The DragonBet Welsh Racing Festival gets underway on Friday. To mark the fabled return of the jumps, GG tipster Joe Napier has three best bets, including one for the feature race, the Grade 2 Persian War Novices’ Hurdle.
3.12 Chepstow – Dragonbet Veterans’ Handicap Chase
Only three of the nine runners declared for this veterans’ handicap are above the age of ten, but one of those may prove the freshest and best in HANG IN THERE for Emma Lavelle. Despite being an 11-year-old, this will be his first run in a Veterans’ Series race and he may find the gentler waters to his benefit.
Down to a mark of 147, he is 8lb below his last winning mark from June last year. However, in the interim, he has two runner-up efforts, one off 159, and was still considered to be in prime enough form to contest both the Charlie Hall and Ryanair Chases last season. Those Graded contests were beyond his talents, but his second in the Perth Gold Cup over the summer came just four months ago off 4lb higher, while he has been seventh of 15 in both Uttoxeter’s Summer Cup and Market Rasen’s Summer Plate since, arguably the two biggest jumps handicaps run during the summer months.
Neither time was he disgraced, but the handicapper has given him plenty of rope, dropping him a combined 5lb for those two runs. That could prove overly generous now that he faces horses at a similar stage of their careers.
3.43 Chepstow – Dragonbet Persian War Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 2)
All markets quote QUEENSBURY BOY at odds against, which look generous in the context of this race. New recruits for the Murphy and Twiston-Davies yards are interesting, but neither boast a comparable level of form, even accounting for Sticktotheplan’s Listed victory, and both concede the selection weight.
Queensbury Boy won on his first two starts over hurdles having been a promising bumper horse, finishing second in a Punchestown Festival contest in that code. Having defied a penalty to win his second novice hurdle at Newbury in March, he was sent to contest Grade 1 Champion Novice Hurdle at Punchestown in May, predictably finding that too hot against the likes of Final Demand and The Yellow Clay, but far from disgracing himself in fifth.
This race should prove significantly easier and he can count on that experience here. Having only made his debut over hurdles after March, he is still eligible for this contest, with further improvement very plausible.
4.17 Chepstow – dragonbet.co.uk “Chasing Excellence” Novices’ Chase
Since the season officially started in April, Paul Nicholls has a 43% strike rate. Even accounting for the slimmer pickings over the opening months before the season starts in earnest, that is some performance, and WELCOM TO CARTRIES stands out in this novice chase.
The seven-year-old was pitched in at the deep end in the Grade 2 Esher Novices’ Chase last December, but ran well to be beaten only six lengths into fourth by subsequent Group 1 winner Handstands. He put in a lesser effort on Boxing Day in the Kauto Star behind The Jukebox Man, but those have been his only chase starts to date, both in Graded company against the top British novices over 3m.
Even those appearances suggest he may have more to offer over fences than hurdles and he would not be the first second season novice chaser to take his form to a new level for these connections after a break. In receipt of weight from two of his four rivals, he could be one to break free and prosper.
Looking For More Racing Info? Check Out Our Racecards & Top Tips Sections
Make sure you’re following us on all our social media platforms to keep up to date with all the latest horse racing news and the best tips.