Betfair Chase (Grade One)
- Date: Saturday November 20, 2021
- Where & what time: 3.00 Haydock
- First prize: £112,540.00
- TV: ITV1 & Racing TV (426)
- Racecards & FREE video form
A PLUS TARD
Trainer: Henry De Bromhead
Form: 3/212-
Betfair odds: 13/8
Profile: Seriously classy French-bred who has looked bound for the top ever since bolting up in the novices' handicap chase at the Cheltenham Festival in 2019. Campaigned at a range of trips since then but the return to three miles paid off when finishing strongly to beat Kemboy in last year's Savills Chase at Leopardstown. Stuck to the task really well in defeat when second to stablemate Minella Indo in the Gold Cup when last seen and, on the back of that effort in March, he's Timeform's top-rated by some way on 188. Has worn a tongue-tie for last two starts, prefers left-handed tracks and has generally produced his best form when fresh.
BRISTOL DE MAI
Trainer: Nigel Twiston-Davies
Form: 9/12P-
Betfair odds: 3/1
Profile: One of those bold-jumping greys who will stick in the memory for years to come, even if he isn't able to record a famous fourth success in this Saturday's race. Often referred to as a mud-loving, winter specialist and hard to imagine connections would have wanted a dry week had they been able to choose, but it was good ground when he beat Native River here in 2018 and the bottom line is that he's just incredibly effective over this course and distance, whether that's making the running or tracking the pace. A rare non-completion when pulled-up in the Grand National when last sighted, though yard in brilliant form recently and fitness first time out is never really an issue with him. So hard to oppose.
CHATHAM STREET LAD
Trainer: Michael Winters
Form: 1341-7
Betfair odds: 33/1
Profile: Returned to fences last season - having had three swift and unsuccessful outings in this sphere back in May 2018 - and started making up for lost time with a trio of wins from five starts before the end of January. Far from disgraced behind Chantry House when making his Grade One debut in the Marsh Novices' Chase at the Festival and duly got back to winning ways in a Limerick Grade Three later that month. Resumed just over a month ago with a rusty-looking effort in the Munster National, from which he will no doubt improve, but very hard to see him troubling the principals in this event.
CLONDAW CASTLE
Trainer: Tom George
Form: 3212-3
Betfair odds: 20/1
Profile: Has won three nice handicaps since February 2020, from official marks of 143, 151 and 154, so clearly progressing as he's getting older and wiser, last season in particular. However, was firmly put in his place by Clan Des Obeaux in the Betway Bowl at Aintree in April and was well below that level when resuming in last month's Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby. Stable not in scintillating form yet, it has to be said, and he could strip a lot fitter for the comeback, but he's now only 3lb higher than for his last success so if he were mine I'd already be looking ahead for a major handicap as his big target.
IMPERIAL AURA
Trainer: Kim Bailey
Form: /11UP-
Betfair odds: 10/1
Profile: Something of a forgotten horse now, it seems, having unseated David Bass at Kempton in January before pulling up when quietly fancied (8/1) for the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham in March. Could be he's just lost his way and on a downward spiral but he's looked very good when fresh in the past and his defeat of Galvin (who was receiving 1lb on the day) at the 2020 Festival reads really well. Reported to be in a "good place" physically following a breathing operation over the summer and it's not hard to see a relatively sharp three miles around here playing to his strengths. Has also won on ground ranging from good to heavy which can't be a bad thing given the forecast.
NEXT DESTINATION
Trainer: Paul Nicholls
Form: /2112-
Betfair odds: 5/1
Profile: Fourth in the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham in 2017, after which he won two Grade One and one Grade Two novice hurdle events while still in the care of Willie Mullins. Spent over two years on the sidelines through injury after Punchestown Festival 2018, but made a big impression for Paul Nicholls last season, prepping in the West Yorkshire Hurdle before winning Grade Two novice chases at Newbury and Warwick, and signing off with a fine second behind Galvin in the National Hunt Chase back at Cheltenham. All of his form from last term has worked out very well (including when successfully conceding 5lb to Fiddlerontheroof), which makes me wonder why connections aren't looking to exploit what looks a very fair handicap mark (153) in the Betfair Trophy at Newbury. Perhaps we'll only find out on Saturday as, being a fragile nine-year-old, the champion trainer is hardly going to leave him short fitness-wise and there could still be plenty more to come after just three chase starts in his life.
ROYALE PAGAILLE
Trainer: Venetia Williams
Form: /1116-
Betfair odds: 11/2
Profile: Another with relatively few miles on the clock, though he has made a dozen chase starts all told, half of which have come since moving to the Venetia Williams stable. Looked one of the most improved British-trained, three mile chasers last term when completing a hat-trick of wins in the Peter Marsh Handicap Chase on January 23. Interestingly, that race proved the ideal stepping-stone for Bristol De Mai becoming a brilliant Haydock horse and this fella was also impressive here when stuffing Espoir De Romay on his seasonal return last December. Still only seven and while the Gold Cup was a bit of a Grade One baptism of fire, he should be more comfortable back here around a course he handles well. The huge potential stumbling block is that he'd ideally want much softer ground.
WAITING PATIENTLY
Trainer: Christian Williams
Form: 3/23P-
Betfair odds: 8/1
Profile: No doubt he's a quality operator at a variety of trips but it seems an awful long time ago now that he justified favouritism in the 2018 Ascot Chase with a deadly performance against Cue Card, Frodon and Top Notch. Remarkably, that was the most recent success of his career and although last term started on a high when chasing Frodon home in the King George at Kempton, it went downhill from that point. Now starts out on a new journey for upwardly-mobile trainer Christian Williams so there's some hope of a revival, but it's going to take a pretty serious leap of faith for punters to give him their full support in this company.
Big-race verdict
In a typical year when the mud is really flying by now in the North West of England, there could be a case for the unexposed Next Destination, or Royale Pagaille, who is probably worth forgiving his effort when understandably thrown into the deep end as an experienced novice at Cheltenham in March.
Imperial Aura could be the one to spring something of a shock if all is well following a summer breathing operation, though the race does look set to be dominated by the top two in the betting.
Bristol De Mai is a Haydock hero already and, with the Twiston-Davies camp banging in the winners and making all the right noises, he's going to give it another good shot as he seeks a fourth win in the race.
However, A PLUS TARD was part of that new wave of top-class, Irish-based chasers who really lit up last season and he's another horse in this field with an excellent record when fresh off a break.
Trainer Henry De Bromhead has already been showing signs that last year was anything but a fluke for the trainer and his seven-year-old could simply have too many gears for the title-holder on ground just on the easy side of good.
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