The Grade 3 888sport Handicap Chase at Kempton is the big betting race this Saturday and is on a card that also features three Grade 2 races which should, despite the recent equine flu scare, provide a few final pointers for next month’s Cheltenham Festival.
888sport Handicap Chase History and Trends
Betdaq sponsored this long-established chase for the first time last year having taken over from bookmakers Betbright. But that was a short-lived association with 888sport now putting up a share of the £57,000 prize money
This race was first run in 1949 but it wasn’t until the Racing Post took over sponsorship in 1988 that prize money improved significantly. Run over 3m, the race features 18 fences on Kempton’s sharp National Hunt course and has become an established Grand National Trial, even though the big race itself is run over a further mile-and-a-half. Rhyme ‘N Reason, in 1988, and Rough Quest, in 1996, both won the Racing Post Chase, as it then was, before winning at Aintree. Two chasers have won the 888sport Handicap Chase twice – Docklands Express and Nacarat.
- Those with decent recent form fare well with 14 of the last 16 winners having finished in the first five the time before.
- Those officially rated 139 or higher have won 14 of the last 16 renewals.
- It is generally a race for younger chasers with only one of the last nine winners having been older than nine.
- Winning form over 3m isn’t necessary and advantage.
Modus (10/1 with Coral) is two from two around Kempton and, from a handicapping perspective at least, an interesting runner in the 888sport Chase. The big question mark is how he’ll cope with the step up from 2m to 3m, though he has won over 2m5f. However, Paul Nicholls probably has stronger claims with Adrien Du Pont (a general 9/2), who was held up to get the trip last time at Kempton but ran out a comfortable winner in the end, though is 7lb higher now.
Novice Glen Rocco is the 7/2 favourite with Coral having chased home Arkle hope Glen Forsa over 2m4f at Kempton on Boxing Day before winning easily over the course and distance last month. He’s improving fast but the handicapper has taken note and, despite a 13lb rise, still falls outside the rating trend that has been a big pointer in this race.
91st Oscars 2019 – Predictions & Winner Odds
TALKISCHEAP has only won once over fences so far and that was a match. But he’s twice come up against the top-class mare La Bague Au Roi and was trying to give the potentially-smart On The Blind Side 6lb at Kempton last time. The fact that the first two pulled well clear of their rivals in the closing stages suggests that form will be worth following but Alan King’s seven-year-old is only rated 145 on his handicap debut. He was rated 142 over hurdles yet has already proved better over the larger obstacles. The general 11/2 looks a very safe each-way bet.
888sport Handicap Chase Best Current Odds
Glen Rocco 7/2, Adrien Du Pont 9/2, Talkischeap 11/2, Rather Be 13/2, Double Shuffle 9/1, Modus 10/1, Didero Vallis 12/1, Romain De Senam 14/1, Catamaran Du Seuil 16/1, Walt 20/1
(Odds correct at 4.00pm February 21)
