4.35pm Chepstow Tips & Betting Preview 15/10/2017

A £22,155 prize has attracted a high class field for this handicap chase. Read on for expert analysis and betting tips.

IN SUMMARY: ROMAIN DE SENAM has a progressive looking profile and can give Paul Nicholls a winner, Village Vic is likely to put it up to him from the front.

1 VILLAGE VIC – An admirable sort who has been contesting all the top handicap chases you could name for a long time, he is a brilliant jumper and will most likely make a bold bid from the front especially if repeating the form of his excellent runs behind Taquin Du Seuil and Frodon last season.

2 SIZING GRANITE – Was out of form last season until the Punchestown Festival where he bolted up off a mark of 146, the handicapper hasn’t been overly kind and it will take a big performance to win this off 157 but he is very classy and has a shout.

3 DOUBLE SHUFFLE – Was a very good second in a handicap off two pounds lower over three miles in February and was then pulled up in the Grand National. He is off 151 here and coming off a break but the main problem might be the drop back in trip, he might not be quite as effective over this distance as he is over further.

4 ARTHUR’S OAK – Comes off the longest absence in this field and showed most of his best form when trained by Venetia Williams on ground a tad softer than this, he is a classy horse but has been beaten a fair way in his last two starts and has something to prove here.

5 DIFFERENT GRAVEY – Looked an exciting chaser in the making when slamming a good field in a beginner’s chase at Ascot, failed to hold his form however and became disappointing. Has moved from Nicky Henderson now and has questions to answer.

6 ULTRAGOLD – Signed off his campaign with a 50-1 shock win in the Topham and that form would have him bang there, he is on a career high mark now though and it will take a smart performance to be winning this.

7 WADSWICK COURT – Went up four pounds for a rare win in Uttoxeter in July but looked slightly anchored by that rise last time, he doesn’t often find all the much off the bridle either and his overall form probably leaves him slightly short of what will be required here.

8 ROMAIN DE SENAM – Wasn’t beaten far in a Grade 3 handicap at Aintree and then was second in a listed race behind Vaniteux, he had previously been quite short in the antepost betting for a novices’ handicap chase at the Cheltenham festival before missing the cut and he is very interesting.

9 MYSTIFIABLE – Up four pounds for winning last time out at Perth but this is a very different and much more competitive type of race, he’ll need to improve substantially if he wants to have a say here in what is a very competitive race.