Horse racing betting tips: Steve looks just the job for punters at Kempton
WITH just 18 days to go until the Cheltenham Festival, Saturday's Kempton card is pretty much the last chance for some horses to book their ticket to the party.
The big race of the day is the BetBright Chase (3.35pm), where last year’s winner Theatre Guide will be hoping to perk up his trainer Colin Tizzard after stablemate Thistlecrack was cruelly ruled out of the Gold Cup this week.
Theatre Guide himself is likely to line-up in the blue riband and he’ll have to be winning this if he’s to have any chance in the big one.
However, he’s a stone higher in the weights than 12 months ago, which might be a bridge too far.
He has the right man aboard, though, as Paddy Brennan is going for his fourth win in the past eight renewals of this race.
My first pick is a horse that Brennan may well have ridden if Theatre Guide wasn’t taking part.
VIVA STEVE is having his third start for Fergal O’Brien, having moved from Mick Channon in the autumn.
He won well on his reappearance at Ayr, but then faded in Warwick’s Classic Chase last month where he looked like a non-stayer.
The nine-year-old has won well at Kempton before, finishing a close second to The Last Samuri at the 2015 Christmas meeting. He was then a respectable fifth in this race last year.
Barry Geraghty has been booked for the ride, and if O’Brien can eke out some more improvement he should go very close at a general 8/1.
My other selection is 2013 winner OPENING BATSMAN, who has slipped down to a seriously dangerous mark.
Harry Fry’s 11-year-old was a 10-length second to Theatre Guide 12 months ago, but is now 13lbs lower in the weights if you factor in jockey Mikey Legg’s 5lb allowance.
Although it requires a slight leap of faith to back him – he’s been stuffed on his past two starts – his best form is over this course and distance.
Read more: Fences are the biggest danger to Un De Sceaux
He is a fair each-way price at 14/1 with 188BET, who have a fantastic faller refund of up to £25 per customer per race on all ITV/ITV4 races tomorrow.
I was at Nicky Henderson’s yard earlier in the week and he was very keen on Charli Parcs in the Adonis Hurdle (1.50pm).
He’s going to be very short, but it will be a big surprise if he gets beat before a crack at either the Supreme Novices’ or Triumph Hurdle.
Paul Nicholls won the Dovecote Novices’ Hurdle (3.00pm) three years ago, and I fancy him to land the prize again with CAPITAINE.
The son of Monmatre was an impressive winner at Ascot in December before chasing home the top class Finian’s Oscar in the Tolworth at Sandown last month.
There was no disgrace in that performance, particularly as the ground would have been softer than he likes.
I’m sure Sam Twiston-Davies will revert to the front-running tactics that served him so well at Ascot and he should have too much for the likes of Elgin and River Wylde.
Finally, don’t miss UN PROPHETE if he takes his chance in the handicap chase (4.10pm) for the in-form Venetia Williams team.
He’s been progressive over fences and the three-runner race he ran in at Leicester last week wouldn’t have suited him.
POINTERS (Saturday)
Capitaine 3.00pm Kempton
Viva Steve e/w 3.35pm Kempton
Opening Batsman e/w 3.35pm Kempton
Un Prophete 4.10pm Kempton