ITV4 Racing Tips Friday: Chepstow and Kempton Preview

We had a slow start on Boxing Day, but we finished with a wet sail! Mr McGo ran a blinder, he perhaps got to the front too early and faded late on. Clemencia disappointed, while the ground was too soft for Jon Ess. Fakir D’oudairies endured a luckless passage and can reverse that form in the future. Drumconnor Lad got us off the mark in style, winning in gutsy fashion at 20/1. Clan Des Obeaux scooted home for us too in the King George at 11/2. Not a bad day’s work! Hopefully we have another winner or two today. Check out Dave Stevos’ free ITV4 racing tips Friday below…

ITV4 Racing Tips Friday: 1.05 Chepstow – Handicap Chase (Class 2)

A 7 runner 19.5f handicap chase kicks off the live action from Chepstow on ITV4 on Friday. The progressive Eceparti is short odds to continue his rapid rise for Venetia Williams off a mark of 125. He won by 11L last time at Wetherby (21f sft) but he is 11lb higher here. This is a harder race than the last two he won and he could be worth taking on. The one I like at a big price is Lord Bryan for Welsh handler Peter Bowen.

This son of Brian Boru loves it at Chepstow and he is a two time C&D winner on soft and heavy. He races off 126 here, just 2lb higher than he was for his last win here. Bowen’s charge likes to go from the front and 3 of his 4 wins have come in fields with 8 runners or less. 23.5f on soft was too far for him last time here and that run hopefully blew away the cobwebs. Back in trip at a track he likes and on ground he will relish, Lord Bryan could go well at odds of 22/1.

ITV4 RACING TIPS FRIDAY CHEPSTOW: LORD BRYAN E/W @ 22/1

ITV4 Racing Preview: 1.20 Kempton – Wayward Lad Chase (Grade 2)

The first Graded race of the day is the 16f Wayward Lad Chase for novices and again, it is a small field of just 6. Venetia Williams will be hoping she can land a quick across the card double with Fanion D’Estruval. This 4yo former French performer is on a 5 timer and he won as he liked on his UK debut at Newbury (16.5f sft). It was a very impressive performance but this is a much sterner examination. He is not the highest rated in the race but he brings momentum into it, unlike many of his rivals.

One that looks interesting at double figure odds is Rouge Vif. Harry Whittington’s string struggled early on this season but he is in better form now. This Grade 2 hurdle winner made a great start to his chasing career when beating a subsequent winner easily at Market Rasen. He disappointed at Cheltenham last month but Kempton should suit him a lot better. Whittington had a nice winner on Boxing Day at Wetherby and his two other runners on the day finished 2nd. Hopefully Rouge Vif can continue his good form and he is the each way pick at 12/1.

ITV4 RACING TIPS KEMPTON: ROUGE VIF E/W @ 12/1 NAP

ITV4 Racing Tips: 1.35 Chepstow – Juvenile Hurdle (Grade 1)

A field of nine 3yos will go to post for this Grade 1 Juvenile Hurdle. Run over a trip of 16f, this is a cracking little contest where two of the best young hurdlers from either side of the Irish sea will collide. For the home team Allmankind will look to maintain a 100% record over timber. Rated 90 on the level he has looked a natural over timber and the form of his Cheltenham win has worked out. The 2nd and 3rd both won next time out and it was all the more impressive as Allmankind lost a shoe. However, he is up against a seriously talented operator in Cerberus.  

He was only rated in the low 70s on the flat but he has flourished over hurdles. JP McManus got the chequebook out after his 19L win at Fairyhouse and he was rewarded instantly with a Grade 3 win at the same track last time. Testing conditions suit this son of Iffraaj well and Robbie Power retains the ride. His form is probably not as strong on paper as the favourite but more improvement could be on the cards.

It looks between those two but with nine runners I will be taking a chance on Elysian Flame each way. He too was a seriously good flat horse (rated 91) but he jumped poorly on his hurdles debut last time at Cheltenham. However, he still managed to grab 3rd and the first time cheekpieces could help him jump better. If they work the oracle this horse has the engine to figure and at odds of 14/1 he is the each way selection.

ITV4 RACING TIPS CHEPSTOW: ELYSIAN FLAME E/W @ 14/1

Racing Preview: 1.55 Kempton – Mares’ Handicap Hurdle (Class 2)

Last year’s winner Culture De Sivola will hope to repeat the trick in 2019. However, that win off 135 was her last victory and she has yet to convince that she can win off 140. Chester Williams takes off 5lb which will help, but at odds of 4/1 she could be vulnerable to a better handicapped one. The one I like here at a half decent price is Coded Message for Ben Case and Kielan Woods.

