Horsebetting.com experts give their 32Red Casino Chase betting tips for the Listed event over an extended 2m 4f at Kempton on Saturday, 12 January. Top Notch looks sure to come on from a pipe opener over hurdles and rates the value bet to land the spoils. Charbel is feared most with nothing to choose between the pair on ratings and at the weights. Black Corton, meanwhile, is an each-way alternative dropping down in trip and back at a happy hunting ground. For further details on these horse in a classy renewal, read our detailed 32Red Casino Chase betting tips preview from Kempton below.Top Notch the main fancy in 32Red Casino ChaseTop Notch has really come on for his reappearance run in each of the last two seasons, so looks the one to be on in the Listed 32Red Casino Chase over an extended 2m 4f at Kempton on Saturday (14:05). This eight-year-old son of Poliglote landed three Grade 2s last term and is sure to come on a bundle for his return to action when third in a top class staying hurdle now eased in grade and back over fences.
Trained by Nicky Henderson and owned by Simon Munir and Isaac Souede, Top Notch won the Scilly Isles as a novice at Sandown before placing in other Grade 1s at both Cheltenham and Aintree in the spring of 2017. Connections thus had – as his name suggests – a top notch prospect to step into open company last season.
That viewed was confirmed when Top Notch came on for a spin over hurdles on reappearance at Aintree by landing Ascot’s 1965 Chase in very taking style. He bolted up by eight lengths and put the race beyond all doubt with a lovely jump at the last, and it’s worth remembering the runner-up Double Shuffle went on to finish a length second in the King George here last Christmas.
Top Notch then followed-up in the rearranged Peterborough Chase at Taunton when beating previous winner and stable companion Josses Hill by 3 1/4 lengths. Although then a 20-length fourth to Waiting Patiently, who had earlier landed the spoils in this 12 months ago, in the Grade 1 Ascot Chase, the third horse home has advertised the form nicely this season.
Frodon, who was just 2 1/2 lengths in front of Top Notch, has come out and won the Grade 2 Old Roan at Aintree, finished second in the BetVictor Gold Cup and landed the Caspian Caviar Gold Cup off top-weight. Those performances under welter burdens in graded handicaps makes for incredibly strong form in relation to this Listed affair.
The Grade 2 hat-trick came for Top Notch on his final start of the campaign when running on well to beat Art Mauresque by 2 3/4 lengths in the Oaksey Chase over an extended 2m 6f at Sandown. He then plugged on to finish a six-length third to Paisley Park in the Grade 1 JLT Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot on reappearance before Christmas.
As Top Notch needs his first run, he should now be spot on to resume winning ways. This is a competitive for the grade Listed event, but his strong form marks him out as a major player in this and the stable is still going really well.
With him sure to strip fitter for this second run of the campaign, it’s Top Notch who just shades it as the main selection in our 32Red Casino Chase betting tips from Kempton. He is the value bet to land the spoils for his powerful connections.Charbel a clear dangerThere is nothing to choose between Top Notch and Charbel at the weights or on ratings, so Kim Bailey’s improving eight-year-old is the obvious danger. This son of Iffraaj finally got the black type over fences he’s always looked capable of when succeeding his race rival in winning the Peterborough Chase last time out.
Three victories in 10 chase starts doesn’t tell the whole story with Charbel. He’s run into Altior more than once in his career and had to make a step up in trip to avoid Henderson’s two-mile chasing kingpin. After finishing 5 3/4 lengths behind Hammersly Lake in a class 2 Perth handicap on reappearance, Charbel just prevailed in a ding-dong tussle with subsequent BetVictor Gold Cup hero Baron Alco at Chepstow.
Although then beaten half-a-length by another older rival Politologue in 1965 Chase next time up, that confirmed the Tingle Creek form of the previous season. Charbel showed improvement over the longer trip, having gone down by almost six lengths in the Sandown showpiece when the pair met before.
He then made most of the running to land the Grade 2 Peterborough back at its official home Huntingdon. Such was the authority Charbel held under Noel Fehily, that his rider could afford to ease him down close home and he was thus value for more than the eight-length winning margin over God’s Own.
As he also reversed previous form with Hammersly Lake, who again re-opposes here, he has considerable claims. However, this is arguably a tougher race on paper and, while there may well be more to come from Charbel, Top Notch is preferred because he is a proven winner at a higher level.Black Corton an each-way alternativeBlack Corton is the obvious each-way alternative now dropping back in trip and returned to the scene of his greatest triumph. This is an ease in grade for him too after the Paul Nicholls trained eight-year-old struggled under top-weight when pulled-up in the Ladbrokes Trophy last time out.
As a Grade 1 winner over 3m at this venue, however, Black Corton runs off the mark he was successful in the Kauto Star of 2017 here. Bryony Frost’s popular mount has a career win and place chase record of 80 per cent, having won eight of his 15 starts and finished second on a further four occasions.
When landing the Kauto Star, Black Corton beat subsequent Welsh Grand National hero Elegant Escape 1 1/2 lengths and went on to follow-up in the Grade 2 Reynoldstown at Ascot. The son of Laverock had a busy campaign last term, however, and that showed when only fifth and fourth in the RSA at the Cheltenham Festival and Mildmay Novices’ Chase during the Grand National meeting.
Given the juddering error Black Corton made down the back straight at Wetherby in the Charlie Hall Chase on reappearance, regular rider Frost did well to recover and stay in the saddle. He chased home subsequent Many Clouds Chase victor Definitly Red going down by a couple of lengths.
Although then not right when pulled-up in the Ladbrokes Trophy, this is easier than that and the tight, flat track suits Black Corton, who is two from three career starts at the venue. With Frost on a 20 per cent strike rate in the last fortnight at the time of writing and the stable still in fine form, he thus completes our 32Red Casino Chase betting tips from Kempton as the each-way selection.Your Next Bet
