After two winners on Friday at Chepstow, Jake Price returns with four more Chepstow tips on Saturday.
14:45 Chepstow
Bet 1: Destroytheevidence - 7/2 - 1pt WIN
Bet 2: Light N Strike - 8/1 - 0.5 EW
The Native River is by no means a deep Handicap this season, so by keeping both DESTROYTHEEVIDENCE and LIGHT N STRIKE on side, I’ll be surprised if we don't have the winner.
The case for DESTROYTHEEVIDENCE is a pretty simple one - this time last season he won the 2m7½f Novices' Limited Handicap Chase off a mark of 130, beating none other than Haiti Couleurs (152). His form certainly tailed off after that victory, but he was only beaten a neck by Deafening Silence (132) when giving that rival 7lbs in a Warwick Novice Chase, before then finishing a neck 2nd in a Ludlow Handicap Chase off 136.
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Running off 135 here, you would expect him to be ready to go first time up for the Kim Bailey/Mat Nicholls combination - so perhaps this is the right time to strike.
Another with a very good chance however is LIGHT N STRIKE, who went off a 16/1 shot for the Kerry National at Listowel a couple of weeks ago - a race which was infinitely deeper than this.
Unfortunately he unshipped his rider at the first that day, but before that when with Emma Lavelle he finished a very good 3rd in the Summer Cup at Uttoxeter off a mark of 139. Unchanged for that effort, he should love the quick ground at Chepstow on Saturday, and must have a pot like this in him.
15:20 Chepstow
Bet 3: French Ship - 5/2 - 1pt WIN
Going back through the receipts, I was talking about this Horse as the Silver Trophy winner on the 5th September - so after a long 35 days, here we are with FRENCH SHIP.
Last season he started his campaign at the Chepstow opener when 2nd in the 2m Novice Hurdle, but Palacio made all of the running that day, and he was the only horse who came through the pack to challenge. Although beaten, the front two pulled 16 lengths clear of the remainder that day - which certainly highlighted him as a smart prospect.
He returned to Chepstow 3 weeks later when stepped up in trip to 2m3½f, and this time he looked to be up against a very smart Dan Skelton prospect in the form of Let It Rain. Despite this however, he ended up going off the 11/10f - and in the end he duly obliged, beating the Mare by 2¼L. Once more the front two pulled well clear of the remainder too, with the third placed Newton Tornado 17 lengths adrift.
Philip Hobbs & Johnson White sent their smart Novice to Newbury on his next start, where under a penalty he ran a fine race to finish 4th behind none other than The New Lion (159) - and whilst you probably can't take that form literally, the 2nd Califet En Vol (137) is another smart prospect in his own right.
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This lad ended his campaign with a facile victory over 2m3f at Taunton in January under a winners penalty, but now going Handicapping I really feel he is leniently treated off his opening mark of 128. Philip Hobbs seems to love sending a good graduating Novice to this race in recent years, so hopefully our selection can be another Orby’s Legend.
16:00 Chepstow
Bet 4: Narragansett - 16/1 - 0.5pts EW
This is certainly a competitive 4YO Handicap Hurdle, but I thought that NARRAGANSETT was certainly worth an Each/Way play.
As a Juvenile last season he had quite the productive campaign, finishing 2nd behind Viyanni (124) on Hurdles debut, before then again 2nd behind Melon (122) at Wetherby. A noticeable feature in both of those races however was just how keen he was, which certainly did not aid any winning chance.
Connections chucked a Hood on him at Plumton the next day where he won very well, and after that he went to Sandown on Imperial Cup day for the 4YO Handicap Hurdle which opens the card. Despite still taking a pretty keen hold, he settled better than his defeats - and in the end he ground out a victory off a mark of 115.
He's only 5lbs higher than that Handicap win now, but crucially he had a run on the Flat at Epsom in September - so fitness will not be an issue for this pot. If he can settle, I make him a much shorter price than his current odds suggest.
