THE BIG DOG can give his rivals weight and a beating in the Coral Welsh Grand National Handicap Chase (2.50) at Chepstow today.
Trained in Co Kildare by Peter Fahey, the nine-year-old followed a head margin in the Munster National at Limerick in October with a three-and-a-half-length call in Navan’s Troytown Handicap Chase at the end of last month.
Top weight and a 5lb higher mark may not be enough to stop Aidan Coleman’s mount from racking up the hat-trick.
The Grade 2 Coral Finale Junior Hurdle (1.40) ranks as a good opportunity for COMFORT ZONE to resume winning ways after a last-time-out third to subsequent Grade 1 scorer Lossiemouth at Fairyhouse.
The returning RED ROOKIE looks well treated in the Coral Get Closer To The Action Handicap Chase (1.05), and JUST A DIME is taken to prove ahead of the assessor in the Coral Racing Club Handicap Hurdle (2.10).
At Kempton, EDWARDSTONE will be hard to beat in the Grade 2 Ladbrokes Desert Orchid Chase (2.30) after his impressive nine-length margin in the top-level Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown at the beginning of the month.
Market leader BOOTHILL stands out in the Grade 2 Ladbrokes Wayward Lad Novices’ Chase (1.20), while I SPY A DIVA can keep up her winning run in the Ladbrokes ‘We Play Together’ Mares’ Handicap Hurdle (1.55).
Ben Pauling’s red-hot form points to YOUR DARLING in the Ladbrokes Play “1-2-Free” On Football Handicap Chase (3.09), and smart Flat racer POSTMARK looks an interesting winter recruit in the Ladbrokes Daily Odds Boosts Introductory Juvenile Hurdle (12.45).
TUESDAY'S SELECTIONS
WETHERBY
11.50 PIAFF BUBBLES
12.25 HEREWEGOHONEY
1.00 ROYAL MOGUL
1.35 BASS ROCK
2.15 JILAIJONE
2.45 ECLAIR D’AINAY
3.20 HOME FREE
CHEPSTOW
12.00 OUT OF OFFICE
12.30 STATE OF POWER
1.05 RED ROOKIE
1.40 COMFORT ZONE
2.10 JUST A DIME
2.50 THE BIG DOG (NAP)
3.25 DALAMOI
3.55 ISAAC DES OBEAUX
KEMPTON
12.45 POSTMARK
1.20 BOOTHILL
1.55 I SPY A DIVA
2.30 EDWARDSTONE
3.09 YOUR DARLING (NB)
3.40 MASTER DANCER
WOLVERHAMPTON
4.30 GRIGGY
5.00 ASTROPHYSICS
5.30 BAAHILL
6.00 VICTORY MARCH
6.30 OVERACTIVE
7.00 EXCEL POWER
7.30 TARBAAN
8.00 KIM WEXLER
DOUBLE: THE BIG DOG and YOUR DARLING