Sky Bet Handicap Chase Preview, Betting Tips and Odds – Saturday 30th January (3.15pm Doncaster)

The Sky Bet Handicap Chase, registered as the Great Yorkshire Chase, is run over 3 miles on the essentially flat, galloping track at Doncaster.

The race was abandoned in 2010, 2011 and 2013 due to frost but, despite the recent cold snap, no such problems are anticipated this time around.

 

Sky Bet Handicap Chase Odds

Horse	Odds	Bookies
Cap Du Nord	11/4	Bet
Canelo	7/1	Bet
One For The Team	7/1	Bet
Aye Right	10/1	Bet
Musical Slave	10/1	Bet
Rockys Treasure	12/1	Bet
Give Me a Copper	14/1	Bet
Sojourn	14/1	Bet
The Butcher Said	16/1	Bet
Boldmere	16/1	Bet

 

Cap Du Nord heads the betting

Ante-post favourite Cap Du Nord (11/4) was a comfortable, 4½-length winner from second favourite Cancelo (5/1) at Newbury in November and reopposes on 9lb worse terms. Under normal circumstances, the revised terms would appear to favour the latter, but Cap Du Nord took another step forward when second to impressive winner Royale Pagaille (favourite for the National Hunt Chase at the Festival) at Kempton over Christmas.

Christian Williams’ 8-year-old was receiving 10lb on that occasion but, even so, finishing 3¼ lengths behind a rival now officially rated 166 suggests he is extraordinarily well handicapped off his current mark of 139. Indeed, the official BHA handicapper agrees and, win or lose, he is due to go up at least 3lb in future engagements, making him 3lb ‘well in’ here.

 

One For The Team an exciting novice

Beyond the front pair, One For The Team (7/1) has been highly tried since making his debut over fences in a beginners’ chase at Newbury in early November. However, he has been far from disgraced on both starts since, finishing second in the Grade Two John Francome Novices’ Chase, also at Newbury, later the same month and fifth in the Grade One Ladbrokes Kauto Star Novices’ at Kempton on Boxing Day.

Of course, he is still a novice and, 11lb higher in the weights than when winning over hurdles, does not appear particularly well treated on his handicap debut over the larger obstacles.

 

Aye Right in good form

Aye Right (10/1) has been in decent form so far this season, finishing second, on highly disadvantageous terms, in the Grade Two Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby in late October and third in the Ladbrokes Trophy at Newbury the following month. Harriet Graham’s 8-year-old was a little disappointing when a beaten favourite in a so-called ‘jumpers’ bumper’ on his return to action at Newcastle last week, but is easily forgiven that effort and by no means impossibly handicapped.

 

Rocky’s Treasure could confirm the form

Rocky’s Treasure (12/1) was beaten 21 lengths by Cap Du Nord when only ninth at Newbury on his penultimate start, but wasn’t given a hard time once his chance had gone and is 15lb better off at the weights today. Indeed, he showed the benefit of tender handling on that occasion when just touching off Give Me A Copper over today’s course and distance last time. A 7lb rise in the weights for that victory means that he is 4lb worse off for half a length with Paul Nicholls’ 11-year-old but, provided the forecast rain doesn’t scupper his chances, he may be capable of confirming the form.

 

Sky Bet Handicap Chase Betting Tip

It is worth noting that seven of the last ten winners of the Sky Bet Handicap Chase were returned at single-figure odds so, while it’s possible to make a plausible case for a few of these, none is more compelling than Cap Du Nord. Still only an 8-year-old, he has time on his side and time may tell that he faced an nigh on impossible task against Royale Pagaille at Kempton last time.

WIN BET: Cap Du Nord – 5/2 with Paddy Power.

 

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