Herefordshire trainer Tom Symonds has his string in fine form with four winners from his last eight runners for a strike rate of 50 per cent over the past fortnight. Even his supposed no-hoper Gaelic Saint comfortably outran her odds at Warwick yesterday when second at 50-1 in a mares’ novices’ hurdle.
Tomorrow one of Symonds’s stable stars NAVAJO INDY will try to keep up the good work for the yard at Haydock when he contests the Betfair Stayers’ Handicap Hurdle (2.25 p.m.) in search of a first prize to winning connections of nearly £57,000.
At six years old, this progressive and consistent hurdler should be reaching his peak and Navajo Indy shapes as though this three-mile trip, which he is trying for the first time, will suit, even though all his best form last season was over two miles.
There was plenty to like about his seasonal debut when he was runner-up to French Ship at Cheltenham last month despite a mistake at the second last. Back Navajo Indy 1 point each way at 11-1 with BetVictor or Coral, both paying five places.
I had expected to go into this race double handed with Hartington, from another in-form stable, but his price has halved over the past 48 hours after trainer Joe Tizzard booked champion jockey Sean Bowen for the ride. At odds of around 6-1, I am happy to let him go unbacked in this competitive 17-runner contest.
In the big race of the day at Haydock tomorrow, the Grade 1 Betfair Chase (3 p.m.), only five horses line up for a first prize of more than £112,000. Grey Dawning is the hot favourite for the in-form Skelton team, while Royale Pagaille, who has won the last two runnings of the race, bids for a hat-trick but on ground likely to be faster than ideal for him. I am a great admirer, too, of both Haiti Couleurs and Handstands and so, on balance, I will simply watch this race and savour it.
Instead, at a much bigger price, I am going have a bet on an old friend of mine CORMIER, who I backed at tasty odds when he won Kelso’s Morebattle Hurdle three years ago. Brian Ellison’s nine-year-old gelding missed the cut last weekend for the Unibet Greatwood Hurdle, when he would have loved the very soft ground.
He is unlikely to get it quite as soft as he ideally wants tomorrow but nevertheless back Cormier 1 point each way at 16-1 for the Betfair Racing Podcasts Handicap Hurdle (1.15 p.m.) with William Hill, Ladbrokes or Coral, all paying one fifth of the odds, three places. Rain is forecast for tomorrow morning and the more the better for this bet.
Turning to the Ascot card tomorrow, regular readers of this blog will know that I think the form of last month’s DragonBet Welsh Champion Hurdle at Chepstow is rock solid, all the more so since the runner-up Alexei franked it by winning the Unibet Greatwood Hurdle at Cheltenham on Sunday.
The horse that beat Alexei at Chepstow, giving him plenty of weight, is CELTIC DINO, who is stepping up in class tomorrow for the nine-runner Grade 2 Ladbrokes Ascot Hurdle (2.40 p.m.). Trainer Sam Thomas’s six-year-old gelding has plenty to find on official ratings but I am certain he is better than his 144 mark.
He also has winning form at Ascot, the ground will be perfect for him and he should handle the longer trip too so that’s plenty of boxes that are ticked. Back him 1 point each way at 6-1 with bet365, Ladbrokes, Coral or BetVictor, all paying three places.
Even though there is plenty of good racing to concentrate on this weekend, I can’t resist looking ahead to two big handicap chases, with a view to a big-priced ante-post bet in each one.
Trainer Alan King once tried to win the Coral Gold Cup – when it was still the ‘Hennessy’ – with his fabulous grey Smad Place without giving him a prep run. That proved a task too far and so King learnt his lesson and the following year he gave Smad Place a prep run, before this time winning the big race.
A decade on, King has given his horse THE DOYEN CHIEF an outing prior to the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury a week tomorrow (29 November). The eight-year-old gelding was second in his prep run at Bangor-on-Dee this month when a mistake at the last cost him his winning chance.
That could be a blessing in disguise because, if he had won, he would have to shoulder a 4lb penalty at Newbury. Back The Doyen Chief 1 point each way at 20-1 with bet365, paying four places. I will look at this race in closer detail in a week’s time.
I also want a financial interest in the Becher Handicap Chase at Aintree on 6 December, run over the Grand National fences. For the second time in two years, GABORIOT was placed in the William Hill Grand Sefton Chase over the National fences earlier this month, a contest over two miles and five furlongs.
However, as a winner over four miles in the past, I am certain Gaboriot will be better suited by the extra half mile of the Becher. Even if he has to race from 3lb out of the handicap proper, which will happen if the weights do not go up, I think he has a big chance of landing the prize. Back Gaboriot 1 point each way at 16-1, four places, terms being offered by almost all major bookies other than Ladbrokes or Coral, who are two points shorter.
I am greatly looking forward to Newbury’s two-day Coral Gold Cup card starting a week today and will have plenty of thoughts on both days’ racing this time next week.
Pending:
1 point each way Cormier at 16-1 for the Racing Podcasts Handicap Hurdle, paying 1/5 odds, 3 places.
1 point each way Navajo Indy at 11-1 for the Betfair Stayers’ Hurdle, paying 1/5 odds, 5 places.
1 point each way Celtic Dino at 6-1 for the Ascot Hurdle, paying 1/5 odds, 3 places.
1 point each way The Doyen Chief at 20-1 for the Coral Gold Cup, paying 1/4 odds, 4 places.
1 point each way Gaboriot at 16-1 for the Becher Chase, paying 1/4 odds, 4 places.
1 point each way Romeo Coolio at 16-1 for the Arkle Chase, paying 1/5 odds, 3 places.
1 point each way Derryhassen Paddy at 25-1 for the Brown Advisory Chase, paying 1/5 odds, 3 places.
Last weekend: + 3.6 points
1 point each way Eldorado Allen at 8-1 for the Unibet Middle Distance Veterans’ Chase, paying ¼ odds, 3 places. 1st. + 9.6 points.
1 point each way Bad at 16-1 for Paddy Power Gold Cup, paying 1/4 odds, 4 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Royal Rambler at 16-1 for the Paddy Power Intermediate Handicap Hurdle , paying 1/5odds, 4 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Last Rodeo at 14-1 for the Paddy Power Intermediate Handicap Hurdle , paying 1/5 odds, 4 places. Non Runner. Stake returned.
1 point each way Wilful at 10-1 for Greatwood Hurdle, paying 1/4 odds, 4 places. Non runner. – 2 points.
2025-26 jumps season: running total – 7.9 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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