Choosing a Betfair Chase
Choosing a Betfair Chase to place a bet on can be a great way to make some extra money. The odds are usually quite good and there is a good chance that you'll win. However, there are some things to consider before you place a bet on any race.
Wetherby
Originally held at Manchester Racecourse, the Betfair Chase is a Grade 1 race run over a distance of three miles. It is open to horses aged five and above and has a starting price of £10. It is usually run on a flat track and has proven itself to handle decent ground.
It is a race which has produced a number of fans' favourites over the past ten years. Examples include Cue Card, Cyrname and Bristol De Mai.
Paul Nicholls has a good record in the Betfair Chase. He has won the feature race with Silviniaco Conti (2012) and Cyrname in 2020. He has also been involved in two other Wetherby features, winning with See More Business in 1999 and Silviniaco Conti in 2012.
He has also been involved in the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day, where his horse Bravemansgame beat Ahoy Senor by 30 lengths. He will be going for a second run in the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby, and may be a big chance in the Betfair Chase.
Nigel Twiston-Davies has been involved in the Betfair Chase four times, winning with Kauto Star in 2006 and Bristol De Mai in 2017. He holds the record for most Champion Chase winners with 13. Nigel Twiston-Davies is a leading trainer in the Betfair Chase over the last 18 renewals.
Another horse to look out for in the Betfair Chase is BRAVEMANSGAME, the Paul Nicholls horse which has entered for the 3m Grade 2 Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby. The Paul Nicholls horse is entered for the Betfair Chase at 6/4 with a 10 bet.
Another contender in the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby is Ahoy Senor. Ahoy Senor has a strong record, winning the Grade One Mildmay Novices' Chase at Aintree in the spring and winning the Kauto Star Novices' Chase at Christmas. He also ran in the Betfair Denman Chase at Newbury.
Aintree
Known as the Lancashire Chase before the change in name, the Betfair Chase has been a key fixture in the jumps season since its inauguration in 1884. The race, which is open to horses weighing over 11 stone and seven pounds, is held at Haydock Park and features the best stayers and chasers in the UK.
This year, the Betfair Chase will be run over a distance of three and a half miles, over nineteen fences. It is a Grade One National Hunt steeplechase. The race will take place on Saturday, 19 November.
The Betfair Chase is the first Grade One chase of the season. It attracts some of the UK's top chasers, and also potential contenders for the Cheltenham Gold Cup. It is a competitive race, and the prize money is set at PS200,000. It has been a long time since the race was staged over two days, but the day is set to change.
Paul Nicholls has been a prolific trainer in the race, having saddled six winners. Some of his previous winners include Silviniaco Conti (2014 and 2012) and Kauto Star (2009). He has also saddled the winner of the Ryanair Chase in 2017.
The Betfair Chase has a very large prize fund, and is one of the most important days in the jumps season. It's always a competitive race, and has seen prize money drop to eighth place in the past.
Bristol De Mai is a very strong stayer, having won the Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham in January. He was second in the Grand National Trial Handicap Chase at the same course, and has been in great form recently. Nevertheless, he has to be respected on the course and distance.
Newton Novices' Hurdle
Taking place on Saturday 19 November, the Betfair Chase is a Grade 1 hurdles race for horses aged five and over. It is run over three miles and nineteen fences. It is the first of seven Grade One chases that take place throughout the jumps season.
The Betfair Chase was originally run at Manchester Racecourse but was extended to three miles and a furlong in 2017. Betfair has supported the race for several years and it is now considered one of the most prestigious hurdles races in the country. The race attracts some of the best chasers in the country and has often been the jumping base for Gold Cup contenders.
The first two legs of the 2015/16 season were won by Cue Card, who is ridden by Colin Tizzard. His exploits at Haydock in March earned him a fan favourite and he has gone on to win three of his five hurdle races.
The winner of the Betfair Chase will receive a PS1 million prize from Betfair. This is a bonus that the winner gets if they win all three races on the day. The next two races are the Betfair Stayers' Handicap Hurdle and the Newton Novices' Hurdle.
Bravemansgame was originally tipped to run in the Betfair Chase at Wincanton. But after jumping beautifully and slamming Fusil Raffles by five and a half lengths, Paul Nicholls decided not to run him in the fast ground. He is now set to run on the Betfair Chase card at Haydock Park on Saturday.
The Betfair Chase attracts some of the best chasers to start the Jump season. It also attracts a lot of potential Cheltenham Gold Cup contenders. A total of six winners have been trained by Paul Nicholls, including Kauto Star (2007), Silviniaco Conti (2014) and Cloudy Dream (2016).
A Plus Tard
Having won the Cheltenham Gold Cup in March, A Plus Tard will attempt to defend his title in the Betfair Chase at Haydock on Saturday. The three-mile-one-furlong contest will be contested by a maximum of five rivals. The horse that is most likely to challenge A Plus Tard is Dan Skelton's Protektorat.
Protektorat has been in great form this season, with wins in the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day and the Cesarewitch at Newmarket on the Flat. His main aim this season is a Gold Cup victory. He finished third behind A Plus Tard at the Festival in March. He has been ridden by Harry Skelton for his trainer brother Dan.
A Plus Tard is a Cheveley Park Stud runner and has shown good form on both soft and softer ground. He has not been beaten by rivals so far in the meetings at the Cheltenham Festival or in Britain. His Timeform rating is 178, a figure that has improved by eight pounds in the last campaign. He is a horse that Henry de Bromhead believes will be a winner in this grade for a second year running.
A Plus Tard will be supported by a strong jockey in Rachael Blackmore. The Irish raider has enjoyed some big days on the horsetrack, including winning the Randox Grand National at Aintree. Her ride on the horse has won her the first female jockey to win the blue riband event.
The Betfair Chase is the most competitive Grade One contest at Haydock. It normally attracts a small field. But the race will be run on a softer surface this time around, and it should suit Bristol De Mai. The grey has a good record at the venue, winning three times.
Bristol de Mai
During the summer, the mud-flying grey that is Bristol De Mai is expected to compete in the Grade 1 Betfair Chase. He has been training in Britain for seven seasons, having first arrived in France in 2010. A son of Saddler Maker, he is trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies. He is also half-brother to Riva De Mai.
The grey is a former winner of the Finale Juvenile Hurdle at Chepstow and the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby. He also finished third in the Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup. Despite failing to win again last season, Bristol De Mai still finished the season in fine form, chasing home Might Bite in the Bowl Chase at Aintree.
Bristol De Mai has also run well on heavy ground. He was able to handle the conditions well at Haydock, where he ran a respectable race on two starts last season. He is also entered in the Grade 2 1965 Chase at Ascot.
Bristol De Mai is currently third in ante-post betting for the Cheltenham Gold Cup. He has never won after February, though. This will be his first major target for the season. In an ideal scenario, the Betfair Chase could provide the perfect platform for a record-equalling third victory.
Last season, Bristol de Mai pulled up in the Betfair Chase on good to soft ground. He was short-priced for the race and looked the favourite. He was still able to beat Thistlecrack and Blaklion by half a length. The other three stayed clear of him as they travelled in the home straight. However, Bristol De Mai did not have the turn of foot late on that would have been necessary to win.