News » Fascinating G1 Betfair Chase in prospect with dual King George hero Clan des Obeaux entered alongside previous winners Lostintranslation & Bristol de Mai by Racenews Racecourse Service

Fascinating G1 Betfair Chase in prospect with dual King George hero Clan des Obeaux entered alongside previous winners Lostintranslation & Bristol de Mai by Racenews Racecourse Service

Clan des Obeaux winning at Haydock Park in 2017.

Entries are unveiled today for the first G1 chase of the 2020/21 season in Great Britain, the £160,000 Betfair Chase at Haydock Park on Saturday, 21 November.

Staged over an extended three miles and one furlong, the Betfair Chase was first run in 2005 and quickly established itself as the first target for the very best three-mile chasers. This was in no small part due to the great Kauto Star, who landed the spoils a record four times – 2006, 2007, 2009 and 2011. Kauto Star’s handler, the 11-times champion Paul Nicholls, recorded further success with Silviniaco Conti in 2012 and 2014, meaning that he is the winning-most trainer in the history of the Betfair Chase.

This time around Nicholls has two entries – Clan des Obeaux, who has won the G1 Ladbrokes King George VI Chase at Kempton Park on Boxing Day for the past two years, and Topofthegame, winner of the G1 RSA Insurance Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham in March 2019 but not seen out since chasing home Lostintranslation in the G1 Betway Mildmay Novices’ Chase at Aintree the following month.

Clan des Obeaux, a 6/1 chance with Betfair, is Nicholls’ intended runner at this stage, with Topofthegame more likely to head to Newbury the following week. Eight-year-old Clan des Obeaux has made two previous appearances at Haydock Park – he won a graduation chase on Betfair Chase Day in 2017 and was fourth, beaten just under nine lengths, behind Bristol de Mai in the 2018 Betfair Chase.

Nicholls said: “Clan des Obeaux is in great form at home and will head for the Betfair Chase.

“Physically, he seems to have improved on years past. He is working hard and is on well schedule for Haydock.

“Two years ago, we went to the Betfair Chase just to put our toe in the water to see if he could run in Graded races and he ran a really good race. He then went on to win the King George.

“He will be ready to put up a good performance at Haydock – there is no point going there thinking he is going to need the run. He will be ready and then that is nice timing for him to go to Kempton again on Boxing Day.”

The winners of the past three renewals of the Betfair Chase are also entered – last year’s victor Lostintranslation (Colin Tizzard) and Bristol de Mai (Nigel Twiston-Davies), who was triumphant in both 2017 and 2018 before finishing runner-up last year. Lostintranslation subsequently disappointed at Kempton Park but ended the campaign with a creditable third in the G1 Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup. Lostintranslation heads the market at 7/4 with Betfair, with Bristol de Mai at 2/1.

The Betfair Chase is one of the few major prizes to have eluded six-times champion Jump trainer Nicky Henderson, with Long Run (runner-up to Kauto Star in 2011) faring best for the master of Seven Barrows. This year Henderson has entered Santini, winner of the G2 Paddy Power Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham in January before going on to beat all bar Al Boum Photo in the Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup.

There has also yet to be an Irish-trained winner of the Betfair Chase, with Beef Or Salmon coming closest when runner-up in the inaugural staging in 2005. The one Irish-trained entry in 2020 is A Plus Tard (Henry de Bromhead), who has raced over shorter distances for most of his career and most recently came home third in the G1 Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham.

Lord du Mesnil (Richard Hobson) has something to find on ratings to be competitive but has a definite liking for Haydock Park. After two handicap successes at the course in December, the seven-year-old went on to take second in the G3 Unibet Grand National Trial in February and rounded off the campaign with a game second in the G2 National Hunt Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham.

Gloucestershire-based Hobson said: “Lord du Mesnil is in good form and the Betfair Chase is a possibility.

“I haven’t been able to get a run into him yet this season. He has got some entries over the weekend but we are yet to decide if he will run.

“The Betfair Chase may therefore come too quick, but he is entered and we will make a decision nearer the time.

“He has summered really well and I am delighted with him at home. He will just come into his own when the ground gets soft.

“Lord du Mesnil will probably be aimed at a couple of races at Haydock this season. The Grand National Trial is a target, as is the Tommy Whittle.

“We don’t really have a long-term plan for him this season, he will just run in all of those good staying chases and we are looking forward to seeing him back in action.”

Completing the entries are Bellshill (Sandy Thompson), successful in the G1 Irish Gold Cup in 2019 for former trainer Willie Mulllins, Keeper Hill (Warren Greatrex), who won a graduation chase on Betfair Chase Day in 2019, and Saint Calvados (Harry Whittington), another who could also step up in trip having come home second to Min in the G1 Ryanair Chase over an extended two and a half miles when last seen at Cheltenham in March.

The five-day acceptance stage for the Betfair Chase is on Monday, 16 November, when there is also an £8,000 supplementary entry stage.

Betfair Spokesman Barry Orr commented today: “It’s a great list of entries with Lostintranslation and Bristol de Mai, who fought out a memorable finish in 2019, currently heading the market at 7/4 and 2/1 respectively’’

“Dual King George winner, Clan Des Obeaux, at 6/1 is sure to be popular, while Gold Cup runner-up, Santini, is 3/1 to give Nicky Henderson a first win in the race.”

Betfair Chase, Betfair odds: 7/4 Lostintranslation; 2/1 Bristol de Mai; 3/1 Santini; 6/1 Clan des Obeaux; 16/1 A Plus Tard; 20/1 Saint Calvados, Topofthegame; 25/1 Bellshill; 33/1 Keeper Hill; 50/1 Lord du Mesnil

Entries are also revealed today for the £80,000 Betfair Best Odds On ITV Races Stayers’ Handicap Hurdle, staged over an extended three miles on Betfair Chase Day. This contest has been a very good guide to future success at the highest level, with both Sam Spinner (2017) and Paisley Park (2018) going on to G1 honours.

Recent impressive Cheltenham winner Honest Vic (Henry Daly) heads the 35 entries and could aim to give trainer his second victory in the contest following Stoney Mountain’s triumph in 2019.

Heading the market at 7/1 with Betfair is Relegate (Colm Murphy), one of three Irish-trained entries and winner of the G1 Weatherbys Champion Bumper at Cheltenham in 2018 when trained by Willie Mullins. He was last seen out when fifth in the G3 Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham in March.

 

Betfair Best Odds On ITV Races Stayers’ Handicap Hurdle, Betfair odds:

7/1 Relegate; 8/1 Imperial Alcazar; 10/1 Collooney; 12/1 Honest Vic, Tea Clipper, Third Wind; 14/1 Ask Ben, Cill Anna, Duc de Beauchene, Fauburg Rosetgri, Lil Rockerfeller, Portrush Ted, Wholestone; 16/1 Debestyman, Dolphin Square, Highland Hunter, Decor Irlandais, Glinger Flame, West To The Bridge; 20/1 Kepagge, Umbrigado, Main Fact, Who Dares Wins; 25/1 Ask Dillon, Clyne, Eden du Houx, Justatenner, Kalashnikov, Mount Mews, The Jam Man; 25/1 I K Brunel; 33/1 Silva Eclipse, Shang Tang; 40/1 Flashjack; 66/1 Chocolat Noir