Following 5/1 and 2/1 winners yesterday, Steve Ryder is back with three selections for today's action.
14:25 Chepstow
The Tim Vaughan trained EVA'S OSKAR (best priced at 5/1) is a three-time course and distance winner who is only 8lbs higher than his reappearance victory. He beat Jeremy Pass by 2 ¾ lengths that day off a mark of 126 before finishing runner-up at Ascot behind the Venetia Williams trained Kapga De Lily who has won by 9 ½ lengths since and is now rated 14lbs higher.
Eva’s Oskar went on to finish 2nd behind Corach Rambler at Cheltenham on his penultimate start off a mark of 132 before pulling up in the Welsh National last time from 8lbs out of the handicap. The eight-year-old drops back down in class and trip for this race and should be able to use his superior chase experience to beat less exposed rivals.
15:30 Chepstow
There is a big field for this 0-120 handicap chase but preference goes to the Rebecca Curtis trained WAYFINDER (best priced at 9/2) who was a course and distance winner off this mark in 2020. That win came under James Bowen and he is back on board for the first time since.
Wayfinder returned from a 409-day break at Bangor in December when brought down at the 9th fence before finishing 6th in a Class 3 0-135 handicap chase at Newbury last time. He drops down to a Class 4 0-120 handicap here off a 2lb lower mark and should run well off his previous winning mark of 113.
16:00 Chepstow
The Nicky Henderson trained Full Of Light will no doubt prove popular in this race having won on his handicap debut last time but preference instead goes to the Kerry Lee trained EATON COLLINA (best priced at 6/1). The seven-year-old is a consistent sort who has placed on four out of his previous five runs. He finished 3rd off a mark of 112 in May 2021 before returning from a 248-day break to finish a length 2nd at Bangor last month.
That performance came off a mark of 107 and he runs here off only 1lb higher which looks lenient seeing as the winner that day Hart Of Steel has won again since and is now rated 7lbs higher. Regular rider Richard Patrick retains the ride and I expect him to run well with up to five places on offer.
