Just three weeks to the Festival and not a lot of quality jumping left before the finest week in British racing. Once known as the Racing Post Chase, the naming rights of this Kempton feature handicap have been taken over by BetBright.
Sharing his shrewd assessment of this contest is regular contributor Chris Day, @chrisday100
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BetBright Chase
£100,000 Grade 3 Handicap
Kempton 15.45 GMT
In its heyday, the Racing Post Chase featured some of the most progressive chasers in training and was seen as a stepping stone to the Gold Cup itself.
Recent editions have, however been slightly more modest and this year seems to be carrying on the trend.
Top weight from a mark of 155 is the Nicky Henderson trained Radjhani Express, who put up his best performance in finishing third in last year's Ryanair Chase. He won over this course as a novice and, on ground no worse than good to soft, could be given a realistic chance. However, the ground appears likely to be softer than ideal and it may be best to wait until the festival before getting involved.
Emma Lavelle's Fox Appeal always seems to run the track well and seems likely to run his race but I've never thought he was crying out for 3 miles and he's got a big weight to carry. 7-1 doesn't leave much leeway and he's passed over for win purposes.
Next in the weights is Le Reve, a horse in rude health and apparently thriving for going right handed in soft ground. The question here is whether he can continue in top form after a couple of hard races and, at 8-1, we can afford to let him run.
Godsmejudge is surely being prepped for Aintree and appears to need a stiffer test, similar comments apply to the returning The Rainbow Hunter, What A Warrior can definitely be given a chance but may also need better ground, Lost Legend needs a career best to figure but does enjoy the course and last year's winner, Bally Legend doesn't seem to be in great nick for the defence of his title.
Ardkilly Witness prefers a right hand test but is high enough in the weights on what he's achieved, Renard is always fancied but doesn't look like a winner in such a hot contest, Chartreux should go well with Barry Geraghty an eye-catching booking, Ballinvarrig is improving but needs to prove his stamina in a strongly run race, and Tap Night always looks like winning but is not one for me at 10-1.
The favourite, Easter Day, could be a blot on the handicap, having travelled easily over a three-furlong shorter trip at Cheltenham and loves soft ground. He beat RSA winner, O'Failans Boy at Ascot in December 2013 and looks a shoo-in for a handicap but has yet to show he stays three miles. He should be difficult to beat but will need to be tough from the back of the last in what could be a gruelling test and, at short prices, is passed over.
The two I like are Rocky Creek, who should find this slightly easier test perfect and is feasibly in on his top class handicap form and Tenor Nivernais, who shaped like he was ready for this trip when staying on into fourth at Ascot a couple of runs ago. His trainer said earlier in the season that she felt he needed three miles even though he was winning over shorter and soft ground suits him well.
Both have chances in an open race where most of the opposition can have holes picked in them.
Sharing his shrewd assessment of this contest is regular contributor Chris Day, @chrisday100
-----------------------
BetBright Chase
£100,000 Grade 3 Handicap
Kempton 15.45 GMT
In its heyday, the Racing Post Chase featured some of the most progressive chasers in training and was seen as a stepping stone to the Gold Cup itself.
Recent editions have, however been slightly more modest and this year seems to be carrying on the trend.
Top weight from a mark of 155 is the Nicky Henderson trained Radjhani Express, who put up his best performance in finishing third in last year's Ryanair Chase. He won over this course as a novice and, on ground no worse than good to soft, could be given a realistic chance. However, the ground appears likely to be softer than ideal and it may be best to wait until the festival before getting involved.
Emma Lavelle's Fox Appeal always seems to run the track well and seems likely to run his race but I've never thought he was crying out for 3 miles and he's got a big weight to carry. 7-1 doesn't leave much leeway and he's passed over for win purposes.
Next in the weights is Le Reve, a horse in rude health and apparently thriving for going right handed in soft ground. The question here is whether he can continue in top form after a couple of hard races and, at 8-1, we can afford to let him run.
Godsmejudge is surely being prepped for Aintree and appears to need a stiffer test, similar comments apply to the returning The Rainbow Hunter, What A Warrior can definitely be given a chance but may also need better ground, Lost Legend needs a career best to figure but does enjoy the course and last year's winner, Bally Legend doesn't seem to be in great nick for the defence of his title.
Ardkilly Witness prefers a right hand test but is high enough in the weights on what he's achieved, Renard is always fancied but doesn't look like a winner in such a hot contest, Chartreux should go well with Barry Geraghty an eye-catching booking, Ballinvarrig is improving but needs to prove his stamina in a strongly run race, and Tap Night always looks like winning but is not one for me at 10-1.
The favourite, Easter Day, could be a blot on the handicap, having travelled easily over a three-furlong shorter trip at Cheltenham and loves soft ground. He beat RSA winner, O'Failans Boy at Ascot in December 2013 and looks a shoo-in for a handicap but has yet to show he stays three miles. He should be difficult to beat but will need to be tough from the back of the last in what could be a gruelling test and, at short prices, is passed over.
The two I like are Rocky Creek, who should find this slightly easier test perfect and is feasibly in on his top class handicap form and Tenor Nivernais, who shaped like he was ready for this trip when staying on into fourth at Ascot a couple of runs ago. His trainer said earlier in the season that she felt he needed three miles even though he was winning over shorter and soft ground suits him well.
Both have chances in an open race where most of the opposition can have holes picked in them.
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