Trainers Harry Derham and Emma Lavelle will almost certainly leave their mark at Newbury over the next two days. Whereas Britain’s most successful trainers target the Cheltenham Festival in March with their elite horses, this talented pair are more realistic and aim their best horses at this two-day meeting. For both handlers it is their local track, prize money is good and the racecourse is fair to horses so there are plenty of reasons for wanting to single out the meeting.
The problem from a punting point of view is which of their horses to back. Derham is due to have six runners over the two days, while Lavelle is due to have no less than nine over the same period.
I will start with today’s card. I want to be on PALACIO in the Coral Racing Club Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase (12.45 p.m.). Described by his trainer Sam Thomas as ‘a brute of a horse’ with ‘lots of ability’, this galloping track and decent ground should suit him well. Back him 1 point each at 11-2 with Betfred, Ladbrokes or Coral, all paying a generous three places in a seven-runner race. Most bookies are just paying two places.
Turning to Saturday’s card, I am backing Emma Lavelle’s GUARD DUTY in the Coral Bet Handicap Hurdle (1.40 p.m). He was an improving horse last season, winning two handicaps on the bounce early this year.
Forget his flop at Uttoxeter in mid-March as he scoped dirty after the race that day. Jockey Gavin Sheehan, who has won on Guard Duty before, takes the ride tomorrow so back the eight-year-old gelding 1 point each way at 8-1 with Ladbrokes, paying three places. There are four places available with other bookies paying four places.
The Coral Racing Club Intermediate Handicap Hurdle (2.15 p.m.) – known to many as the Gerry Fielden – has been the target for Harry Derham’s VIYANNI for months as the handler wanted to protect the four-year-old gelding’s mark of just 124 in order to try to land this £31,000-plus first prize.
I would be astonished if this horse isn’t rated a lot higher by the end of the season, especially after he steps up in trip. Back him 1 point each way at 9-2 with William Hill, Ladbrokes or Coral, all paying three places. My slight worry for him though is the forecast for heavy overnight rain as he is untried on very soft ground.
However, I have been waiting for HOT FUSS to run over hurdles over two miles on soft ground ever since he was fourth at the Cheltenham Festival in the ‘Fred Winter’ in March, when he did best of the runners to chase a suicidally fast pace. Odds of 12-1 offered by almost all bookies are too big so back him as well in the same race, 1 point each way at that price, again three places.
I put up at bet for a week ago for the Coral Gold Cup – The Doyen Chief each way at 20-1. That was when I was expecting a final field similar in size to last year’s of 13 runners. In fact, a maximum field of 24 are now due to go to post tomorrow.
With more rain forecast overnight, perhaps enough to turn the chase course soft, I am going to go in double handed with Sam Thomas’s KATATE DORI. The horse misfired when pulled up in that Ultima Chase at the Festival in March but he had been hugely impressive the time before when spreadeagling a decent field at Kempton over three miles. Back him 1 point each way at 10-1 with bet365, Unibet, Paddy Power or Sky Bet, all paying six places. There are slightly bigger odds available elsewhere, less places.
The horse that won the Ultima comfortably in March is Myretown, who can race off an official mark of just 142 tomorrow. If joint handler Lucinda Russell is right that this is one of the best horses she has ever trained, then he is on a winning mark for his seasonal debut but odds of no bigger than 9-2 are skinny in a race as competitive as this.
Last but not least, here’s a suggestion for a second ante-post bet in the Becher Chase at Aintree a week tomorrow (6 December). I have already put up Gaboriot but I want to go in double handed with his stablemate too.
WHITE RHINO was hampered early on in the Grand Sefton, over the Grand National fences, earlier this month. After that he jumped cautiously but under a sympathetic Sean Bowen ride he eventually warmed to his task. The softer ground and longer trip should, as with Gaboriot, improve his chances.
As a hold-up horse, White Rhino is always vulnerable to interference from fallers. However, he has dropped to a nice mark of 137 back him 1 point each way at 20-1 with William Hill, BetVictor, Ladbrokes or Coral, all paying four places. This race is his target and I would expect him to go off a good deal shorter on the day.
I will be looking more closely at the Aintree meeting in a week’s time, along with some early thoughts on the Coral Welsh Grand National on 27 December.
Pending:
1 point each way Palacio at 11-2 for the Coral Racing Club Chase, paying 1/5th odds, 3 places.
1 point each way Guard Duty at 8-1 for the Join Coral Bet Hurdle, paying 1/5th odds, 3 places.
1 point each way Viyanni at 9-2 for the Coral Racing Club Hurdle, paying 1/5th odds, 3 places.
1 point each way Hot Fuss at 12-1 for the Coral Racing Club Hurdle, paying 1/5th odds, 3 places.
1 point each way Katate Dori at 10-1 for the Coral Gold Cup, paying 1/5th odds, 6 places.
1 point each way The Doyen Chief at 20-1 for the Coral Gold Cup, paying ¼ odds, 4 places.
1 point each way Gaboriot at 16-1 for the Becher Chase, paying ¼ odds, 4 places.
1 point each way White Rhino at 20-1 for the Becher Chase, paying ¼ odds, 4 places.
1 point each way Romeo Coolio at 16-1 for the Arkle Chase, paying 1/5th odds, 3 places.
1 point each way Derryhassen Paddy at 25-1 for the Brown Advisory Chase, paying 1/5th odds, 3 places.
Last weekend: – 3.8 points.
1 point each way Cormier at 16-1 for the Racing Podcasts Handicap Hurdle, paying 1/5th odds, 3 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Navajo Indy at 11-1 for the Betfair Stayers’ Hurdle, paying 1/5th odds, 5 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Celtic Dino at 6-1 for the Ascot Hurdle, paying 1/5th odds, 3 places. 2nd. + 0.2 points.
2025-26 jumps season: running total – 11.7 points
2025 flat season: + 84.12 points on all tips.
2024-5 jumps season: – 47.61 points on all tips.
2024 flat season: + 41.4 points on all tips.
2023-4 jumps season: + 42.01 points on all tips.
2023 flat season: – 48.22 points on all tips.
2022-3 jumps season: + 54.3 points on all tips.
Total for six full seasons of tipping: + 126 points
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