This 6yo daughter of Oscar produced her best run of the season last time back up in trip at Doncaster. She was beat less than 2L off 117 (24.5f gd/sft) and her career form figures at 23f or further read 22. Her maiden win came on heavy so soft ground won’t be an issue and some of her best form has come on flat tracks, so Kempton should suit her well. She has a nice racing weight and at odds of 8/1 she is the each way pick in an open race.

ITV4 RACING TIPS KEMPTON: CODED MESSAGE E/W @ 8/1

ITV4 Racing Tips Friday: 2.10 Chepstow – Handicap Hurdle (Class 2)

This 3 mile heat will be a proper stamina test on the forecast soft ground. It looks a decent contest and you could make a case for a few of them. The favourite Acey Milan is a horse I really rate and back on soft ground he should win this off 132. He ran a blinder last time at Haydock in a better race than this. He chased home Stoney Mountain on good to soft ground and clearly he has regained his confidence. Anthony Honeyball’s charge was a very good bumper horse but he was disappointing in his first season over timber. He will relish conditions and he is the one to beat.

Of those at bigger prices, Carnspindle looks an intriguing runner returned to hurdles. She has had 7 chase starts, failing to win any of them and she looks well handicapped on her return to this discipline. She races off a rating of just 121 here, 3lb lower then for her last win which came over this course and distance. That was on soft ground too, so if she is anywhere near her best she should be there or thereabouts. At odds of 20/1 Carnspindle is worth backing each way for small stakes.   

ITV4 RACING TIPS CHEPSTOW: CARNSPINDLE E/W @ 20/1

ITV4 Racing Tips ITV4: 2.30 Kempton – Desert Orchid Chase (Grade 2)

Only five runners go to post in this Grade 2 and it is not a race I have a strong opinion on. Bun Doran could go well at a half decent price but it just depends what sort of form his opponents are in. The top three in the market are hardly the most consistent of horses and I won’t be backing anything in this contest. No bet.

ITV4 RACING TIPS: NO BET

ITV4 Live Racing Preview: 2.50 Chepstow – Welsh Grand National (Grade 3)

The big race of the day on Friday is the Welsh Grand National. Elegant Escape bids to make it two wins in a row but I think a couple are worth backing against him off top weight. This race is the target of The Two Amigos and he has had a couple of prep runs to put him right. He shaped really nicely at Fontwell last time (27.5f sft), beat just under 5L off 142. He carries just 10st 8lb here and he won’t lack for assistance from the saddle with Matt Griffiths on board. The Two Amigos has won at the trip, will relish the ground and he looks overpriced at 20/1.

At even bigger odds, Virginia Chick could play a part for Evan and Isabel Williams. With her 7lb claim he carries a measly 9st 8lbs and this race could be run to suit him. The son of Nickname loves to be held up and played late, just like he was for his Novice Chase win. Isabel Williams gave him a peach of a ride that day at Exeter (24f sft) and it was her fourth win on him.

He has form figures of 11 at Chepstow and most interestingly of all, he is 22lb better off with Now McGinty for a 7L defeat over hurdles at Warwick in March 2018. He does lack experience as a chaser but if his jockey can hunt around at the back he could stay on late and have a say. At odds of 33/1 he could give each way backers a decent run for their cash.

CHEPSTOW RACING TIPS: THE TWO AMIGOS E/W @ 20/1 NB; VIRGINIA CHICK E/W @ 33/1 (BOTH 5 PLACES)

ITV4 Racing Tips Friday: 3.05 Kempton – Handicap Chase (Class 2)

The final live race on ITV4 this Friday is a handicap chase. As I said earlier, Harry Whittington’s horses are hitting form and the booking of crack 5lb claimer Ben Jones for Bigmartre is eye catching. This son of Montmartre ran poorly on his first two runs this term. His yard was badly out of sorts though and they have turned the corner now. His is now rated 145 and with Jones’ claim he races off effectively the same mark off which he won at Perth by 16L back in April.

He has yet to race beyond 2m 5f, but his pedigree suggests he should stay 3 miles. Kempton is a good place to try it for the first time and he has winning form over hurdles there. Bigmartre has done most of his winning on good ground but he handles anything (won on heavy, placed on soft). If Ben Jones can poach a lead and get him into a rhythm he could make a bold bid. At odds of 16/1 Bigmartre is the each way selection.

ITV4 RACING TIPS KEMPTON: BIGMARTRE E/W @ 16/1