Big-race preview & tips: Betfair Chase
3.00 Haydock
BRAVEMANSGAME – Matt Brocklebank
Protektorat is usually at his best this time of year and underlined how well he goes fresh when winning last year’s Betfair Chase by 11 lengths, but he only had to beat Eldorado Allen in the end, with odds-on favourite A Plus Tard pulled-up, and Dan Skelton’s horse has a major task on his hands in trying to reverse Gold Cup form with BRAVEMANSGAME. It’s a good job Paul Nicholls has decided to support the race as it’d be a poor turnout otherwise and stable star Bravemansgame can step up from his Wetherby comeback outing to win this under Daryl Jacob en route to defending his crown in the King George at Kempton. Royale Pagaille may just be better served to carrying a big weight in a handicap, while Corach Rambler might not peak until the spring again.
PROTEKTORAT - David Ord
Bravemansgame will be a tough nut to crack but PROTEKTORAT showed how this test suits him down the ground when running away with last year's renewal and he looks the value alternative. This is his big target for the season, the preparation has gone smoothly, and he arrives here fresh and with ground conditions to suit.
BRAVEMANSGAME – Ben Linfoot
Two standout contenders in the Betfair Chase and BRAVEMANSGAME’s class edge can see him home in front for Paul Nicholls under Daryl Jacob. He beat Protektorat over eight lengths in the Cheltenham Gold Cup and while Dan Skelton’s horse can get closer over the extended 3m1f at Haydock, the odds-on favourite should oblige for backers with a satisfactory Charlie Hall second under his belt. Protektorat jumped brilliantly in this race when winning last year and a repeat performance will see him go close, but Bravemansgame is fancied to pull out more after the last.
Timeform Top Rated
BRAVEMANSGAME (five pounds clear)
Timeform Pace Map
Pace Forecast: Very Weak
Specific Pace Hint: A slowly-run race should work to the advantage of the prominent racers and BRAVEMANSGAME should be better placed than ROYALE PAGAILLE in that respect.
Individual Price Hint: BRAVEMANSGAME normally races prominently but despite the expected pace forecast has disappointed before after trading much lower than Betfair SP.
1. Bravemansgame
2. Corach Rambler
3. Protektorat
4. Royale Pagaille
What the connections say
Paul Nicholls’ Bravemansgame headlines a small but classy field for the Betfair Chase at Haydock on Saturday.
The eight-year-old was second in the Gold Cup last season and made his comeback this term in the Charlie Hall at Wetherby. He was beaten by Mouse Morris’ Gentlemansgame in West Yorkshire but Nicholls considers him to have come on considerably for that run, as he begins to tread a path back to the Gold Cup via this contest and the King George.
“He took a large step forward for that run, he hadn’t been for a racecourse gallop or anything and I hadn’t drilled him or anything for that particular race because we knew there’d be bigger targets down the road,” Nicholls said. “He has come on for that run enormously, he looks great and he’s feeling really good.
“He’s high class and should be the favourite really, it’s just that we were a bit negative and we weren’t sure we were going to go there. Bryan (Drew), who owns him, was quite keen for him to run – that’s one reason – and he has come out of that race very, very well. He will take a step forward for that race the other day. He’s that much older now, we’ve still got a month to Kempton and it’s a valuable race.”
The bay has been ridden in all 18 starts under rules so far by Harry Cobden, but the Ditcheat stable jockey is required to head to Ascot instead and Daryl Jacob steps in the for the ride at Haydock.
“Harry is going to Ascot to ride Pic D’Orhy, who had such a good season last year, from which I hope he’s improved further,” Nicholls said. “The bottom line is that Harry can’t be in two places at the same time. When there is more than one big meeting on a Saturday, you have to plan, but you also need someone to be first reserve and Daryl has been riding out for us.”
Dan Skelton will be represented by Protektorat, the reigning Betfair Chase champion after landing the race by 11 lengths last season. He was subsequently fourth in the Cotswold Chase and fifth in the Gold Cup and now returns for his seasonal debut with freshness on his side.
“It gives you great confidence when a horse has been there and done it because you can do what you did the year before,” the trainer said. “We know the result we got and if he runs like he did last year, which was visually very impressive, whoever beats him will have a hard race to do so.
“OK, his form after wasn’t as sparkling but we can put that to one side at the moment because we are dealing with first time and we know what he did first time last year. Freshness is key with any horse. I know people want to see these horses run more but the truth of the matter is these horses have hard races in big races. It’s not the getting ready for the next race, it’s getting over the one they’ve just had.
“Of course, I’d love to run him more, like I would a lot of others, but you can’t waste runs when you think they might not be at their best. You also have to consider the idiosyncrasies of British courses. You want to run them on ones they will be at their best, unless you get a horse like Kauto Star who can do it on all of them and then it’s magical. We’d all love to run them more but it is hard to get them razor right.”
Lucinda Russell runs last season’s Grand National hero Corach Rambler, who makes his Grade One debut at Haydock. After winning the Aintree marathon by two and a quarter lengths in the spring, the nine-year-old returned to action in Kelso’s Edinburgh Gin Chase in late October but was well beaten when fifth of six runners.
Russell reports her stable star to be in good form at home following the run, however, and hopes his performance in the Betfair Chase will prove instructive as to where he will head next.
The William Hill ambassador said: “Corach Rambler is in absolutely fantastic form at home and has been causing absolute mayhem around the place! He’s galloping around the farm in a very happy manner and upsetting the whole string, which is really encouraging ahead of Haydock on Saturday.
“I must admit that I do wake up in the middle of the night panicking about him because he really does mean that much to me. He’s very special and it’s a pleasure to be involved with him and be a part of his journey. The ground at Kelso was pretty bad and he obviously didn’t have a great run there, so the fact it will be better on Saturday is a real bonus. We’re under no illusions that it’s going to be a big challenge against some proper Gold Cup contenders, but I think he’s earned his chance to prove that he’s up to this sort of standard and we’re really looking forward to it. It will tell us where we stand with him and whether the Gold Cup is a realistic aim.”
Completing the field of four is Venetia Williams’ Royale Pagaille, second in the contest behind A Plus Tard in 2021. The nine-year-old has a notably good Haydock record, as three further runs at the track have all ended in victory, though he was a faller in the Irish Grand National when last seen in April and looks to return to form at his favoured track.
Joe Chambers, racing manager to owners Rich and Susannah Ricci, said: “Royale Pagaille loves it at Haydock and with the ground in his favour and a small field, we thought it would be best to kick off his season there on Saturday, rather than going to Newbury the following week. He is three out of four at Haydock, with his only defeat coming when second in the Betfair Chase two years ago to A Plus Tard. I’d say this season it would be lovely to win a third Peter Marsh Chase at Haydock (in January) with him. What happens either side of that is still to be decided.”
Key Video Form
BRAVEMANSGAME, 2nd Wetherby November 4 2023
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PROTEKTORAT, 1st Haydock November 19 2022
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CORACH RAMBLER, 1st Aintree April 15 2023
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ROYAL PAGAILLE, 2nd Kempton 26 December 2022
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