Today's Racing Tips: Expect Thunder at Chepstow

In betting terms, yesterday was a disaster. Everything that could have gone wrong did and there was a complete absence of any luck whatsoever. The afternoon got off to a bad start when Bothwell Bridge, who had jumped so well on his chasing debut, made a complete mess of the first obstacle before crashing out at the next. Less than an hour later and things looked set to improve with Empire Steel going really well entering Wetherby’s straight. Unfortunately, he then fell! Ejtilaab, very well backed during the morning and sent off at a short price, couldn’t justify that support at Wolverhampton, and then there was Chantry House (another that was well backed into favouritism). I was really excited to see him and felt he had a very strong chance of winning the King George. Never travelling, he was eventually pulled up leaving the Racing Post to describe his performance as uncharacteristically feeble. On another day, I could have had two, three or even four winners! Fingers crossed for a change in fortunes today.

There are three bets for today’s action at Chepstow and Wetherby.

Chepstow Tips

13:40 – 2m Coral Finale Juvenile Hurdle (Grade 1)

SKYCUTTER (1 point win bet at 7/1), a useful performer on the Flat having got within four lengths of a horse that went on to be fourth in the Group 1 Prix Du Jockey Club next time, has made a very promising start to life over hurdles. After finishing a very respectable fourth in Doncaster’s November Handicap, he won a maiden hurdle at Wetherby by an easy 6.5-lengths. He followed that up with another comfortable success at Musselburgh to earn himself a crack at this Grade 1 juvenile contest. His jumping has been efficient, conditions look in his favour and he is clearly held in high regard by connections.

14:50 – 3m6½f Coral Welsh Grand National Handicap Chase (Grade 3)

MIGHTY THUNDER (NAP - 1 point win bet at 12/1) was a 25/1 winner for me at Musselburgh in February, a result I celebrated to the extent that my neighbours felt the need to check everything was ok! That joy turned to sheer despair when he got collared late on in the Midlands Grand National next time out. I’d backed him at 18/1 that day and he looked the likely winner for most of the race. Having jumped the last in front, he still looked like he was going to secure victory until deep inside the final furlong. I was therefore delighted when he won the Scottish Grand National and he is now being aimed at Aintree’s big race in the spring.

Lucinda Russell’s progressive chaser is a sound jumper and posses ses bundles of stamina, an attribute that is sure to be needed over this extended 3m6f test on soft ground. His overall record over fences is now four wins and a second from just seven starts and he remains open to plenty more improvement. He should be much sharper for his reappearance run at Wetherby, where everything happened too quickly, and missing an intended engagement at Aintree earlier this month won’t have done his chances today any harm whatsoever.

Wetherby Tip

14:15 – 1m7f William Hill Castleford Handicap Chase (Class 2)

CHEDDLETON (1 point win bet at 13/8), a bumper and dual hurdles winner, enjoyed a promising first season over the larger obstacles by winning two of his four starts by a combined distance of over 15-lengths. He ended the year with a heavy defeat when upped in class for the Grade 2 Kingmaker Novices’ Chase at Warwick but made a very respectable seasonal reappearance at Carlisle last month. He was beaten by just two lengths that day and then ran a fine race to finish second to Editeur Du Gite in a decent handicap at Cheltenham 16 days ago. He lines up off the same handicap mark today and will be really tough to beat.