Betfred Tommy Whittle Handicap Chase Preview: Look East for the Winner

Saturday afternoon sees the Merseyside venue of Haydock host its penultimate fixture of 2024 as racegoers head to the track for a pre-Christmas afternoon of racing entertainment. The Listed Betfred Supports Jack Berry House Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle tops the seven-race card from a class perspective, but the big betting heat comes in the shape of the Tommy Whittle Handicap Chase.

First run in 1982, the race is named in honour of the late Tommy Whittle, who served as track chairman for 13 years. Staying and jumping ability are the order of the day in this 3m1½f affair, with 18 fences standing between the field and a share of the £50,000 prize money.

With the final field confirmed on Thursday morning, we have our list of nine runners in what looks to be a typically competitive renewal. Here, we present our take on the field and pick out our best bet for the 2024 edition.

1. Famous Bridge – 11/4 with BetVictor

Trainer: Nicky Richards

Poor old Nicky Richards hasn’t enjoyed the best of times of late, with a fall on the gallops resulting in the loss of one of his favourite horses and leaving the handler with multiple fractures. Now recovering at home, perhaps this Hemmings Racing runner will brighten up his Saturday afternoon. Boasting form figures of 11U at this track, Famous Bridge appears to enjoy this part of the world. The second of those wins came when coming home a length clear in the 2023 edition of this event. Only 2lb higher this time, he ran a fair race when second on his comeback at Kelso and should go well despite top weight of 12st.

2. Frenchy Du Large – 4/1 with BetVictor

Trainer: Venetia Williams

Venetia Williams has registered a string of weekend successes in recent weeks and will hope to keep the good times rolling with this son of Al Namix. With form figures of 2F43222 in chase contests at around this trip, Frenchy Du Large scores well for consistency but isn’t the easiest to win with. Recently returning from a 572-day break to finish second at Ludlow, he finished a 6½l second on his only previous visit to this track and is 3lb higher here.

3. Regal Blue – 9/1 with BetVictor

Trainer: Jonjo & A J O’Neill

Successful in this event in 2001 and 2003, Jonjo O’Neill bids for a third win with his new partner in crime, son A J. Regal Blue failed to hit the heights over hurdles but appears more suited to life over the larger obstacles. He’s finished first and second in two previous outings around here, which suggests the track suits him well. However, with three of his four career wins coming on heavy ground, the relatively settled forecast may not be in his favour, and he needs to step up from a pulled-up effort on his return at Bangor.

4. Egbert – 12/1 with BetVictor

Trainer: Alan King

With a verdict over Impose Toi from his hurdling days and two wins over fences, this Alan King runner is a capable performer on his day. Off a mark only 3lb higher than when scoring by four lengths over this trip at Doncaster, he also looks fairly handicapped. However, it all depends on which Egbert shows up on the day. Pulled up in two of his five outings last season, he finished tailed off on his seasonal return at Exeter.

5. Percussion – 14/1 with BetVictor

Trainer: Laura Morgan

Best known for his efforts over the Grand National fences, this nine-year-old returns to more conventional obstacles, having finished seventh in the Grand Sefton on his seasonal return. He’s 8lb above his career-high winning rating over fences but ran well to finish second off 4lb higher on his final outing of 2023/24 at Uttoxeter. He’s unraced at Haydock and the current form of his yard (no wins in the last fortnight) is a slight concern.

6. Credo – 11/2 with BetVictor

Trainer: Anthony Honeyball

This consistent mare has finished in the first four in 12 of 14 chase outings. At Haydock, her career form figures read 2364. That third-place effort came when chasing Famous Bridge home in the 2023 edition of this. Whilst she went down by 5¾l that day, she’s 10lbs better off at the weights here, which brings her firmly into contention from a handicapping perspective. On the downside, she performed way below expectations when a 51-length fourth at this track in November.

7. East Street – 7/2 with BetVictor

Trainer: James Owen 

In contrast to a few others in the field, this eight-year-old heads to Haydock in flying form. Disappointing when pulled up on his return at Bangor, East Street soon put that behind him to win his next three starts. He’s up 9lb for the most recent of those chase victories (an 8½l stroll at Leicester) but showed his liking for this course when scoring over hurdles on his most recent outing. A record of zero wins from eight runs off a mark of 115+ means it will require a career best to defy 123 here, but he appears to have raised his game since joining Owen from Sue Smith in October.

8. Diol Ker – 33/1 with BetVictor

Trainer: Evan Williams

The old man in the field was placed in Grade 2 company in his pomp. However, that came back in 2021, and he has shown precious little since departing the yard of Noel Meade in October 2023. Now in the hands of Ewan Williams, he has been pulled up twice and finished a 33l sixth in his three outings this season. Fully 29lbs below his career-high mark, he’s thrown in on his old form, but it takes a leap of faith to support him here.

9. Jacks Parrot – 8/1 with BetVictor

Trainer: Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero

The Greenall/Guerriero partnership has several interesting runners on Saturday afternoon, including the youngest runner in this line up. Formerly based in France, Jacks Parrot joined the training duo in March 2024. Looking like he needed the outing on his yard debut, he broke his duck with a 71-length romp at Uttoxeter before defying a mark of 112 to score narrowly over 3m at Perth. Those efforts suggested he may be a horse to look forward to in 2024/25, but he managed only a 30l seventh on his comeback at Carlisle. With age on his side, he can’t be written off on the back of one poor performance, but he will need to improve markedly in this tougher event.

The Verdict

Famous Bridge looks set to put up a bold defence of his crown and deserves his place towards the head of the market, whilst Egbert and Percussion look the best each-way options at double-figure prices.

However, this can go to the improving East Street, who has found a new lease of life since joining the emerging James Owen operation. He’s up 9lb for his most recent chase win in an amateur riders event, but much of that is wiped out by the 7lb claim of jockey Callum Pritchard. In a race which usually provides a thorough test, his lighter weight can prove decisive on the run to the line.

Recommended Bet: East Street to win @ 7/2 with BetVictor

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.