BEST of the BETS

Thru' the card Saturday 9th (views
12:05 Tinnahalla He ran a good first race over hurdles at Newbury so hopefully he will be suited by the experience. He was a bit keen the last day but if he settles in the early stages of the race, I’m sure he can go well. Aidan Coleman


12.17pm Tiquer Fingers crossed, this re-scheduled meeting survives, as the three good chances I had on December 27th all are set to run again. And what I said back then stands true here. Tiquer was very good when winning this race for me last season and I think he remains fairly treated off a 5lb higher mark in his repeat bid. I don’t know why he hasn’t been since but he has won off a long break before, but I see he has had a wind op and he certainly has his conditions, and a light racing weight. Paddy Brennan


(12.25) Leylak will be our representative in the maiden hurdle and I think he has a big chance. He has stepped forward from his run at Newbury. As he is four he gets the weight-for-age allowance in this race as well.I have been very happy with him. He looks fantastic and he has done plenty of jumping since. Dan Skelton


12.35pm Slipway It’s nice to pick up a ride for Ben Pauling and although I haven’t ridden this horse before he ran a decent race at Aintree on his first start over hurdles. That said, this looks quite a hot novice hurdle and he’d certainly have to improve again to trouble the leading fancies. Richard Johnston


12.50 – Boyhood I start my day on Boyhood for trainer Tom George. I’ve not ridden him before but he’s got some useful form in the book, although not on his most recent run, so he will need to improve for that. On the plus side he’s a winner on heavy so conditions will hold no fears. T. Scu


1.10pm Smarty Wild Two and a half miles on a right-handed track like Kempton should be ideal for Smarty Wild. He ran a good race at Ascot last time where he jumped really well. He’s still a novice over fences and is very unexposed. We think he’s still improving and even though it’s an open race he should go there with a strong each-way chance. Richard Johnston



13.25 – Adagio I ride Adagio in the Grade 1 Coral Finale, and he’s a horse I rate very highly. We were beaten only by Gordon Elliott’s Duffle Coat at Cheltenham in November, and then went back to that course and won nicely last month. You can question what he beat but the manner of his victory was very pleasing. Obviously the shape of the race changed when Gordon’s pair [Duffle Coat and Quilixios] were unable to travel from Ireland, that left Gary Moore’s Nassalam as clear favourite, and while he’s won his two starts at Fontwell convincingly, we only have 4 pounds to find with him. This is where we’ll find out if Adagio is Grade 1 class. My only slight concern is that really heavy ground won’t suit him as much as the better ground he’s been running on, but he is a horse I really like. Tom Scudamore


13:45 Almazhar Garde He finished a good fifth at this course in March off a 3lb lower mark. He won well at Kelso and maybe the Newbury run came a bit too soon, but he’s given a chance to freshen up. If he gives his best account, he can go well off a low weight but it’s a competitive contest Aidan Coleman


1.58pm Good And Hardy He won here last season and shaped well on his return at this track last month. I think he is still on a fair mark and he is another who will revel in the mud. He has a lot to recommend him. Paddy Brennan



(14.05) Protektorat runs in the Dipper Novices’ Chase, rearranged from Cheltenham on New Year’s Day. He will take a lot of beating in this.
He has jumped well at home, looks great. Obviously we wanted to run him on New Year’s Day but that didn’t happen. This looks like a stepping stone to something bigger. He is in good form and I would like to think he can win this, given the opposition. Obviously I respect the claims of second favourite Messires Des Obeaux but he hasn’t achieved over fences yet what Protektorat has. I think he is the rightful favourite. Trainer Dan Skelton


14:20 Thomas Darby He’s a very consistent horse and has never been outside the top three in his eleven starts. He travelled well a long way at Aintree before getting a bit tired but hopefully with that run under his belt, we will now see the best of him. It’s another competitive race but he looks well in at the weights given his mark of 155. A. Coleman


14.30 – Neon Moon Neon Moon ran well on his first start for the yard, in what was probably a decent bumper for the grade, and we’re not wasting any time in getting him over hurdles. Of the others who have already run over hurdles, Easy As That sets the standard, although he was beaten at Bangor. If my fellow takes to it, which I think he will, David [Pipe] could have found a nice opportunity for him and we can be hopeful of a big run. Tom Scudamore


3.05 Albion Hill

Ambion Hill is a big sort, a chaser in the making, who just needs things to click for him over hurdles, and we think they will.
He’s dropping down the weights to a workable mark so could be competitive here, but it really is all about the future for him. He’s still growing so we’ll get this season behind him and look forward to going chasing. Joe Tizzard.


3.10 Coral Welsh Grand National Handicap Chase (Grade 3) 3m6½f (3m6f130y) (Run In Memory Of Kim Gingell) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (5yo+)

Ramses De Teillee……In the big race, I once again had to make the choice between Ramses De Teillee, and Vieux Lion Rouge. Obviously I picked the wrong one at Aintree last month, where Ramses just didn’t jump well enough, and Vieux did what he does so well over the National fences, and he is four pounds well in here, but I’ve kept the faith with the younger stablemate. He loves Chepstow, and was second in the Coral Welsh National in 2018. Although we’re slightly worse off with Yala Enki from our Cheltenham victory over him, these testing conditions will suit my horse, and the extra couple of weeks break since Aintree should also help him.
I’m happy to put a line through that Becher Chase run and I do think he’s more consistent than Vieux. Whatever happens, I think it’s lovely that the race is being run in memory of Kim Gingell, and if I can’t win it, I hope Christmas In April can for the Tizzards, and I’m sure that’s a sentiment shared by most of the runners. Tom Scudamore


Christmas In April

The Coral Welsh National is a race we target every season, and we’ve been fortunate to win it twice, with Native River and Elegant Escape. It would be extra special to win it this season, as it’s being run in honour of Kim, and in Christmas In April we hope we’ve got the right horse to give it a go.
Unlike our two previous winners, he gets in down the bottom of the weights, and he’s not been affected by the delay to the running of this race, he’s remained in good form at home.
He’s won a Devon and a Sussex National so we know he handles these marathon trips and testing conditions, and he ran a lovely prep to be second in Fontwell’s Southern National in November.
He does need to step up here, he’ll need to produce a career best, but he’s in off a lovely racing weight, and there’s nothing to say he can’t improve. Joe Tizzard


15:30 Ladbrokes Lanzarote Handicap Hurdle (Listed)

Hunters Call………..He’s got plenty of experience in big handicap fields and has had some very good runs this season. The form from his Aintree run is looking strong so hopefully, the step up in trip can help his chances and he can give another good account. Aidan Coleman



Wincanton 15.45 – Molineaux

Molineaux loves it around Wincanton, he saves his best runs for here, and in a small field, Jonjo [O’Neill] can ride him positively, hopefully get the others at it, and give himself a great chance.
Joe