Champers On Ice’s jumping errors over the larger obstacles last season were well documented. After a successful campiagn novice hurdling the previous season, he failed to build on that promise. On each of his four chase starts, he made significant jumping errors. Despite that, he was still strongly fancied for the four-miler at Cheltenham where a string of jumping errors resulted in him being pulled up four from home. He hasn’t been seen since, but it is significant that David Pipe chooses the Betfair Stayers’ Handicap Hurdle on his return to hurdles. The Pond House maestro boasts a fantastic record in the extended two-mile-six-furlong contest. He has already won it thrice with Grand Crus, Dynaste and Gevrey Chambertain respectively.
The fact that this is his first start of the new campaign should be no cause for concern. Pipe has made no secret that this has been the planwith Champers on Ice for some time. Here, the Professor Caroline Tisdall owned seven-year-old will have an apt opportunity to exploit his current hurdles mark of 143. His form as a novice hurdler stacks up quite well, the highlight being a third-place finish behind Unowhatimeanharry in the 2016 Albert Bartlett. He will also devour this afternoon’s testing ground and the heavier the ground gets, the more it will compliment his stamina-laden attributes. Pipe has also opted to use first-time blinkers and that too should enhance his chances. For me, everything seems to be in his favour even the change of hurdles used for this £100,000 will suit him more than most. Previously, the Betfair-sponsored event was run over fixed-brush hurdles. This year, however, officials have opted to switch back to traditional hurdles and this will suit our selection as his jumping, as we know, can often be sluggish. Had the race been run over fixed-brush hurdles, one jumping error would have completely thwarted his momentum. Thankfully, today’s conventional ‘normal’ hurdles are much more forgiving. He’s currently available at 13/2 with some firms paying as many as six places. He had been available at double-figure prices earlier in the week and in such instances, I would usually step-back and refrain myself from having a bet, but this is not one of those. Given the generous each-way terms available, I am still convinced there’s value in his price. Even though he has his flaws, he oozes class and with conditions to suits, he should prove a tough nut to crack.
The other runner I am willing to put forward is Jedd O’Keeffe’s Sam Spinner. He too will relish the undercut conditions and this could be the beginning of a lucrative campaign for the High Beck Lodge runner. A second-season novice, the four-time winner ran a blinder on his handicap debut at in the Silver Trophy at Chepstow last month, the form of which has worked out spectacularly well since. That was his first start in over eight months and he should improve considerably as a result. At Cheptow, he was sweating profusely beforehand and in the race itself, he made a number of costly jumping errors. Again, he should come on from that run and off a mark of 139, I am expecting him to run a massive race. This will be his first attempt at the trip and I am confident that that will eke out further improvement. 9/1 about him represents solid each-way value.
Haydock 2.25 PM
1/2 Point Each Way CHAMPERS ON ICE (13/2 Betfair Sportsbook 6 places or 6/1 elsewhere)
1/2 Point Each Way SAM SPINNER (9/1 Betfair Sportsbook 6 places or Paddy Power 5 places)
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