It’s Badger Beers Day at Wincanton, which is at all times an important handicap to observe early within the season. There’s a powerful contingent from the Paul Nicholls’ secure at his native monitor to look out for. A bit additional up North, we’ve motion over the Nationwide fences at Aintree and the rescheduled November handicap at Newcastle.
Wincanton
The Outdated Ones Are Greatest
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2:25 – 62nd Badger Beers Handicap Chase (Premier H’cap) – Frodon @ 18/5 (BetVictor)
Frodon carried out so nicely within the Badger Beers final yr, you are feeling as if that is one of the best alternative to get a win this season. The 12-Y-O is presumably one of the liked horses in racing and will probably be unhappy when he leaves the scene. For at present, he’s again on the identical wining mark as he was final yr and may go on any floor in any respect. I feel Nicholls’ different runner, Threeunderthrufive, can be aiming for larger prizes later this season.
Blackjack Magic was an very progressive chaser final season, and goes nicely recent too. He gained’t need the bottom drying out an excessive amount of, as he’s a mud lover. However I feel we’ll be seeing rather more of Blackjack Magic in most of these races this season and is actually attention-grabbing at 9/1 (BetUK)
Ballygriffincottage was on my radar firstly of final season, however issues went awry, and we by no means noticed him at his greatest. His leaping wasn’t nice on seasonal reappearance at Newton Abbot and must rediscover his kind from Haydock this time final yr. He’s off the identical mark as that win and can provide a very good account of himself if he jumps nicely. 16/1 (William Hill) is a good worth.
Perhaps Not Nicholls
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2:25 – Elite Hurdle (Grade Two) – Hansard @ 7/4 (William Hill, Betfred)
This isn’t a Grade Two by any requirements. With 4 runners, and two of them far away from the opposite pair. It’s a match with Rubaud, who formed nicely at Kempton final day trip. However Hansard is a gifted particular person as nicely, and has crushed handsome chaser Grasp Chewy over timber. He gained’t thoughts the situations, and may reverse the shape from the Dovecote in February.
Aintree
Banging The Drum
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2:45 – Boylesports Grand Sefton H’cap Chase – Percussion @ 8/1 (BetUK)
This race is for the mud lovers, because the Nationwide course handed a 9AM inspection yesterday. Percussion is 1/1 on heavy floor, in a weird end at Fontwell (Properly value a watch). Percussion additionally has the added benefit of competing over the Nationwide fences, ending third on this race final yr and the Becher Chase. He’s on a decrease mark than each of these races and could be up there on the elbow.
Frero Banbou is one other that catches the attention. Regardless of not competing over the Nationwide fences, and solely as soon as over two-and-a-half miles, he seems to be the type that might relish the situations. Venetia Williams is hitting a purple patch of kind, and she or he has one that may carry out on the situations. Comparable worth to the principle choice, 9/1 (Normal)
Newcastle
A Wily Alternative
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3:45 – November Handicap – Teumessias Fox @ 6/1 (Normal)
Teumessias Fox has an important document on the All-weather; two wins and two thirds. So, it’s secure to say he’ll be up there. He comes within the race recent and has Callum Hutchinson claiming a vital three kilos, which brings him all the way down to the extent he was within the Spring. High weight gained’t be a lot of an issue and may land the final large prize handicap of the flat.
Chillingham for Ed Bethell is one other runner I discover attention-grabbing for this contest. He each completed and began his seasons with wins in 22/23 and will do the identical right here. His kind on tender floor will go well with the tapeta and is simply a pound increased than a slim loss at Ripon in July. Off a break, he’s one other that might go nicely on the Tapeta; one race, one third. 13/2 (Normal) is a worth available.
Additional down the market, Struth makes a little bit of attraction. A longtime front-runner, he could face issues up the run-in. He’s all the way down to a likeable mark, at which he was headed off the road at Ascot in August. If he runs a scorching race, he could also be arduous to peg again. Unexposed on AW. 18/1 (BetVictor, Boylesports)
The easiest of luck!
