Betfair Chase Tips: Bravemansgame and Protektorat to fight out epic battle at Haydock

Only four horses go to post for the 2023 Betfair Chase at Haydock Park, but it's a strong quartet looking for Grade 1 glory and our in-house tipster Steve Chambers previews the big race here and picks out his best bet for the race. Can Protektorat retain his crown, or will Cheltenham Gold Cup runner-up Bravemansgame topple Dan Skelton's charge?...

Paul Nicholls' decision to declare Bravemansgame for the Betfair Chase has given the Haydock Grade 1 a huge boost, as the Cheltenham Gold Cup runner-up attempts to bounce back from a disappointing defeat in the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby a few weeks ago. The Ditcheat inmate has rocketed to favouritism for Saturday's contest, where he will clash with last year's impressive winner Protektorat, who will now have a big challenge on his hands to emulate the legendary trio of Kauto Star, Cue Card and Bristol De Mai who all won back-to-back renewals of the event.

For 95% of the Charlie Hall, Bravemansgame appeared to be cruising to victory in that Grade 2 event, but a harrowing mistake at the last - when still on the bridle - saw him hand victory to Gentlemansgame and Harry Cobden was unable to reel in the Irish raider, who landed a shock win. Interestingly, Cobden heads to Ascot this weekend so it will be Daryl Jacob entasked with the job of trying to get Bravemansgame back in the winner's enclosure. Having partnered Bristol De Mai to success in this race plenty of times, Jacob is certainly an able deputy.

A real smooth traveller, Bravemansgame will be looking to gain a confidence-boosting win before he heads to Kempton Park on Boxing Day to try and retain his King George VI Chase crown,. He showed there and when chasing home Galopin Des Champs in the Gold Cup that he is the premier chaser on UK shores, and while Protektorat is a decent performer for Dan Skelton, he will be making his seasonal reappearance so will have a tough assignment to get the better of the race-fit Nicholls runner.

Protektorat will be looking to upset the apple cart again here after his 11-length win last season over a disappointing favourite in A Plus Tard flopped. This means Protektorat didn't beat a top class Grade 1 performer in the 2022 contest, and in Bravemansgame he faces a real top-notcher so the Sketon charge will have to settle for minor honours here.

Dual Ultima Handicap Chase winner Corach Rambler backed up his second win in the race by storming to victory in the Grand National at Aintree back in April. Lucinda Russell's stable star failed to build on those heroics on his seasonal reappearance when being well beaten at Kelso last month, but Russell was quick to make it clear that her nine-year-old would improve immeasurably for the run. He isn't to be discounted yet and he's one that will be looking to make waves in the Graded arena this season before possibly returning to Liverpool in the spring, but this is a tough ask.

There's no denying that he's a classy staying chaser, but he is unlikely to reach that very top level over fences and he may just find things happen a little too quickly in this event on Saturday afternoon. He could well be battling it out for third place with the other runner, Royale Pagaille, who completes the quartet.

A dual winner of the Peter Marsh Handicap Chase at the track, the Venetia Williams-trained raider is one that would relish soft conditions, but with a relatively dry week it's unlikely the ground will be that testing, so he's going to face an uphill battle. Last seen falling in the Irish Grand National in April, the nine-year-old has shown his best performances do come at Haydock, but like Corach Rambler he may just not be a Grade 1 level horse, so may have to watch on as the fancied pair fight it out.