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AON Chase Odds: Riverside Theatre hot favourite in the betting for Newbury

Check the updated betting review ahead of Friday's re-scheduled AON Chase.

Nicky Henderson's Riverside Theatre is odds on favourite for the re-scheduled AON Chase at Newbury on Friday as Bet 365 bookmakers price him at 10/11 for a race that is so often a key trial for Cheltenham Festival in March. Past Chase winners include Kauto Star and Denman who both went on to win the Gold Cup the following month, and Saturday promises to offer an insight into where several Cheltenham hopefuls are at. This meeting has been re-scheduled from last Saturday, when the meeting was abandoned with just one race run, due to the terrible events in the parade ring which involved the loss of two horses to possible electrocution. With Cheltenham so close, trainers and Newbury officials were keen to re-stage the race as quickly as possible so Friday will see the remaining races run.

Riverside Theatre currently has an entry for the Ryanair Chase, where he is available at odds of 33/1, and looks to be in great nick ahead of Friday's trial. The 7-year-old produced an outstanding race in finishing runner up to stablemate Long Run in the King George VI Chase at Kempton, and in doing so he edged out the Cheltenham Festival legend Kauto Star into second place. Back in November, the gelding was a Grade 2 winner at Kempton and the 3 mile AON Chase looks to be a perfect race for the exciting chaser as he appears to thrive on the step up in trip.

His main opposition for Friday's £40,000 chase is likely to come from the Paul Nicholls pair of What A Friend and Noland. Nicholls has a formidable record in the AON Chase - winning 6 of the 10 renewals to date, and What A Friend is second favourite at odds of 5/4 with B365 and heads the weights at 11st 10lb. The Grade 2 chase could be an important pointer for Nicholls as to where he sends his 8-year-old next as he holds entries for the Racing Post Chase, the Grand National and the Cheltenham Gold Cup, where he is available at 33/1 with Bet 365. He was a Grade 1 winner at Leopardstown and Aintree last season but was hugely disappointing on his last outing as he came fifth to Imperial Commander in the Betfair Chase at Haydock in November.

Nicholls' other entry for Friday, Noland, is available at industry best priced odds of 12/1 with B365 and will have to dispel rumours that he is well past his best. The 10-year-old pulled up in the Murphy Group Chase at Cheltenham last time out and came second in a flat race at Kempton in December.

Meanwhile, Fair Along is an industry best 10/1 with Bet365.com as Philip Hobbs has decided to move the staying hurdler from hurdles to fences. Friday will be his first race over fences for nearly three years as the 9-year-old was last seen over hurdles back in April 2008 when he came seventh in a Grade 1 at Punchestown.

Nigel Twiston-Davies has entered 10/1 shot Mahogany Blaze, who has had a mixed bag of results of late after finishing sixth in the Tingle Creek in December, third at Cheltenham on New Year's Day and unseated Andrew Thornton at Ascot in January. Ogee, Chief Dan George and Dance Island complete the field of 8 entries for which Riverside Theatre and What A Friend are the standout candidates.

AON Chase Odds

10/11 Riverside Theatre
5/4 What A Friend
10/1 Fair Along*
12/1 Noland*
16/1 Mahogany Blaze
33/1 Ogee
33/1 Chief Dan George
50/1 Dance Island

All odds provided by Bet365.com who will be operating an in-running market for this race and all other races at Newbury.

Posted: Friday, 11th February 2011
Author: Chris James
Tags: aon chase, riverside theatre, what a friend, bet365,

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