Keith Hamer fancies Canelo to win the Sky Bet Chase and has a tip for every race at every meeting in the UK and Ireland.
Keith Hamer selections:
CHELTENHAM: 12.40 Nassalam, 1.15 Umbrigado, 1.50 Oldgrangewood, 2.25 Bristol De Mai, 3.00 Bear Ghylls, 3.35 Paisley Park, 4.10 Highway One O Two.
DONCASTER: 12.55 Sunset West, 1.30 Shishkin, 2.05 Marie’s Rock, 2.40 Pats Fancy, 3.15 CANELO (NAP), 3.50 Special Acceptance, 4.25 Teescomponentslass.
FAIRYHOUSE: 12.20 Et Dite, 12.50 Spare Brakes, 1.23 Bitview Colin, 1.58 Gauloise, 2.33 Lucky Tenner, 3.08 Micro Manage, 3.43 Direct Fire, 4.18 Itsnotinit.
KEMPTON: 2.00 Rochester House, 2.35 Catbird Seat, 3.10 Semper Augustus, 3.45 I’m Available, 4.20 Highland Avenue, 4.55 Jeanette May, 5.30 Momtalik, 6.00 Aria Rose, 6.30 Ember’s Glow.
LINGFIELD: 12.00 Compass Point, 12.35 Year Of The Dragon, 1.10 Give ‘Em The Slip, 1.45 Bint Al Anood, 2.20 Swiss Pride, 2.55 Pirate King, 3.30 Mohareb, 4.05 Angel Mill.
DOUBLE: Canelo and Marie’s Rock.
Canelo can give Alan King a third win in the Sky Bet Handicap Chase at Doncaster on Saturday.
The Barbury Castle handler struck with Ziga’s Boy in 2016 and 2017, and the progressive Canelo looks the right type for the race.
The eight-year-old produced a career best on his latest start when putting up a game performance to hold Snow Leopardess in the Rowland Meyrick Handicap Chase at Wetherby on Boxing Day.
The ground was soft that day, but it did not inconvenience Canelo – if anything it helped him, while the majority of the field was well strung out.
Canelo was beaten by Cap Du Nord at Newbury on his previous start, but he has a nice pull at the weights for being beaten four and a quarter lengths.
That race was over an extended two and three-quarter miles, and Canelo was staying well at the finish.
The revised terms can only help Canelo’s cause and give his owner back-to-back victories after Ok Corral took the prize 12 months ago.
The most exciting horse on show is undoubtedly Shishkin.
This top-class prospect may not be a betting proposition in the Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Lightning Novices’ Chase on the back of impressive victories on his first two starts over fences, but he should be some spectacle over those fences.
For those tempted to have a forecast, Cheddleton looks the one. Jennie Candlish’s likeable six-year-old defeated Cornerstone Lad in good style at Haydock on heavy ground in December. Conditions will hold no fears for him.
Henderson can also take the Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Yorkshire Rose Mares’ Hurdle with Marie’s Rock.
The daughter of Milan looked good in the first part of last season when winning both her starts over hurdles on soft ground.
She was ante-post favourite for the Dawn Run Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham, but she was ruled out through injury.
After 11 months on the sidelines, Marie’s Rock was sent off the 2-1 favourite for the Intermediate Hurdle at Newbury.
She can be excused her disappointing display behind her stablemate Floressa, who re-opposes, and should be a totally different proposition this time.
It may be worth siding with Pats Fancy in the Albert Bartlett River Don Novices’ Hurdle.
Rebecca Curtis’ six-year-old outran his odds of 33-1 to take second place behind Irish raider Make Good in a similar Grade Two contest at Cheltenham last month.
That was a tremendous effort on only his second start over hurdles.
Pats Fancy had got off the mark first time on heavy ground at Ffos Las, so similar conditions would not be an issue.
Bristol De Mai looks the answer to the ‘Paddy Power 45 Sleeps To Cheltenham’ Cotswold Chase at the Prestbury Park venue.
Nigel Twiston-Davies’ grey has not won there in six attempts, but he has been placed twice in this race in the past and was third in the Gold Cup in 2019. He can finally lay that particular ghost to rest.
His best performances have come at Haydock – where he has won the Betfair Chase three times, including this season – but he is very smart wherever he runs. And the testing conditions on this occasion will play to his strengths.
Paisley Park showed he was back to his best when nabbing Thyme Hill close home to claim a second Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot last month.
Emma Lavelle’s pride and joy will be hard to beat in his bid to win the Paddy Power Cleeve Hurdle for the third year running.
Oldgrangewood has shaped well in both his starts this term and can strike at the third attempt in the Paddy Power Millionaire Trophy Handicap Chase.
Dan Skelton’s 10-year-old is a course-and-distance winner and was fourth at last year’s Festival in the Stable Plate.
There is plenty of action on the all-weather, with I’m Available looking a good bet in the Unibet Extra Place Offers Every Day Fillies’ Handicap on a bumper nine-race card at Kempton.
The five-year-old, trained by Stuart Williams, got up close home to score over seven furlongs on this track two weeks ago to suggest the extra furlong would be right up her street.
Rochester House showed a willing attitude when not giving up after being headed at Newcastle time and was beaten only a length and a half in fourth spot behind Australis.
This looks an easier task for Mark Johnston’s stayer, who can prevail in the Unibet 3 Uniboosts A Day Handicap.
Bint Al Anood got off the mark in a novice event at Kempton two weeks ago and can repeat the trick in the Ladbrokes Watch Racing Online For Free Handicap at Lingfield.
The John Gosden-trained three-year-old had little trouble landing the odds on her fourth race after improving from each of her three starts.
The Dubawi filly was raised just 1lb by the assessor to a mark of 74, which looks quite lenient.
Things did not quite pan out for Pirate King in a four-horse affair over this course and distance last time, but he can recoup losses in the Betway Handicap.
Charlie Fellowes’ charge was not disgraced when beaten a length and a half in third place – and he is worth another chance.
