26 December 2023 , 16:41
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NASSALAM is fancied to give Caoilin Quinn the biggest win of his going-places career by landing the Coral Welsh Grand National (2.50) at Chepstow this afternoon.
Quinn was on board the Gary Moore-saddled son of Dream Well for the Welsh Grand National Trial 18 days ago, and the combination went round on rails en route to a five-and-a-half-length defeat of Wayfinder.
The handicapper reacted with an 8lb rise to a new mark of 149, so Nassalam is 4lb ahead of his BHA nemesis under a 4lb penalty.
This extended three-mile, six-furlong distance marks uncharted territory for my selection but, despite being only six years old, Nassalam shapes like a horse capable of grinding it out over marathon trips.
He heads the betting for the Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham in March, so it will be a shock if BURDETT ROAD fails to justify favouritism – and defend his unbeaten record over jumps – in the Grade 2 Coral Finale Junior Hurdle (2.10).
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Good Risk At All heads the market for the Coral Best Odds Guaranteed Handicap Chase (1.05) but preference is for top weight FIRST FLOW .
By contrast, CLASSIC CONCORDE is at the foot of the weights for the Coral Racing Club Join For Free Handicap Hurdle (1.40), but the David Brace trainee is on a roll - with more to come.
BOOTHILL has the ammunition to cope with five opponents in the Ladbrokes Desert Orchid Handicap Chase (2.30, Nap) at Kempton Park today.
Boothill is Newsboy's Nap at Kempton in the Ladbroke Desert Orchid Handicap Chase (2.30) (Getty)Harry Fry’s eight-year-old has won five of his nine attempts over fences and has an unbeaten record of four from four in the handicap sphere.
His last two successes have come at Ascot – Boothill followed a four-length supremacy over First Flow at the start of last month with a half-length from Frere D’Armes at the King’s racecourse three weeks later.
There is a further 3lb nudge up the weights to deal with, but Johnny Burke’s partner has more to offer and is fancied to go in again.
A losing run stretching back to October 2021 should come to an end for TEA CLIPPER in the Ladbrokes Get Best Odds Guaranteed Handicap Chase (3.09).
Although Tom Lacey’s son of Stowaway shoulders top weight, he’s 12lb lower than at his peak in the ratings and his last-time-out second to Hold That Taught at Ascot has since been franked by the winner.
The Ladbrokes Wayward Lad Novices’ Chase (1.55) looks a good opportunity for NICKLE BACK to resume winning ways, while the word from Nicky Henderson’s Seven Barrows stable ahead of the ladbrokeslive.co.uk To Win Free Music Tickets ’Introductory’ Juvenile Hurdle (1.20) is that SIR GINO is a smart youngster.