Betfair Chase 2023

[Venture to Cognac]

Market up…………

https://www.oddschecker.com/horse-racing/ante-post-racing/national-hunt/betfair-chase/winner

Usually a small field affair, so plenty in there already, who look unlikely to go

The one who looks overpriced right now is Fastorslow at 9’s. I’m not sure of the actual stats, but I’m sure Brassil doesn’t send too many over outside Cheltenham, but at 9’s, I’m very tempted. That’s too big at first glance.

I’ve already bet McFabulous Antepost for two races already, and given he might not come back anyway, that’s risky in itself, but if he got an entry, I’d bet him straight away.

No bet, but Fastorslow at 9’s, is the early shout

Five Days Decs

Finally had a bet, and it has to be my old pal………

Royal Pagaille 8’s

[Tizaaards Cider]

My whistle is starting to be lubricated now. First signs of some nice horses out today at Worcester!

The Charlie Hall is always a race I like the look of before this and as you say VtC it’s usually a small field affair.

Often run in atrocious conditions as well. So the two Venetia horses would be my idea of a wild ante post stab just now. But I don’t see any value in them either. 7’s and 16’s won’t be changing much between now and the off given it would probably be both their first run of the season!

[He Didnt Like Ground]

Bobby putting up grade 1 jumps anteposts ….. happy days are here again , if it’s soft I can see Skelton having his horse ready to go , fill there boots as they now know hes not GC class , will Nichols not go the same route as last season with his horse , not convinced GDC/Fastorslow will turn up , I might tickle Shiskin as well

Pick 3 on Saturday champion 2025/2026

[greenasgrass]

Skelton in confident mood and Protektorat going to be revved up to 90 for this. I think the lows are going to keep rolling in, the rain will keep falling, it’ll be a bog and cut up massively. Here’s the betting after the fav:

Shishkin- won’t run. Nicky hates the race and fancies a crack at the KG. Racecourse gallop as prep.
L’Homme Presse- probable? Tough enough to start but has to start somewhere.
Bravemansgame- won’t run
Gerri – won’t run
Royal Pagaille- Venetia could run both, I suppose, but said he’s a big horse that she doesn’t mind running under a big weight in a handicap
Corach- will he run in a bog? Not sure
Conflated- connections have gone Down Royal-> Haydock in the past with Outlander, but there’s only 2 weeks between them this year and he’s more likely to be kept fresh for the Lexus that he won last year
A Plus Tard + Minella Indo – neither want a bog slog. Won’t run
Minella Drama- might as well run for place money. Has not other entries
Ahoy Senor- ditto with the bog slog comments
Midnight River- Coral/Hennessey thingy
Envoi Allen- his idea of hell. Won’t run

So I make the final field:
Protektorat
L’Homme Presse
Minella Drama
Maybe a Lucinda Russell horse.

I wonder if Robcour would supplement Gentlemansgame. I reckon he could beat 3 of those, and possibly even Protektorat if, say, the Skelton horse has even a hint of a wind problem again.

[He Didnt Like Ground]

I’m backed Shiskin , this is the Skeltons horse gold cup but I think we,ve seen the best of him , I’m just an inkling that Shiskin might be a freak and the farther he goes the better

Pick 3 on Saturday champion 2025/2026

[Mike007]

It’s all going to depend on the ground. The ones with the King George win target won’t want to bust their guts in this.

[greenasgrass]

“I’m backed Shiskin , this is the Skeltons horse gold cup but I think we,ve seen the best of him , I’m just an inkling that Shiskin might be a freak and the farther he goes the better”

I think we’ve seen the best of Shishkin. He has a big engine and when he jumps well, he looks great, but he throws in a few awkward looking jumps too- head to one side, back stiff and hollow, hind end twisting. I think he’s got a dodgy back and I think he was very brave to do as well as he did last season.

[Tizaaards Cider]

I caught something on RTV earlier with Henderson stating he’s probably going to run shiskin in this.

Not really a betting race for me due to the perennial small field. But it’s always high class. As has been mentioned, you’re best off backing something who’s been aimed at it as their number one target and there’s a shortlist of one for that really.

[sporting sam]

I love the ante post chat around these affairs not because some picks are way wide of the mark, but the depth of knowledge which abounds here. Even if wrong for this race, plenty of the thought process stands up in eventual future races…..

[He Didnt Like Ground]

Green Henderson has brought back stars from worse , we’ll soon see

Pick 3 on Saturday champion 2025/2026

[Mike007]

Bravemansgame an intended runner. Though Cobden is going to ride at Ascot instead. Confusing. Why give up a grade 1 winning race ride? Is it just ‘a stroll around’ before the King George?

[FinalFurlong91]

Neither shiskin or bravemansgame will run imo

Very likely going to be heavy in the going description

And the king george is the main aim for both

[Mike007]

Speaking on a press call organised by The Jockey Club, Nicholls said: “Bryan (Drew) who owns Bravemansgame is very keen to run and he has come out of that race (Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby) very, very well. He’s that much older now and it’s another month to Kempton (King George). And it (the Betfair Chase) is a valuable race, so if the ground’s not too bad we’ll run. Daryl has won the race three times and he’s got the experience and came to ride the horse out this morning. Harry (Cobden) is going to go to Ascot, he’s got six rides there including Pic D’Orhy and several others. That’s the decision we’ve made and that’s what Bryan’s happy with. Bravemansgame has taken a large step forward since Wetherby, he hadn’t been for a racecourse gallop or anything as we knew there were bigger targets down the road. So he has come on enormously and he looks great. Let’s just hope for the dry forecast. I expect by Saturday it could be soft, good to soft in places but it’s never quite as bad as it was when it was on the original track there.”

[AndyRAC]

Small field for the Haydock race, and a small field for the Ascot race…….

Why are they run on the same day? Absolutely nuts…..

I’d bin the Betfair race off, and make it a Ltd H’cap the following month….It’s had an adverse affect on the Hennessy….

[Mike007]

I think Shishkin may go to Ascot, Henderson hoping BMG has a harder time at Haydock before the King George.

[Tizaaards Cider]

I can’t see BMG being 4’s on the day.

At those odds I’ll be playing a double of him and Highland Hunter in the Welsh national to small stakes.

[Gladiateur]

“Why are they run on the same day? Absolutely nuts…..”

Yep. Brilliant bit of race planning there.

With both Shishkin and Minella Drama also entered at Ascot, what are the odds that we end up with a 3-runner Betfair Chase after Nicholls deems the ground too testing for Bravemansgame?

[Author]

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