Today’s best bets, by Chris Cook
Thanks to Newbury, and indeed Musselburgh, this is one of those rare midweek days with good-quality jump racing. And, as ever with Newbury, one is obliged to pay close attention to the runners of Mr N J Henderson, who is based half an hour up the road at Lambourn and seems to love having winners at his local track.
I remember thinking, on the equivalent day about a dozen years ago, that Henderson’s runners might be opposable for one reason or another. He ended up sharing a five-timer with Mick Fitzgerald and I doubled my losses on a poker game that night. Happy memories.
Henderson has three runners in today’s novice handicap chase but I believe that I and the betting market have identified the one which is Expected. It is Beware The Bear (1.30), who ran well in a couple of points 18 months ago and made a winning debut over fences at Ascot last month in what was also his first handicap.
That race might have taken less winning than was expected, since three of his eight rivals departed at the first fence, but I was impressed by the way he ran on up the straight and his jumping seemed to warm up through the race. There ought to be masses of improvement to come and a 6lb rise is not going to put him on an unbeatable mark.
Henderson reportedly likes this one’s prospects. He’s not quite the price I was hoping for but 5-2 is just about acceptable.
Camping Ground (2.00) looks the one at 3-1 in the following graduation chase. This is by no means a fast horse but he keeps on chugging and showed his quality with an 11-length success in a Grade Two hurdle at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day.
His return to fences behind Josses Hill last month was fair and today’s conditions will put a more welcome accent on stamina. I prefer him to Drumacoo, who has something to prove after his Ascot flop when last seen.
Dutiful Son (6.10) is the interesting all-weather runner at around 5-1 for Kempton tonight. He won around here at about this time last year, from a slightly higher mark, and will be sharper for a reappearance run last month. Simon Dow’s string seems in good shape just now.
