is this is his first visit to Haydock & these fences will be some of the stiffest he has faced but otherwise you cannot discount him given how well he looked last time. 

The excuses made after Silviniaco Conti's easy defeat behind Menorah at Wetherby came across as though his trainer was clutching at straws, the slight measurement error  made no difference to the result as the horse was never looking 100% throughout & was well beaten early. He was entitled to need that run but couple that with his strange run in last year's Gold Cup & you have a horse with plenty of questions to answer. He won for me one of the worst renewals so far of The Betfair 2 years ago, his King George win last year rather fell in his lap as all the other major contenders ran below par & his other wins have come in small fields. Sometimes in this sport you are not convinced by a horse & for me Silviniaco Conti is one of those.  

Taquin De Seuil has had two runs so far this season including a strong finishing 2nd in the Charlie Hall last time out his first attempt at 3 miles, a fine first effort considering Wetherby did not look his course. He will love Haydock & especially the ground as he goes very well on deep ground as he showed when easily winning The Challow at Newbury back in 2012 & a decent Novice Chase last year at Haydock. Looks to hold outstanding claims.

The Giant Bolster reserves his best form for Cheltenham as he showed once more with another placed effort in The Gold Cup in March, on two attempts in the Betfair the closest he has finished is a remote 3rd 2 seasons ago. This marks Tom Cannon's biggest ride of his career so good luck to him for that as The Giant Bolster can be a very hard ride.

Taquin De Seuil 11/2 Boylesports / Betfred (PUP) looks a good bet to arrive in the big league.

A new race added to the Haydock card this year is a 2m conditions hurdle which has attracted a very nice 6 runner field;
The New One comes here after winning at Kempton as he did last season albeit less impressively, if the ground gets really testing will it really be in his favour.
The excellent Melodic Rendezvous reappears here instead of taking on Faugheen & it could prove inspired as the ground will be in his favour & he usually runs well fresh. Zamdy Man won his last 2 starts at Haydock in testing ground both times in Listed & Grade 2 company, he missed Cheltenham due to injury & should not be underestimated from his well in form stable. 
Hawk High battled on well as he always does to win at Aintree, the form of which received a huge boost last Sunday with Garde La Victoire's win in The Greatwood, ground will be no issue & he can run a nice race. 
William's Wishes is a 2m chaser of the highest order but is prone to injury hence why we have seen him just once since 2012 where he rattled up a 5 timer over fences. He is likely to need this return & is best watched. 
Aurore D'Estruval hacked up in a poor Mares race at Wetherby, she jumped beautifully that day so definitely has a place chance receiving weight from the boys here.      

A race to watch for me.

The other big race on Haydock's card is a cracking renewal of The 'Fixed Brush' Hurdle which in its short life has produced some cracking good horses including Dynaste.

David Pipe has won the race 3 times in recent seasons & saddles 2 this time around. 

Recent runaway Huntingdon winner Volnay De Thaix is shouldered with 12st which is a massive burden, a classy animal at his best he has some decent form behind Irving last season but even allowing for his win last time coming in a useful race this one is much better & whether he can win it from a mark of 149 is open to question.    

Trustan Times won this race a couple of years ago from the same mark when he was still up & coming, he has not enjoyed great success over the larger obstacles since then but there is no doubting on his day he is a classy staying hurdler at his best.

Uncle Jimmy continues to improve through the ranks & now races off 145 with his young conditionals 7lb claim a big help in a race like this proven on testing ground he has place chances. Aubusson has been seen only on very testing ground under his young rider Miss Lizzie Kelly, her claim offsets his rise after a promising comeback in a good race at Chepstow, clearly a talented horse & another who has place claims at least.

Vieux Lion Rouge was 3rd behind Aubusson that day & his stable are now in much better form. Well regarded by connections he is entitled to improve now stepped up to 3 miles on ground he likes, big chance even the stable jockey has chosen Katkeau. 

Katkeau himself proved how well handicapped he was when winning in very good style on his comeback last Saturday in a good quality handicap, he has only been raised 5lbs for that which seems more than fair & was well fancied when finishing 7th in this 2 years ago. Plenty in his favour here & if he does not bounce after his win last week after his long absence he should take all the beating. Big Easy was in the end a well beaten 2nd behind Katkeau last week, the only hope that connections have of him turning that form around is if Katkeau does bounce. He handled the testing ground fine last week & has to be involved in the shake up on that run. Spirit Of Shankly often flatters to deceive in his races & despite winning last time often comes up short in these better events, ground & trip are a concern. Oscar Rock came to Malcolm Jefferson's with a huge reputation last season & all went well on his first start but thereafter had his limitations exposed, he starts this season on a mark he should be competitive from & if ready to roll has a chance although so far really soft ground has caught him out.

Araldur is lightly raced in recent years, a good handicapper at his best he looks set to struggle here. Sybarite after taking 4 years to win another race has suddenly rattled up a hat trick, on his chase mark he looks quite well handicapped but this a huge test for him. One For Harry continued his improvement with a easy win on return at Carlisle, handicapper has hit him hard for that & he will need to improve again here but at least he will appreciate the ground. Awaywiththegreys has been mixing hurdles & fences with limited success, he just looks in the grip of the handicapper at present. 

