IT is the second day of the Christmas Festival at Kempton headlined by the Desert Orchid Chase and the Welsh Grand National is the feature at Chepstow where conditions are likely to be testing. Thankfully the deluge forecast for Chepstow might not be as severe as predicted on Christmas Eve with 33mm then expected on raceday, whilst the course at the time of writing will get 17mm on the current good to soft this may still improve.
In recent years the Welsh Grand National has been won by those carrying a low weight with Blade Runner my selection to do that at a big price, Chambard will look to emulate Elegant Escape and Native River in the last ten years in carrying over 11st.
A fascinating renewal as ever with Sole Survivor and Autonomous Cloud heading the market in Chepstow’s feature race of the season.
Enjoy whether at Ascot or watching #athome on ITV Racing
Cheers!
The Wine Tipster
1.40 Chepstow – Handicap Hurdle (2m 7½f)
Classic Concorde just keeps on improving and deserves a crack at a good prize like this.
He started off by winning summer handicaps but has progressed throughout the autumn and winter, looking a thorough stayer in the process, and winning on all ground from good to heavy. His latest win at Ffos Las was his be
Unibet are paying MONEY BACK AS CASH if your pick finishes 2nd in this race!
1.55 Kempton – Wayward Lad Novices’ Chase Grade 2 (2m)
Master Chewy has form figures this season of 122 and he can go one better here than his last two starts. Mister Chewy finished second to the Haldon Gold Cup winner Elixir De Nutz, who jumped superably and couldn’t be pegged back after Master Chewy travelled smoothly and came from the back to challenge. It would have been interesting to see what would have happened if he had been closer to the pace as like the winner he was jumping really well. On his penultimate start he was runner-up to Djejo, who franked the form at Ascot last week, after being headed in the final strides at Aintree as they fought out a closely contested finish. This is rock solid form and Master Chewy has a strong chance
2.30 Kempton – Desert Orchid Handicap Chase Grade 2 (2m)
Elixir De Nutz won the Unibet Tolworth Hurdle back in 2019 and he always looked like he was going on to greater things over fences, however he didn’t really fulfil his potential until this season when winning the Grade 2 Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter beating the smart Solo. He then followed up at Newbury when jumping and travelling so well to beat Master Chewy, who can take the Wayward Lad Novices’ Chase earlier in the card. Elixir De Nutz, who has a great attitude, can follow up here in the Desert Orchid, which is being run as a handicap this year.
Unibet are paying an EXTRA PLACE in this race
2.50 Chepstow – Welsh Grand National Handicap Chase (3m 6f)
Chambard (nap) has been a regular this season in my Unibet blogs having been marked up each way on seasonal debut at Cheltenham when second to Hascoeur Clermont and then won the Becher Chase at Aintree at 18/1, beating Coko Beach by 13 lengths in truly testing going. He was always prominent, travelling well and outjumped all of the opposition to win being ridden out by Lucy Turner off a weight of 10-1, with Lucy claiming five pounds. At Cheltenham he carried 11-11 so he can certainly carry big weights and this Cheltenham Festival winner in 2022 lost form in the 2022/2023 season, however, is right back now. The conditions will certainly be testing at Chepstow and whilst carrying a weight of 11-5 plus a four-pound penalty is a concern in a race which has been won by bottom weights in recent years plus there is the factor of running only 18 days ago in the Becher Chase, although the Welsh Grand National Trial was the same day. The fact remains that Chambard has the class and with Lucy Turner taking the ride they are a great combination, with Chambard’s jumping plus stamina, they can gain another important victory
Blade Runner doesn’t always make it look easy, but he has won five of his six chase starts and finished runner-up on the other appearance. At his local Plumpton track, he has won over fences four times including over a trip of 3m 4½f when he certainly wasn’t stopping at the line, whilst he has course form at Chepstow winning last October over their Welsh Grand National distance of 2m 7½f in soft going when going away at the finish. Admittedly his preparation run over hurdles last time out didn’t entirely go to plan as he was eventually pulled up, however the major concern for this bottom weight is the weather forecast on the day which will make the ground truly testing and if coping with the conditions he can run a big race for a place.
3.09 Kempton – Handicap Chase (3m)
Dalamoi in many ways is a tough selection to make after a poor effort at Chepstow on his return, but he was sent off favourite for that and the run is almost too bad to be true, weakening so quickly he probably tweaked something after a mistake five from home. He handles all types of ground and was a very easy winner over 2m4f here last year, so is worth another try.
The Wine Tipster’s Fivefold
Christmas really could come early if this one lands!
Roll these picks from our red-hot tipster into an acca and that currently pays 26238/1 – £5 each way potentially returns over £131,000 if they come in!
Click the image below to add directly to your betslip!
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