I’m looking at the Becher Chase on Saturday and wondered who on here fancies what. For me, experience over these fences is what I’m looking for.
I suppose King Turgeon will be favourite and with good reason, as he does seem to be improving and going up in the world but 4/1 looks a little cramped for my taste.
I have soft spot for topweight Chianti Classico, who I noted as a novice and owes me nothing. I think it’s a worry that he’s now a stone or so higher in the ratings than when winning at Cheltenham at last year’s festival. This will be his first try at the fences and he may be vulnerable perched at the top there.
Cause Celebre improved to win last time out and has shown form over the fences behind Arizona Cardinal in the spring. He did, however, run unplaced in this last year and I’m not convinced he’s a stayer over 3m, even though he won a race over that distance last time.
There’s no way last year’s winner Chambard can be discounted, given he’s only 5Lbs higher here and with stable in rude health. I see he’s currently 14/1: that seems way too long.
Persuasion seems to enjoy the fence challenge here and has run well over the course and I’d see him as a possible place horse rather than a winner.
For that dubious privilege, I’m fancying Arizona Cardinal strongly. He improved 17Lbs last term, finishing the campaign with a good victory in the Topham over 2m 5f on the soft. Something went wrong last time out and he’s subsequently had a wind op but this will have been a target, I’m sure. He’s jumped the fences, goes in the ground, the stables’s in excellent form and, crucially, I expect him to improve for the extra yardage here. Only 5Lbs higher than the Topham win so, at the moment, he’ll do for me. 12/1 is a lovely price, anyway.
I’ll probably be having a little of the 14/1 for Chambard, too. He must be a live danger.
I suppose King Turgeon will be favourite and with good reason, as he does seem to be improving and going up in the world but 4/1 looks a little cramped for my taste.
I have soft spot for topweight Chianti Classico, who I noted as a novice and owes me nothing. I think it’s a worry that he’s now a stone or so higher in the ratings than when winning at Cheltenham at last year’s festival. This will be his first try at the fences and he may be vulnerable perched at the top there.
Cause Celebre improved to win last time out and has shown form over the fences behind Arizona Cardinal in the spring. He did, however, run unplaced in this last year and I’m not convinced he’s a stayer over 3m, even though he won a race over that distance last time.
There’s no way last year’s winner Chambard can be discounted, given he’s only 5Lbs higher here and with stable in rude health. I see he’s currently 14/1: that seems way too long.
Persuasion seems to enjoy the fence challenge here and has run well over the course and I’d see him as a possible place horse rather than a winner.
For that dubious privilege, I’m fancying Arizona Cardinal strongly. He improved 17Lbs last term, finishing the campaign with a good victory in the Topham over 2m 5f on the soft. Something went wrong last time out and he’s subsequently had a wind op but this will have been a target, I’m sure. He’s jumped the fences, goes in the ground, the stables’s in excellent form and, crucially, I expect him to improve for the extra yardage here. Only 5Lbs higher than the Topham win so, at the moment, he’ll do for me. 12/1 is a lovely price, anyway.
I’ll probably be having a little of the 14/1 for Chambard, too. He must be a live danger.
