Today’s best bets, by Greg Wood
Paul Nicholls’s Tagrita is a non-runner in the Listed Lady Godiva Mares’ Novice Chase at Warwick this afternoon – much to the frustration of each-way backers with the bookies now paying out on just two places – but there will still be a very useful and competitive field going to post, with only one of the seven remaining runners priced at double-figure odds. The six with a realistic chance are priced at between 11-4 and 13-2, which suggests that the race is significantly more competitive than many handicaps.
Jessica Harrington’s Rock On The Moor, who finished second behind the top-class Vroum Vroum Mag in the OLBG Mares’ Hurdle at Cheltenham in March, is an interesting runner from Ireland, but she will need to improve on her third-place finish on her chase debut three weeks ago if she is to trouble Briery Belle (1.20).
Henry Daly’s mare was also useful over hurdles and took a Listed handicap off a mark of 129 back in April, but like many runners from her yard, looked like she will be even better over fences on her first start over the bigger obstacles last month. Sent off the narrow second-favourite behind the useful Vintage Clouds, Briery Belle jumped well throughout on the way to an eight-length success, and the runner-up has since run well behind Politologue, a potential Festival candidate next spring.
The Class 2 handicap over a mile, with £20,000 in the purse, is the best race on the Flat card at Chelmsford, and Chester Street (5.55) is definitely worth a bet at around 9-2 to follow up his impressive success over course and distance last time out. Roger Charlton’s three-year-old kept good company on turf over the summer and has now won both his starts on the all-weather with the promise of more improvement to come. Captain Lars (6.25) could reverse recent form with Zipedeedoodah in the subsequent sprint handicap, while Mitcd (2.20) and Jazzy (1.35) make most appeal on the cards at Newcastle and Taunton respectively.
