Betfair Chase Preview 2014

Taq To The Future - Taquin Du Seuil can announce arrival in the big leagues in the Betfair Chase

The first Grade 1 race of the national hunt season will be upon is this Saturday as the Betfair Chase takes place at Haydock.

Responsible for some fabulous races since its inception a little under a decade ago, this year’s renewal looks set to be one of the most informative in a while given how open the staying chase division looks this season.

Won last year by Cue Card in tremendous style, the reigning champ and the two placed horses from last year look set to lock horns again in 2014 with all three currently heading the betting.

It’s the new kid on the block that I like this year though and much like Silviniaco Conti two years ago, the time looks right for a pretender to grab a table with the big boys.

Grand National 2014 Tips and Preview

Eye Of The Tiger - Rocky Creek can win the Grand National for Paul Nicholls

The time is almost upon us again when the eyes of the general public descend on our fair sport for one afternoon of the year.

For better or worse, the Grand National remains a typically British tradition and, though controversial, a wonderful occasion for the whole family to enjoy.

As always my main hope for the race is that all forty horses and jockeys come back safe and sound, but if you’re having a bet in the race – which if you’re reading this you more than likely are – I have again compiled my annual runner-by-runner guide to hopefully allow you to place a bet on the people’s race using greater information than simply name or the colour of the jockey’s silks.

Though given what a lottery (ironically the name of the first ever winner of the race) the Grand National can be, you could do worse than betting based purely on name!

Since the changes to the race over the last few years the line-up has become stronger and stronger and more than ever you now need a proven top class horse. Below you will find the forty horses set to jump thirty fences and travel just under four and a half miles round Aintree along with their credentials for the world’s greatest steeplechase.

Albert Bartlett Preview - Festival Focus

Running Up That Hill - last year's Bumper winner Briar Hill can follow up in the Albert Bartlett

With it currently 10/1 bar the top two it’s not hard to argue that there could be some serious value lurking in this year’s Albert Bartlett.

That said, it is one of the top two I fancy for the novice staying hurdle event, and a previous festival winner at that.

Willie Mullins once again has an exceptional pack of novice hurdlers and it’s taken some shuffling to get each horse in the right place. You’d be a brave person to suggest that the final plans were anywhere near concrete just yet but thankfully now Bet365 have gone Non Runner No Bet on every festival race it allows us to wager ante-post with a lot less trepidation.

Time and time again at Cheltenham you see horses that have run well at the festival before replicate that form, and in recent years the number of horses that have won a race and then come back and won again the following year has been rather startling.

The Champion Bumper in particular is a race in which victorious horses, and even placed horses, almost always come back in latter years and run well again.

Just in the last six years we’ve had Dunguib finish in the money in the Supreme twelve months on from a runaway Bumper success, Cue Card come back and run well in the Supreme before a placed effort in the Arkle and a dominant Ryanair win and most recently Champagne Fever win the Supreme one year removed from taking the Bumper.

Last year’s Bumper winner Briar Hill also hails from the Willie Mullins yard and comes in to this year’s festival with a perfect record.

King George 2013 Ante-Post

Late Chris-mas Present - 2012 runner-up Captain Chris looks a big price for the King George

With the market for Kempton’s festive showpiece getting Pricewised this week, now is probably a good time to start thinking about the big race which will be upon us now in just three weeks.

The King George is always a fabulous Boxing Day treat and is as much of a Christmas tradition for racing enthusiasts as awful jumpers and family arguments.

More so than getting that one present you really wanted finding the winner of the three mile contest can really make your Christmas.

In spite of the absence of the great Kauto Star last year’s renewal still delivered a cracker as Long Run and Captain Chris fought out an extremely narrow finish.

The latter horse has run creditably in defeat in this race two years in a row now and as the market currently stands he looks the value bet in the race to me as he aims to go one better than last year.