Rock-solid Silver could be a steal

THE ground looked hard work at Sandown yesterday, and it could be softer than many thought it would be for the Betfair Tingle Creek Chase (2.25).

That will be music to the ears of the Mullins team, who bring over the superstar Chacun Pour Soi. Bar one blip in the Champion Chase, Chacun has looked unbeatable and he is going to be extremely hard to beat here.

It will be interesting to see how the time of the Close Brothers Henry VIII Novices’ Chase (1.50) compares, but it looks a really competitive race where nearly all of them can be given a chance.

Third Time Lucki has looked a revelation over fences, but he did finish behind Edwardstone in the County Hurdle and I think he’s plenty short enough.

Edwardstone was really good at his fences at Warwick last time and should go well, while Il Rodoto hacked up at Newbury last weekend and gets 6lb from the rest.

However the horse who looks overpriced is the Sam Thomas-trained Stolen Silver, who beat Edwardstone over hurdles and has been in great form since joining his current yard this season.

Last time he jumped really well and was a bit unlucky not to cut back Editeur Du Gite, who is a rapidly improving two-miler himself.

Stolen Silver was trying to give the winner 5lb, there was ten lengths back to the third and the time was really good, so the form is rock-solid. I don’t think he has too much to find and Stolen Silver is capable of springing a surprise.

At Aintree, the Unibet Becher Handicap Chase (2.40) will garner most of the headlines, but I have no idea what it takes to win over the National fences days these days and I fancy about ten.

Instead I would rather take a chance on the stamina of Simply The Betts in the Unibet Many Clouds Chase (2.05).

There will be no prisoner taken with Native River in the line-up, but Simply The Betts has looked to be crying out for a step up to three miles and, as a novice, he beat Imperial

Aura giving him weight, and he gets 6lb from that rival here.

Simply The Betts ran a cracker when thought to be in need of the race in the Paddy Power Gold Cup last time. That was a good run to finish sixth under top weight, and we know he relishes soft ground.

The other suggested bets come in the handicap hurdles that end the cards, and at Aintree I think it’s worth giving

Straw Fan Jack another chance in the Unibet – 2021 Horserace Betting Operator Of The Year Handicap Hurdle (3.15).

Tamar Bridge might be thrown in, but he’s been well found in the market and Straw Fan Jack won by 30 lengths on this day last year and wasn’t disgraced in the Greatwood last time either.

Rather like Tamar Bridge, Benson has been well backed in the lead-up to the Betfair Daily Rewards December Handicap Hurdle at Sandown (3.35). If he jumps, he has got a huge shout, but he remains clumsy and, at much bigger prices, I prefer the chances of the lightweights Zambezi Fix and Heure De Gloire.

Zambezi Fix has had problems at his fences, but he is extremely well handicapped on the best of his chase form, which includes a close second to Funambule Sivola, who gave Shishkin a fright at Aintree back in April.

Heure De Gloire does not have anything like the required form, but the Pipe team are mustard in these races, went close to winning the Greatwood with another fouryear-old, and he is one of only two horses who the trainer has entered in the Betfair

Exchange Trophy at Ascot later in the month.