Jake Price has given us his five best bets for Saturday's racing action, including a strong fancy in the Becher Chase.
13:10 Navan
Tip 1: THEDEVILUNO - 1pt Win
It has been a while since Paul Nolan had a potentially top-class Novice Hurdler, but one I am particularly keen on for the season ahead is THEDEVILUNO, who racked up plenty of good Bumper form last season behind the likes of Theflyingking, Doctor Du Mesnil and 131 rated hurdler Strong Link.
Going over obstacles was always going to improve this 6yo however, and that duly materialised in his Maiden Hurdle at Gowran Park on the 7th November. Starting off over 2m was clearly a distance shorter than he ideally would want, and in the end the market drastically spoke against him with a drift out from 4/1 to 9/1 minutes before the off, as punters only wanted to know about Gordon Elliott’s Skylight Hustle and Gavin Cromwell’s The Passing Wife.
Following a protracted battle between the market rivals in front, our selection looked to be tapped for toe in a clear 3rd place. After the last his afterburners really kicked in however, and he flew home to win by 2.25 lengths going away from the field. Clearly the Heavy ground and strong pace to aim at helped him over that trip, but the form couldn’t look much stronger now – with the second bolting up by 21 lengths at Fairyhouse last weekend, and the third extremely eye-catching when placing in the Grade 2 Royal Bond the day after.
Stepping up in trip to 2m4f should help THEDEVILUNO find further improvement this weekend, and whilst this is clearly a much tougher assignment now stepping into Grade 2 company, it doesn’t look a vintage renewal of the race and Gordon Elliott doesn’t seem to know which one of his is the best considering he is sending three. At the prices, he is surely worth a play.
13:30 Aintree
Tip 2: THE KALOOKI KID - 1pt Win
A horse I have firmly on my radar for 2m4f Handicap Chases this season is THE KALOOKI KID, as this progressive 7yo looks to have plenty more to come this season following a successful Novice Chase campaign last year.
Having been beaten by Doyen Du Bar on his Chase debut last November, he subsequently won well at Doncaster before then landing the valuable Scottish Champion Chase at Musselburgh – which was a very good performance to readily beat Saint Segal (148) by 2.75 lengths from a mark of 131. Connections did try him in the Grade 1 Manifesto Novices’ Chase at Aintree afterwards, but that was an extremely hot race and was likely a case of too much too soon.
Making his return to action last month in the Listed Colin Parker Memorial Chase at Carlisle, I thought he put in a very solid performance despite finishing 4/4 – as he was only beaten 4.25 lengths despite being up against it on ratings with both Resplendent Grey (152) and Handstands (154), and he was also aiming to give the Mare Hollygrove Cha Cha (128) 13lbs at the weights. The Handicapper certainly agreed with my assessment as he subsequently raised our selection 3lbs to a mark of 139, but he should be primed now for a weaker Handicap race like this.
14:11 Chepstow
Tip 3: WILLMOUNT - 1.5pt Win
One of my favourite things to do at the moment is to back Rebecca Curtis horses second time up, and Newton Tornado was the latest to add to that trend when scoring for this column at Bangor last weekend. The next horse I am taking aim at is one of her newer recruits in WILLMOUNT, who like our selection last weekend, fell on his Chase debut when still running a good race.
Previously with Neil Mulholland and then Nicky Henderson when owned by Oliver Harris, he has always been a horse riddled with ability – but following a pulled-up effort in the 2023 Grade 1 Challow Hurdle, he wasn’t seen for 349 days until finally returning to action this time last year when falling in one of the oddest races you’ll ever see at Cheltenham. His previous owner dispersed most of his Horses at the Doncaster Sales in May however, and Rebecca Curtis was able to pick up this multiple winner for just £22,000 – a princely sum compared to the £340,000 it cost to secure his services following his Irish point-to-point victory at Comea in February 2022.
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As I mentioned above however, I thought he was in the process of running a really nice race first time up for Rebecca Curtis at the end of October, where he ran in a 2m3½f Handicap Chase at Ffos Las. His jumping for a debutant was very good in the main, but he just seemed to get caught out when the taps began to turn at the top of the home straight, and he made a very novicey error on landing at the fourth last flight.
As such I think the step up in trip to 2m7½f at Chepstow on Saturday will help him as they should go a stride slower, and hopefully he will have learnt a lot from that fall. Connections have given him plenty of time to recover with 39 days between runs, and it is good to see 5lbs claimer Jamie Brace retain the partnership to help with the weights.
14:25 Sandown
Tip 4: KNICKERBOCKERGLORY - 1.5pts Win
With the ground on the Hurdles course at Sandown Soft (Heavy in Places), all conditions look to be in favour for KNICKERBOCKERGLORY, and he should take all the beating in the same race which he won 12 months ago.
In fact for the past three seasons now this Dan Skelton charge has won first time up, winning on Chase debut in 2022, winning at Ascot in November 2023, and then this race in December 2024. He seems to be a horse who thrives on racing fresh, and with all of those performances coming on Soft ground or worse, he clearly loves testing conditions as well.
Last season he was a most impressive 8 length winner to Nemean Lion (151) off a mark of 132, and although he is up to an official rating of 138 now, he showed it isn’t a mark beyond him when finishing 3rd in the Sovereign Handicap Hurdle at Newbury, and 5th (only beaten 1.75 lengths) in the Imperial Cup over course and distance in March.
Dan Skelton has been cleaning up Saturday races like this over the Autumn, and this is another horse who surely will be primed to the minute to retain his crown in what looks a very winnable contest.
14:40 Aintree
Tip 5: GALIA DES LITEAUX - 1pt Each-Way
The Becher Handicap Chase is always a fascinating race, as it gives three-mile Chasers who don’t quite stay marathon trips a chance over the Grand National fences. One Mare who I think very much comes under that category is GALIA DES LITEAUX, and this race could be made for a talented horse like her.
Firstly, she ran a belter in the 2024 Grand National off a mark of 146, when leading after four out and headed at the second last. She loved jumping the fences hence making her way to the front so soon, but ultimately didn't seem to stay the 4m2½f trip which clearly you can forgive. It was still a really nice effort for 8th place behind the impressive winner I Am Maximus though, and I am sure connection would have been delighted.
Last season she struggled when running in big staying Handicaps off marks in the mid to low 140s however, but she still ran some more credible races – headlined by finishing 5th in the Welsh National last December off a mark of 142. She was then also running well in the Haydock Grand National Trial in February for a long way, before a mistake at the third-last completely cooked her goose that day.
Ultimately, I don't think she truly stays marathon trips, but 3m2f around Aintree should be absolutely ideal - especially with the ground set to be her favoured Soft all over as plenty of rain is due before post time. Following a spin at Carlisle on the 3rd November for fitness she now finds herself on a mark of 134 too, and that makes her very dangerously handicapped considering the stable second Jockey Tristan Durrell also takes off a further 3lbs for an effective mark of 131. As already mentioned in this piece, we know how good Dan Skelton has been at targeting horses at races this season.
