David Clough makes Sceau Royal his best bet of the day at Wincanton and he has a tip for every race at every meeting in the UK and Ireland.
David Clough's selections
AINTREE: 12.25 Docpickedme, 1.00 Repetitio, 1.35 Portrush Ted, 2.10 Espoir De Teillee, 2.40 Ch’tibello, 3.20 Defi Sacre, 3.50 Hear Me Out.
CHELMSFORD: 4.30 Apache Mist, 5.00 Win O’Clock, 5.30 Top Of The Pops, 6.00 Terrichang, 6.30 Sherella, 7.00 Amazon Princess, 7.30 Invincible Larne, 8.00 Azor Ahai, 8.30 Beat The Breeze.
DONCASTER: 11.50 Imperium Blue, 12.20 Tipperary Tiger, 12.55 Tranchee, 1.30 Brando, 2.05 Ice Sprite, 2.45 Dream Round, 3.15 On To Victory, 3.45 Flying Pursuit.
KELSO: 12.00 Lord Du Mesnil, 12.32 Las Tunas, 1.07 The Distant Lady, 1.42 Looks Like Murt, 2.17 Bako De La Saulaie, 2.52 Leostar, 3.27 Green Zone, 3.57 Fete Champetre.
NAAS: 12.15 Fugacious, 12.50 Wood Ranger, 1.25 Tide Of Time, 2.00 Cerberus, 2.35 Barrington Court, 3.10 Yafordadoe, 3.40 Real Force, 4.10 Cannoli.
WINCANTON: 12.40 Keep Moving, 1.15 Lord Baddesley, 1.50 Sunrise Ruby, 2.25 Ga Law, 3.00 SCEAU ROYAL (NAP), 3.35 Some Chaos, 4.05 Silent Revolution.
DOUBLE: Sceau Royal and On To Victory.
Sceau Royal can further vindicate a change of plan by putting his name on the roll of honour again in the Unibet Elite Hurdle at Wincanton.
Alan King’s versatile eight-year-old won this race at his first attempt in open company back in 2016.
He has returned to Wincanton twice since, for the track’s other Grade Two hurdle over the minimum distance, and on each occasion has finished placed in the Kingwell.
Sceau Royal therefore clearly acts well round this sharp course – and although he has spent the majority of his time in the intervening years admirably contesting top-class two-mile chases, he proved last time out that a switch back to this discipline suits him fine too.
He was a convincing winner of the Welsh Champion Hurdle on his first start of the season at Ffos Las last month.
The conditions of this race, as well as the track configuration, play to his strengths – because he is due to receive weight from two of his five rivals.
Goshen is a surprise absentee in a race his trainer Gary Moore had long nominated as the Champion Hurdle hope’s jumps comeback – leaving Sceau Royal with a golden opportunity to add to his already fine CV.
The Badger Beers Silver Trophy Handicap Chase is fiercely and typically competitive.
A case can be made for any number, and many will be touting Paul Nicholls’ likely favourite Danny Whizzbang, but it may be worth siding with Some Chaos at decent odds.
Michael Scudamore’s course-and-distance winner has a significant ground preference – and the relatively lively surface forecast here for the time of year is just fine.
He can be clumsy, and of course that can be costly in a race of this nature. But that concern is factored into his price – and after overcoming one or two sloppy jumps to prevail at Kelso last time, he arrives in winning form.
Doncaster marks the final day of the Flat turf season, and King has prospects of capping his fine campaign through a truncated summer by completing a notable across-the-card and cross-code double with success in the Betfair November Handicap.
On To Victory’s chances have been boosted since the rain dried up in midweek, because the suspicion is he does not want the ground too deep.
The battle-hardened six-year-old has the ability to be in the thick of things and is in encouraging form, but is still 9lb short of the career-high Flat rating he reached when with Eve Johnson Houghton.
King deployed him initially over hurdles last winter – but back on the Flat of late, On To Victory has run well on all three occasions, without compromising his rating for this tough assignment over a course and distance which ought to be ideal.
Back to the jumping fare, and Ch’tibello may be the solution to Aintree’s Watch Race Replays At racingtv.com Hurdle.
Dan Skelton’s nine-year-old is another who is favoured by race conditions, rated superior to the majority of his opponents yet receiving weight on this occasion.
It is a favourable opening his in-form trainer was never likely to pass up – and for good measure Ch’tibello has run with great credit on his only two attempts over course and distance, including a close third at Grade One level in April last year.
At Kelso, the Belhaven Best Wishing Well Handicap Chase is Scotland’s answer to Wincanton’s Silver Trophy – and the temptation is to side again with one whose jumping needs to hold up better than it sometimes has.
Like Some Chaos, Looks Like Murt can throw in a costly mistake – and in his case, they twice proved race-ending last season when victory appeared in his grasp.
He has therefore yet to realise his potential, or surely his true handicap mark, and really ought to win a race like this soon.
