Rory Delargy

KEMPTON SATURDAY

2.00 BETBRIGHT CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL FUND ADONIS JUVENILE HURDLE (2M)

It’s something of a bonus to see a big enough field to allow each-way betting in the Adonis, and with Bivouac sure to be a warm order, there’s plenty of appeal in tackling the contest with a view to value created in the place part of such bets. Nicky Henderson’s runner, is clearly a smart novice who could conceivably outclass his rivals. On the other hand, there’s one here who looks sure to be underestimated given his slightly humbler background, and I’m hoping the odds compilers are generous in pricing up Beltor, who looked a natural when winning on debut for Robert Stephens at Ludlow, and has seen the form of that success boosted significantly since. Beltor, a typical slow burner on the flat for Sir Mark Prescott, never put a foot wrong in disposing of Arabian Revolution and Sebastian Beach at Ludlow, and although one or two were inclined to denigrate the form, the pair who chased him home have both gone on to win handsomely since.

3.45 BETBRIGHT CHASE (3M)

This valuable contest has attracted its usual big field, but plenty have questions to answer on recent form. Paul Nicholls holds a very strong hand with both Rocky Creek and Easter Day. The former has arguably the strongest form, when finishing second to Road To Riches in the JN Wine at Down Royal, and his Hennessy flop is easy to forgive, particularly with several others who struggled at Newbury bouncing back. That said, it’s hard to get away from the notion that there is plenty more to come from Easter Day, who was positively tanking along when falling at Cheltenham last month, and who ought to take plenty of beating from the same mark if seeing out the three-mile trip.

Rajdhani Express is something of a bogey horse for me, but I’ll be stunned if a step up in trip on soft ground is what he needs.

I’d hope that he’s capable of surprising somewhere when getting his conditions, so don’t despair if he runs moderately here.

CHEPSTOW SATURDAY

3.35 RIFLES HANDICAP CHASE SUPPORTING CARE FOR CASUALTIES (2M110Y)

By far the biggest draw is the appearance of Sire De Grugy in this handicap chase, and there can be little doubt that he’d win this comfortably on last season’s form. His return in the Game Spirit was inconclusive, but his non-completion raised concerns given how measured his jumping has been in the past. Twice he was asked to come up long by Jamie Moore, and twice he was unable or unwilling to do so. It’s easy to put that down to rustiness, but my experience is that an injury-free Sire De Grugy would have been as bold as usual, even if a lack of fitness was to cost him in the closing stages. What I witnessed was a horse who was compromised either physically or mentally by an injury which retains some legacy in his racecourse performance.

If his clumsiness at Newbury was a matter of confidence, then this second outing is needed to prepare him for a defence of his Champion Chase crown, but it’s hard to imagine he will be capable of what he was showing a year ago, and he needs to be opposed from a betting perspective. Mister Grez isn’t quite the forlorn hope that the betting suggests, but it’s Grey Gold and Far West who it will pay to concentrate on. Both are at home on the ground, and both are winners at the track, with the former scoring in a course and distance handicap in October - the same race, incidentally, that Sire De Grugy had won the previous year. Richard Lee’s charge was out of his depth in the Clarence House Chase at Ascot, but was sensibly ridden to maximise his claims of prize money there, and the outing certainly won’t have done him any harm. He also finished a fine second in this last season, and all six of his career wins have come on soft or heavy ground.

Far West has similar claims on paper, and may yet improve having made his chase debut as recently as October, but I’d expect the market to factor that in, and it will be a surprise if Paul Nicholls’ youngster was underestimated to the same degree as Grey Gold.

NEWCASTLE SATURDAY

2.55 BETFRED EIDER CHASE (4M1F)

The Eider is always one of the most gruelling contests in the chasing calendar. My initial thought in examining the race was to concentrate on the bottom of the handicap but a look through the recent history of the race doesn’t bear this out, and it’s remarkable that no winner has carried less than 11st since Scotton Green at the turn of the century.

Wyck Hill and Portrait King are the last two winners of the contest, and will attempt a rare repeat (only Wyndburgh and Highland Wedding have followed up in the race’s history), while Shotgun Paddy is no stranger to conceding lumps to lesser rivals. So that trio will take their share of the market, but the vote goes to the less exposed Knockanrawley, who looks all about stamina, and should relish this extreme trip after scoring at Newbury in December. Barely on the bridle at any stage that day, he nonetheless stayed on dourly from the last to beat Back In June and Financial Climate, and can only improve for a further increase in trip. The messages from the form are mixed, but the third had won the corresponding race in 2013, and went on to win his next start.

Andrew Thornton also knows him well, and his physical style suits the horse. Also in his favour is the fact that the majority of the field are prominent racers, and the race looks set up for one to come from further back, with Knockanrawley appearing the likeliest beneficiary.

Herdsman is another for whom the race shape is attractive, and Woodford County isn’t dismissed out of hand despite appearing not to stay in the Welsh National. His weak finish at Chepstow may well have been down to losing a shoe and the fact that Philip Hobbs is persevering at marathon trips is encouraging.

Count Guido Deiro made mistakes under pressure when a selection at Sandown, but he remains capable of better.

RECOMMENDED

BELTOR 2.00 Kempton - 1pt e/w

EASTER DAY 3.45 Kempton - 1pt win @ 9/2 (general)

GREY GOLD 3.35 Chepstow - 1pt win

KNOCKANRAWLEY 2.55 Newcastle - 1pt win @ 12/1 (general)

Rory’s selections last week included:

Carole’s Destrier won 5/4

Blue Heron won 3/1

Harry The Viking 2nd 12/1