Betfair Chase Odds: A Plus Tard heads a field of nine for Cheltenham Gold Cup trial

A spectacular, class-filled card is set to light up Haydock Park on Saturday afternoon, and the feature race of the day is the Grade 1 Betfair Chase, which should provide some notable Cheltenham Gold Cup clues. Nine entries have been received for the prestigious race, and we look at the latest odds here...

Henry De Bromhead's A Plus Tard will head across the Irish Sea this weekend for the Betfair Chase, as the former Cheltenham Festival winner bids for more glory on British soil, and last year's Cheltenham Gold Cup runner-up has been installed as the 13/8 favourite for Saturday's showpiece event.  A winner of the Savills Chase last season, A Plus Tard then ran a mighty race in defeat in the Gold Cup, where he was beaten by one-and-a-quarter lengths by stablemate Minella Indo. Currently sitting second favourite in the 2022 Cheltenham Gold Cup market behind Minella Indo, A Plus Tard will look to kick off his campaign on a winning note, but he will have some classy rivals to beat in a potential thriller.

Three-times winner Bristol De Mai will attempt to join the legendary Kauto Star on four wins in the race as the Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained ten-year-old looks to excel at his beloved Haydock Park again. A fine winner of the race in 2017, 2018 and 2020, Bristol De Mai will be hoping that the Lancashire track will get some rain in the lead-up to the race, as he relishes a bit of give underfoot, but with such a marvellous course record it's no surprise to see him installed as the 7/2 second favourite.

A runaway 16 length winner of the Peter Marsh Chase at Haydock Park last season, Royale Pagaille will relish a return to the track on Saturday, and while he was well beaten by A Plus Tard in the Gold Cup - where he finished sixth - the Venetia Williams-trained raider is given respect by the bookmakers at 11/2.

Paul Nicholls has trained the winner of the Betfair Chase on six occasions with Kauto Star (four times) and Silviniaco Conti (twice) excelling for the Ditcheat maestro, and he will unleash Next Destination (5/1), who was last seen chasing home Galvin in the National Hunt Chase at the Cheltenham Festival. 

Waiting Patiently has been switched from Ruth Jefferson's yard to that of Christian Williams, and the veteran will be looking to show his best form and he is an 8/1 chance, while former Cheltenham Gold Cup winner and legendary 11-year-old Native River will look to roll back the years, and some punters may get swayed by the 16/1 odds available.

Others entered for the race include Kim Bailey's Imperial Aura (10/1), Tom George's Clondaw Castle and the Michael Winters-trained Chatham Street Lad, who complete the nine-strong list of entries, but with that pair hovering around the 25/1 and 33/1 mark they may find it tough in what should be an exhilarating renewal.