With such a strong looking field it is little wonder that there are tips a plenty being banded about with regard to the likely winner of this weekend’s Grade 1 Victor Chandler Chase over 2m1f at Ascot. Certainly if the betting is anything to go by then there are at least six of the eight runner field in with chances but the favourite currently is the Nicky Henderson trained Finians Rainbow.
Bookmakers have been reporting all week that Finians Rainbow has been well supported in the market and following a number of early tips some have steadily cut his price into as short as 13/8. However if punters react quickly they can still get 15/8 about him with Betfred. The 9 year old of course is England’s leading hope to win this year’s Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in March and comes to the race having won the Grade 2 Desert Orchid Chase at Kempton Park over Christmas. In that race, which was on good ground, he needed to fight hard after jumping the last to get his head in front of the game Wishfull Thinking holding on in the end to win by three-quarters of a length. He will be up against Wishfull Thinking again on Saturday and will also have to face the prospect of running on soft ground. Nonetheless, Henderson has been very pleased with him at home, he has reminded us that Finians Rainbow has won on soft ground before and that he will come on leaps and bounds for his Ascot run.
Also in receipt of a fair amount of tips is the Paul Nicholls trained novice Al Ferof, winner last season of the Supreme Novices Hurdle at the Festival. Having been switched to fences this season he comes to Ascot proving to be equally as competent over them as he was over the sticks. He has been out twice so far this season, winning both, including a hard fought victory over For Non Stop in the Grade 1 Henry Vlll Chase over two miles on good to soft ground at Sandown Park in early December. Al Ferof is currently a 11/4 shot generally to win the race.
Trainer Phillip Hobbs is convinced that we should see a hugely improved Wishfull Thinking on Saturday, who until his narrow defeat by Finians Rainbow in the ‘Desert Orchid’ had disappointed twice previously. He faded badly in the Paddy Power Gold Cup back in November after making much of the running and then could only manage fifth place behind Champion Chaser, Sizing Europe in the Grade 1 Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown Park in early December. It is believed that his battle with Finians Rainbow last time will have focussed his mind perfectly for Saturdays race which explains why he too has received plenty of tips to be in the winners enclosure at Ascot on Saturday. He can be backed currently at 6/1 with Betfred.
Despite early disappointments over longer trips this season it is impossible o dismiss the claims of the Henrietta Knight trained Somersby who will be having his fifth race of the season. The 8 year old has proven his class several times in the past none more so when beaten a short head in this race by Master Minded a year ago. There has been tips and money for him this week to go one better but to do so he will have to run at least as well as he did last year. He too is a 6/1 shot.
Representing Ireland is the hugely popular and consistent Forpadydeplasterer, winner of course of the 2009 Arkle Challenge Trophy at Cheltenham, but incredibly who has not won a race since. He missed out for much of last season with an injury but has come back this season with three runs so far. The first of those can be ignored, but improvement was shown in the latest two when he was third behind Big Zeb, firstly in the Grade 2 Fortria Chase at Navan and then in the Grade 1 Paddy Power Dial A Bet Chase at Leopardstown. With one exception when pulled up lame in the King George Vl Chase last January, this 10 year old has never finished outside of the first three in any of his other 15 chase races. He has won two, and finished runner up an incredible 11 times, consistency of the highest order and the reason why there has been so many each way tips for him in this race.
The one other to consider as a likely winner of this race is Gauvain from the yard of Nick Williams. A winner twice already this season, this ten year old is dropping back in trip after winning the Grade 2 Peterborough Chase over 2m5f at Huntingdon in early December. In that race, which came just five days after he fell at the eighth fence when well in touch in the Tingle Creek Chase, he had Somersby over 4 lengths back in second and certainly good enough to be able to confirm that form despite this being a half mile shorter. Gauvain can be backed at 8/1 with Betfred.
Clearly a very difficult race to call and one that could be decided by the ground conditions. There are six classy chasers in the field which in theory should bring out the best in each. Somersby is the highest rated on 166, with both Gauvain and Wishfull Thinking on 162. However the likely improvement that Finians Rainbow is expected to produce could be aspect to consider the most which is why he is our tip to win. Each way backers should be encouraged by the 12/1 about Forpadydeplasterer and trust his consistency to get them a return for their bet.
Winner: Finians Rainbow @ 15/8
Each Way: Forpadydeplasterer @ 12/1
Victor Chandler Odds
15/8 Finians Rainbow
11/4 Al Ferof
6/1 Somersby
6/1 Wishfull Thinking
8/1 Gauvain
12/1 Forpadydeplasterer
33/1 Oiseau De Nuit
33/1 I’m So Lucky
These odds for the Victor Chandler Chase have been provided by Betfred.com who will be providing an online service throughout Saturday’s Ascot meeting
Posted: Friday, 20th January 2012
Author: Rodney Wise
Tags: victor chandler chase, ascot, finians rainbow, betfred,
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