Bet365 Handicap Chase Preview: Gaboriot to Grab Gold

The Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle tops the bill from a class perspective on the Saturday racing menu, with the Grade 2 contest serving as an informative trial for the Grade 1 of the same name at the Cheltenham Festival. Elsewhere, we have a clutch of high-quality handicap contests to sink our teeth into, including the December Gold Cup at Cheltenham and this £50,000 event from Doncaster.

This 3m contest places a firm emphasis on the stamina and jumping ability of the contenders. A total of 15 runners remain in contention ahead of the 2024 edition, including entries from the yards of the 2020, 2021, and 2023 winning trainers. Here, we run the rule over all 15 and pick out our best bet in this hugely competitive heat.

1. Elvis Mail – 9/1 with bet365

Trainer: Nick Alexander

The stable star at the Pert & Kinross tard of Nick Alexander has won six of 18 chase starts over trips ranging from 2m½f to 3m2f. A comeback success at Kelso takes the soon-to-be eleven-year-old to a career-high mark of 149, which is 8lbs higher than when third over this course and distance in January.

2. Does He Know– 6/1 with bet365

Trainer: Kim Bailey

Nine-year-old who has won five chases over this trip and beyond. The most recent success came in a 3m2f event at this track in March. He races off the same mark of 149 here, but he hasn’t been quite at his best in two outings so far this season - although losing a shoe last time out at Cheltenham didn't help his cause.

3. Kinondo Kwetu – 25/1 with bet365

Trainer: Sam England

Enjoyed an excellent 2022 when winning six of seven starts to climb 30lbs in the handicap to a mark of 137. Having struggled off marks in the 140s, he picked up back-to-back wins off 137 in the summer of 2024. A mark of 140 suggests a career-best will be required to take this, and this good ground performer will need the rain to stay away.

4. Chasing Fire – 7/1 with bet365

Trainer: Olly Murphy

Smart hurdler who lined up in the 2023 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham. Mixed performances so far over fences, with his record featuring two wins, three relatively heavy defeats, and an unseat. He won over this trip at Perth in April but was well beaten off a 1lb higher mark on his seasonal return at Cheltenham. He needs to leave that effort behind but may improve for the run and is less exposed than many.

5. Forward Plan– 5/1 with bet365

Trainer: Anthony Honeyball

Two runs over this course and distance have produced a win and a nose defeat. That success came in the 2023 edition of this event when scoring by 1½l off a mark of 125. He’s fully 14lbs higher here and finished a 31l fourth on his seasonal return at Wincanton. 

6. Kitty’s Light – 20/1 with bet365

Trainer: Christian Williams

This stamina-laden star boasts wins in the Eider Chase, Scottish Grand National, and bet365 Gold Cup on his impressive CV. All those wins came in 2023, and he has shown very little in ten starts since. He's now 3lb below his most recent winning mark, but it's hard to be confident following a pulled-up effort in the Berkshire National last time.

7. Sail Away – 9/1 with bet365

Trainer: Dan Skelton

Back down to the same mark of 136, which saw him claim a 3m Novice event at Ayr by a resounding 11l from Forward Plan. However, much like Kitty’s Light, he has questions to answer on recent efforts. Form figures of PPF for his last three outings require a leap of faith, but he was starting to gain ground when falling last time out at Newbury.

8. Pull Again Green– 10/1 with bet365

Trainer: Fergal O’Brien

This consistent sort has finished in the first three in seven of his ten starts over fences. The only win on that record saw him land a 2023 event at Bangor by 8l off a mark of 125. He makes his fifth start of the season and finished a 5l second off this mark of 135 on his most recent outing.

9. Straw Fan Jack– 25/1 with bet365

Trainer: Sheila Lewis

This nine-year-old has been set some tough assignments over fences and ran about as well as could be expected when a distant fourth in the Arkle Chase and a closer fourth in the Manifesto Novices’ Chase in 2023. He has had his sights lowered since, and he ran well for third in the Plate at the Cheltenham Festival. However, he has yet to race over this far, and he never threatened in the Paddy Power Gold Cup in November.

10. Erne River– 16/1 with bet365

Trainer: Nick Kent

With career form figures of 11215, this nine-year-old goes particularly well at this track. The most recent win came in a 3m event in late December last year. He’s handicapped to go close off a 2lb lower mark here but has been pulled up in his last three outings.

11. Whistleinthedark – 33/1 with bet365

Trainer: Laura Morgan

Nine-year-old who began his chase career with four successive wins in 2022/23 to reach a rating of 144. Way below that level in seven starts since, but his best effort came when a 4¼l fourth off a mark of 142 in the 2023 edition of this. 12lbs lower here but has been beaten by a combined 69l in two runs this season.

12. Gaboriot– 5/1 with bet365

Trainer: Oliver Greenall & Josh Geurriero

Gaboriot's only previous outing at Doncaster resulted in a 7l win off a mark of 113 in November 2023. He then enjoyed an excellent spring with three wins in four starts to climb to 127. A recent comeback third in the Grand Sefton suggests he remains in good heart, and he has no concerns in the stamina department.

13. Ballycoose – 10/1 with bet365

Trainer: Simon Crawford

Lightly raced Irish raider who posted his best chase effort when second to Sharjah at Ayr on Scottish Grand National day. He’s only 3lb higher here but is prone to the odd jumping error and didn’t show much on his seasonal return at Punchestown.

14. Docpickedme– 25/1 with bet365

Trainer: Richard Hobson

A winner at this track over hurdles but pulled up on his only chase outing at Doncaster. A mark 4lb lower than his career-high gives him a chance, but he is another unreliable jumper and may prefer quicker conditions over this trip.

15. Charlie Uberalles – 16/1 with bet365

Trainer: Dianne Sayer

Only 2lb higher than when third over this course and distance in the Great Yorkshire Handicap Chase in January and when second last time out at Kelso. Not out of it, but he may need a dry couple of days in the lead-up to the race – 2 from 4 over this trip on good ground but 0 from 9 on good to soft or slower.

The Verdict

Plenty of these have solid claims on their best efforts, with Whistleinthedark, Erne River, and Straw Fan Jack potentially well in. However, attempting to guess which, if any, of that trio is about to bounce back to form is all but impossible. As such, we will keep things simple and side with a horse who ended last season on a high, posted a solid performance on his return, and may still be improving. Successful on his only previous trip to this South Yorkshire venue, Gaboriot can make it two from two.

Recommended Bet: Gaboriot to win @ 5/1 with bet365

Paul Harrison

Falling in love with racing at a young age, Paul’s passion for sports and betting took him to Salford University, where he obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Business Economics with Gambling Studies. Having spent ten years in the employment of a leading bookmaker, Paul opted to go it alone and pursue his dream job as a freelance writer.