4.10pm Warwick Tips & Betting Preview 29/09/2016

Six runners have been declared for the Class 3 handicap chase over 3m at Warwick on Thursday. Read our full race preview for our experts’ betting tips.

IN SUMMARY: There is significant hope No Buts might stage a revival, given he comes here fresh, with a tongue-tie fitted and is dropped in class, but he comes with obvious risks attached after running poorly on both outings last season and the odds on offer aren’t tempting enough. Preference is for the much more obvious claims of BENZEL, who bounced back from a disappointing performance when a convincing winner at Southwell last month. He looks progressive and is a worthy favourite. Ready Token was a wide-margin C&D winner when last in action but that performance may not be as good as it appears at first glance, and he looks vulnerable off a new career-high mark. A bigger threat to the selection could come from Follow The Swallow, who was in contention before running out at the penultimate fence on his recent stable debut.

1 No Buts – Looked out of sorts on both starts last season, the more recent in December; may have benefited from subsequent break, has a tongue-tie fitted for the first time and today’s race represents a significant drop in class, but it still takes a leap of faith to support him.

2 Benzel – 2-4 since switched to chasing this season, the more recent success gained in a small-field event at Southwell (3m, good) last month; contests a stronger race from an 8lb higher mark today but is clearly making good progress and can’t be opposed with any confidence.

3 Ready Token – Produced new career-best performance when scoring by 13l over C&D (good to soft) on latest outing in May; however, the runner-up in that race is a notorious weak finisher and the winning margin probably flatters this gelding; fitness is unlikely to be an issue after his subsequent break but a 12lb hike up the weights might be.

4 Velator – Back in form for his new stable when runner-up on consecutive outings in May/July, and subsequent defeat at Newton Abbot shouldn’t be viewed harshly (pulled up after bad jumping error); certainly didn’t run badly when last of three finishers at Stratford (3m3f, good) last month but it’s now over two years since his last win, and he holds no secrets from the handicapper.

5 Follow The Swallow – Joined Graeme McPherson after very respectable fourth at Killarney (2m6f, good) in July and was in the process of running well on his recent stable debut at Hexham (3m, good) before running out at the penultimate fence; no surprise if he makes his presence felt off the same mark here.

6 Horsehill – Lightly raced under rules and made promising chasing debut when third at Taunton (2m7f, good) last November; claims on that evidence but performed poorly on both subsequent appearances (pulled up both times) and needs 161-day break to have done him good.

myracing Forecast Prices: 7/4 Benzel, 3/1 Ready Token, 5/1 No Buts, Follow The Swallow, 6/1 Velator, 12/1 Horsehill