3.25pm Chepstow Tips & Betting Preview 15/10/2017

A competitive veterans’ chase for a nice prize of  £18,768. Read on for expert analysis and betting tips.

IN SUMMARY: CLOUDY BEACH destroyed his rivals on his last visit to this course and if tuned up by the excellent Venetia Williams after a long lay-off he could take some beating, last year’s winner Double Ross rates the most obvious danger.

1 DOUBLE ROSS – A classy horse who ran some very respectable races last season, he was an excellent third in the Hennessy behind the excellent Native River and beat today’s rival Loose Chips in this race last year off a substantial break and has a swing at the weights here; big chance.

2 LOOSE CHIPS – A lovely horse who was a good second in this race last year and has run some grand races in the interim, he signed off his campaign last season with a game victory at Ascot and a similar performance would put him right in the thick of things here.

3 SHUIL ROYALE – Beaten out of sight when last seen at Uttoxeter but the handicapper has quickly relented and dropped him four pounds for that, he is only a pound higher than when winning a veterans’ chase at Aintree last year and is a lively enough outsider.

4 OUR DUFFER – Ran some nice races last year but has crept up in the weights as a result of that and is now on a career high mark as well as being five pounds above his last winning mark, this is a tough race and he will have to find improvement from somewhere.

5 FORGOTTEN GOLD – Has won off marks in this region before and not all that long ago most importantly, he goes well fresh and won’t mind the ground or the trip so he has to rate a danger to any of these if putting his best foot forward.

6 FOX APPEAL – Has been dropped two pounds back to a winning mark after a below par effort last time out at Fontwell, that was just nine days ago so it is difficult to have any great confidence that he will be able to turn around his form.

7 POTTERS CROSS – Pulled up in each of his last three starts and wouldn’t be one to be overly reliant on now, he has some solid form which would entitle him to go well if running his race but the recent memory of his last few runs leaves him with a point to prove.

8 KILLALA QUAY – Very hit or miss having been pulled up in four of his last five starts and winning the only one in which he completed the course, is only a pound higher than that win and if recapturing that form has a chance but he is a risky proposition.

9 LAMB OR COD – One of the many in this field coming off a break and if last year’s reappearance is anything to go by he might need the run, well handicapped however if he is fit and ready to go and not one to rule out lightly.

10 IT’S A GIMME – Rests on a mark of 130 following two poor runs in a row after a close second of 133, like most of these he is very well handicapped on the best of his form but isn’t the most reliable and rates a risky bet after his recent performances.

11 ALVARADO – Last seen when fourth in the Scottish National which is excellent form but he hasn’t had a prep for this and will probably find the trip a fair bit too short in any case, he’ll be staying on at the end but probably in vain.

12 THEATRICAL STAR – Beaten under two lengths in this last year and after a string of moderate performances he comes here on a three pound lower mark, he hasn’t had a run like he did last year though and a 196 day absence might be his undoing but he remains of interest.

13 FEAR GLIC – Won twice in 2016 and is only three pounds higher than the second of those victories but has been lightly raced since and disappointing each time he has made it to a race track, can be overlooked.

14 BOB FORD – Has dropped in the handicap quite rapidly of late but for good reason and he is quite unpredictable, has now left Rebecca Curtis and joined Alastair Ralph and if that prompts a revival he may well go close.

15 CLOUDY BEACH – Won by twenty two lengths last time out at this course but has not raced since, loves the ground with some cut and his current handicap mark could underestimate him, if he is fit and well after a 582 day break he would be a danger to all.