Shimla Dawn ran into a well handicapped horse at Wetherby last time, this is by far the toughest race he has encountered in his light career so far open to plenty of improvement he could easily go well for a long way. 

Upswing was a big improver last season but showed next to nothing on his return, no surprise if he leaves that form well behind on testing ground here but does need to improve. Dara Tango has not been seen over jumps since finishing behind the ill fated Our Vinnie in a graded novice 2 years ago, he made the most of a reduced mark on the flat when winning at Catterick a month ago & as with all runners from the Tony Martin stable needs a market check. Kingsmere is better known as a useful handicap chaser, he ran well over hurdles last time out but needs more in this hot race. 

Unique De Cotte could yet add another strong to Pipe's bow if he makes the race as he is the only reserve, he was always getting there when winning after a long break last Sunday at Cheltenham & clearly has plenty in hand from his current mark upped to this kind of grade.

Impressed by Katkeau (5TH) last weekend & he is worth siding with again at a decent price 13/2 BetVictor / Paddy Power.

Down at Ascot where it has been drizzling for a couple of the days the ground will also be verging on the testing side for there big 2 races of the day;
The Amlin 65 Chase has attracted a reasonable field of 6 runners which makes it more of a spectacle than last season's 2 runner affair.   
Last year's winner Al Ferof returns after a lacklustre end to his season last time where it appeared as if trips of 3 miles or more were proving too much for him, it has been widely reported that he will need this on his comeback this time around but is clearly the class in the race & is reunited with Ruby Walsh.
Bury Parade a stablemate of Al Ferof's is an improving youngster who has not yet proved up to this grade, track & ground are fine but may well need the run. 
Fox Appeal is another decent performer who goes well at this course, he shared the spoils at Kempton last time & that may be the limit of his ability in this kind of class although he is open to plenty of improvement. 
Somersby was very disappointing behind God's Own last time at Exeter, that his him an extremely talented performer who can be hit & miss. 
Wishfull Thinking bolted up jumping superbly at Aintree in a strong Old Roan, stable is on fire at present & he handles softer conditions, plenty going for him.
Rajdhani Express unseated early in the Old Roan so never really had a race, good ground probably suits him best but he has form on softer. He ran the race of his career at Cheltenham in the Ryanair & is respected if jumping round.  

Not a race I would be getting involved with.





The big race of the day at Ascot is The Coral Hurdle & it has been chosen as the starting point for strong Champion Hurdle favourite Faugheen who took all before him last season. In reality there is nothing close enough on ratings to trouble him in this race & as long as he jumps round he should remain unbeaten. 
Lac Fontana a horse who had previously struggled to win transformed into a winning machine with a hat trick last season including a County Hurdle & a Grade 1 Novice at Aintree, he was well put in his place by Faugheen's stablemate at Punchestown thereafter so his task is clear here. 
Blue Fashion could yet develop into a really top class animal as we simply do not know how good he is, he has only had one start in the UK with a fine 2nd to the subsequent World Hurdle winner More Of That at Haydock giving him weight, he jumped superbly that day & is a fascinating runner although the stable runners have looked as if needing the run. 
Ballyglasheen was a useful juvenile last year but is well below the standard of Faugheen but he has had a couple of runs so has fitness on his side so could easily fill the frame. First Avenue is a useful if enigmatic handicapper so has plenty on his plate here. 
Hint Of Mint has been running well in the face of difficult tasks so far this season against The New One & in the Elite Hurdle last time. 
Houseparty completes the lineup & faces his own battle to get round.

Another non betting heat.




The other race that stands out on the Ascot card is a 2m1f Handicap Chase; 
Grey Gold won well at Chepstow on his reappearance will need to improve again from his new mark. 
Parsnip Pete continued his progression winning comfortably at Aintree, he remains one to be interested in with ground fine. 
Brick Red is a sound jumper for an ex Flat racer who adores soft ground & comes from a stable who are ticking along nicely, he remains high enough in the weights but could easily go well. Oscar Hill finished 3rd in the Haldon last time which was a career best it would be unwise to take that form too literally. 
Fair Dilemma has had a profitable summer campaign but has plenty on here. 
Lancetto has a chance on his best form & goes well here at Ascot, he is not too badly weighted. Bellenos really didn't jump well enough last time here at Ascot last time & has yet to show that he can cope with this mark. 
Ulck Du Lin bounced right back to his best here last time when running away with his young conditional, on a similar mark to when he danced away with a good quality handicap here 2 years ago & taken into account his riders claim he looks to have an excellent chance of winning again. 
Croco Boy has plenty to find on his best form. 
Christopher Wren will do well to turn form around with Ulck Du Lin on their last meeting & his jumping is not always wonderful.

Decent race in which Ulck Du Lin looks to have another great chance on the figures but it may well be worth chancing Lancetto (3RD) at likely decent odds.

         
    

@fttfracing