4.00pm Chepstow Tips & Betting Preview 15/10/2017

4.00pm Chepstow tips for Sunday’s Class 2 contest raced over 2m for five-year-olds and older. Read on for our free betting tips, predictions and analysis.

IN SUMMARY: Alan King’s ELGIN looks well-handicapped following some excellent efforts last season and he can continue that good form here. This doesn’t look like the strongest of handicaps and he can take advantage of a mark of 140 ahead of I’m A Game Changer who should improve for a solid outing off a break.

1 ELGIN – Flourished over the course of last season recording multiple victories and placed efforts. A mark of 140 looks workable on his seasonal return and there should be more improvement to come this season. He commands respect from a top yard.

2 UTILITY – Steps up in grade today following some comfortable victories in Class 4 handicaps. He’s 13lbs higher than the latest of those successes and he’s best watched here in this stronger race although he does have a C&D success to his name.

3 MINELLA CHARMER – Fell twice and finished a distant third of six in three races over the course of last season. A mark of 136 looks stiff enough on what he’s achieved and he can only be watched here off a break in a strong race.

4 ROSSETTI – More exposed than most of his rivals here and he’s been beaten a long way in his last couple of starts over hurdles. This does represent a drop in grade but a mark of 136 looks high still and the presence of a 7lb claimer justifies that opinion. Best watched.

5 OLDGRANGEWOOD – Steadily improved over fences last season which saw him win a decent handicap at Wetherby. He switches back to hurdles off a lower mark today and the drop in trip is interesting having looked better over further. May still be well-handicapped though.

6 I’M A GAME CHANGER – Posted a decent effort in a Listed event at Market Rasen last month and that should have sharpened him up for this. A mark of 133 looks workable and Richard Johnson keeps the partnership intact here which is positive. Conditions should suit, respected.

7 CYRNAME – Lightly-raced French import who produced two moderate efforts in a couple of Class 2 handicaps last season. He needs to improve plenty to come out on top here but he hails from a top yard and the summer may well have done him the world of good. Market should guide.

8 ZULU OSCAR – May find this grade too testing off this mark given he’s 9lbs higher than when winning a Class 4 C&D handicap. The ground should suit today and he wasn’t entirely disgraced in a Grade 3 but this mark looks high enough and he’s best watched.

9 MISTERTON – Took a Class 3 novices hurdle handicap in his stride at Wincanton on his final start of last season and he races off a 6lb higher mark here. He hails from a top yard and there should be more to come from him this season. This is his toughest test to date though.

10 CHELSEA FLYER – Wasn’t beaten all that far by Finian’s Oscar at Aintree earlier in the year although he needs to improve on recent handicap efforts. He was well-supported in a Worcester handicap last time out but finished a remote second last and he has questions to answer here.

11 DISCOURS D’UN ROI – Twice a winner over hurdles in France for a top yard although he struggled on a couple of runs for Nicky Henderson earlier in the year. He’s 3lbs lower than the latest of those and the market should provide clues as to whether he’s developed over the summer.

12 PRAIRIE TOWN – Two wins from 32 starts is less than inspiring although Tony Carroll’s runner has produced fair efforts in handicaps of late. He’s down a couple of pounds here which will entitle him to get closer but he generally finds a couple too good. Opposed.

13 ALAMEIN – Failed to complete on his first start for this yard when pulled up earlier in the month. He has questions to answer here having produced poor efforts over the summer and he looks to have fallen out of love with the game. Opposed.

14 MAN OF PLENTY – Interesting entry off bottom weight for the Sophie Leech yard. He’s run moderately in some average handicaps of late although his 5-length fourth at Uttoxeter last time out was a decent run. Today’s terms make him of interest with Paddy Brennan booked.