Chepstow Saturday

1:05 Coral Racing Club Handicap Chase 2m 16y

Jour d’Evasion was chasing home the likes of Mambonumberfive and Glengouly on his chase debut at Aintree, and built on that to win snugly at Bangor last time when he was one of a trio from the Aintree contest to win within 24 hours of each other. He measured his fences well at Bangor, looking safe rather that spectacular, and he’s taken to follow up now that he’s proven himself better in this sphere than over hurdles.

Jour d’Evasion meets Bangor runner-up Passing Kate on 5lb worse terms but the mare is more reliant on the heavy ground that prevailed there than the selection, who should prove himself equally adept on good/yielding ground.

1:40 Coral Finale Juvenile Hurdle (Grade 2) (2m 16y)

Salver and the ill-fated Porticello have won this race for Gary Moore in recent seasons and he and son Josh can get on the board again with impressive Sandown winner Macktoad, who beat Pourquoi Pas Papa in good style, and looks the type to go on to better things for a yard that does extremely well with its juveniles.

A bumper winner for Alain Couetil on his only start in France, Macktoad falls into the “could be anything” category, but with Sandown fourth Klycot going on to win at Exeter subsequently, the form looks good enough to suggest he’ll take a bit of beating here.

2:10 Coral 'Bet £10 Get £50' Handicap Hurdle 2m 7f 131y

Best bet on the Chepstow card comes in the shape of Ambion View, who has shown improvement in a couple of handicap hurdles this autumn. A winner on last season’s hurdles debut, he would have followed up at Wincanton but for falling next time, and that may have knocked his confidence. He’s certainly returned looking a better horse and has looked nicely handicapped based on second place finishes behind JJ Moon at Newton Abbot (King’s Lake 9½ lengths back in third) and Luttrell Lad at Exeter, where the pair pulled 22 lengths clear of subsequent winner Peacenik. The last-named is a horse I have a lot of time for, and Ambion View can prove himself well treated by winning off the same mark here.

2:50 Coral Welsh Grand National Chase (Premier Handicap) 3m 6f 136y

Two thirds of winners of this race in recent times have been lightly weighted, while the race has thrown up a few Gold Cup winners in its time, with Burrough Hill Lad, Cool Ground, Master Oats and Synchronised all taking this before Cheltenham glory.

The question is whether there is a future Gold Cup winner here with 10st 9lb or less on his back, and the answer is probably not, but last year’s runner-up Jubilee Express makes plenty of appeal as an improving stayer with a light weight. Despite winning the Welsh Grand National Trial here earlier in the month, Jubilee Express is still able to run off the same mark as when losing a battle in the fog to Val Dancer 12 months ago.

Jubilee Express looked badly in need of the run at Cheltenham in November and stepped up on that effort when beating Collectors Item by 2½ lengths here three weeks ago over 3m. The longer trip is very much in his favour and a 4lb rise is not at all harsh on balance. His ability to race on or near the pace is perfect for the idiosyncrasies of Chepstow’s chase course, and I’ll be surprised if he isn’t in there pitching throughout.

Kempton Saturday

1:20 Ladbrokes 'Bet £5 Get £30' Mares' Handicap Hurdle 3m 121y

I’m happy to take a small chance on Della Casa Lunga, who won this race off the same mark last season, and bounced back to form when placed in a Listed race here last month, going on nicely at the end of that 2m5f contest.

Della Casa Lunga was bitterly disappointing on softer ground on her two starts prior to her revival last time, but is again likely to have identical conditions to those she relished last year, and she will also appreciate the return to 3m, given how she shaped last time. The cheekpieces she wore when winning 12 months ago are back on now, and everything seems to point to a better effort from Clive Boultbee-Brooks’s mare.

1:55 Ladbrokes Wayward Lad Novices' Chase (Grade 2) 2m

Lump Sum is the one to beat on the figures, but I’ve liked Mambonumberfive since seeing him win well in the Grade 2 Adonis Hurdle here last season, and the giant gelding has unsurprisingly taken to fences like a duck to water. A winner at Aintree despite looking burly, he improved to follow up at Newbury last time, and runner-up Mighty Bandit has won since to give that form a solid look. This is a big step up, but the son of Born To Sea has always promised to be a high-class chaser, and this track should suit him, as it clearly did over hurdles.

2:30 Ladbrokes Desert Orchid Handicap Chase (Grade 2) 2m

Ryan’s Rocket looks the best handicapped here and can build on his win at Newbury’s Winter Festival. He took well to fences last season, winning nicely at Chepstow and going close to following up at Ascot but failed to stay 2½m at Cheltenham in January and fell early when gambled on for his final start at Market Rasen. He jumped well but for one error at Newbury and is preferred to Haldon Gold Cup one-two Thistle Ask and Saint Segal, both of whom have gone up plenty in the weights since Exeter.

3:07 Ladbrokes Handicap Chase 3m

Four wins from their last 14 runners, including Wilful in a valuable handicap at Ascot last weekend, suggests that Jonjo & A J O’Neill have turned a significant corner, and Beachcomber is an intriguing runner here if so. Successful in the corresponding race 12 months ago, he ran poorly on his return when the yard was struggling but is now 7lb higher than when winning this race by an easy ten lengths last season. He ran well at Punchestown in the spring off a similar mark to today’s and is clearly fairly treated on the pick of his form. Hopefully, he can show that today.

RECOMMENDED

Jour d’Evasion 1:05 Chepstow 1pt win

Ambion Wood 2:10 Chepstow 2pts win

Jubilee Express 2:50 Chepstow 1pt e/w

Della Casa Lunga 1:20 Kempton 1pt win

Mambonumberfive 1:55 Kempton 1pt win

Beachcomber 3:07 Kempton 1pt win