BetBright Chase – Race Preview

BetBright Chase – Race Preview

Saturday sees the annual running of the BetBright Chase at Kempton. The BetBright is a Grade 3 chase contest run over a distance of 3 miles with a total of 18 fences set to be jumped. The race is often seen as a trial for the Aintree Grand National and this year is no different, with a number of Saturday’s runners also entered in April’s Grand National.

Phillip Hobbs has trained the winner of the BetBright on four occasions since 1999 and he will be represented by the current ante-post favourite Champagne West. Having run a game second place in the Caspian Caviar Gold Cup at Cheltenham on his seasonal debut in December, Champagne West was then pulled up in a Grade 3 contest, again at Cheltenham, at the end of last month. He was travelling well that day until the error four fences from home and a repeat of that effort could see him go close on Saturday. He is however prone to jumping errors and against what looks like a high quality of field on Saturday, better value may lie elsewhere.

Ziga Boy comes into Saturday’s race seeking a hat-trick of victories following two impressive wins at Doncaster. Staying on well last time out over 3 miles, Saturday’s trip should prove no issue for the seven-year old but he has however gone up a huge 24 pounds in the weights, set to run off a mark of 141 on Saturday. Off such a high weight in a competitive race, his winning run may well come to an end at the weekend.

Le Reve was runner-up in the BetBright last year and he comes into this year’s renewal on the back of a solid victory at Sandown last time out. Set to run off a mark just 3 pounds higher than last year, Le Reve could well run into the places without being good enough to win.

Trainer Harry Fry has had an outstanding season so far and he is set to be represented by the progressive Thomas Brown. Two wins and a second place in Novice contests this season, Thomas Brown will run off a mark of just 140 on Saturday on his chase handicap debut – 5lbs lower than his hurdles mark. With drying ground forecast, Thomas Brown could well take all the beating.

Paul Nicholls has a solid record in the race, saddling last year’s winner Rocky Creek. He is set to be represented this year by Ruben Cotter, who has been off the track since last April’s Grand National meeting. He has won on seasonal debut before and Saturday’s trip will be no problem, having won over further and he could well run a big race.

Champagne West is the current ante-post favourite at 6 (5/1) with Ziga Boy available at 7 (6/1). Le Reve is currently 8 (7/1), Thomas Brown 10 (9/1) and Ruben Cotter 17 (16/1). The horse racing tip for Saturday’s BetBright Chase is Thomas Brown each-way at 10 (9/1).

By:Scott McGlynn