Horsebetting.com experts give their Badger Ales Trophy betting tips for the Listed 3m 1f feature handicap chase contest at Wincanton on Saturday, 10 November. Last year’s winner Present Man returns to action off a handy mark and therefore looks worth a bet to retain his crown. Bigbadjohn scored in good style last time out and has underfoot conditions to suit, so rates the main danger. Ramses De Teillee, meanwhile, hails from a yard that has a good recent record in the race and makes plenty of each-way appeal. Read our in-depth 2018 Badger Ales Trophy betting tips preview for more details on these horses’ chances.Present Man the Badger Ales betThe feature race on a cracking card at Wincanton on Saturday is the Listed 3m 1f Badger Ales Trophy (15:35), and last year’s winner Present Man looks to hold outstanding claims of retaining his crown. This eight-year-old hails from the yard of Paul Nicholls, who has won the race a record eight times, and runs the track well.
Present Man has won three times and been placed twice in nine starts at the South Somerset venue. He made a winning return to action last season when scoring over hurdles before capturing this prize off a mark of 142.
The son of Presenting jumped well at the head of affairs and, after being strongly challenged from the second last, dug deep under Bryony Frost to gamely fend off Final Nudge by a head in a driving finish. It was a terrifically gutsy display and the front pair pulled eight lengths clear of the third home Theatre Guide.
That gives the form a solid look and, although then not so good in his next two starts, Present Man went on to round off the campaign with a solid third of 20 to Step Back in the valuable and ultra-competitive Grade 3 bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown off a rating of 147.
He is now able to race in this lower grade affair off 144, just 2lb higher than when landing the spoils 12 months ago. That gives him major claims from a handicapping perspective on the pick of his form, while another plus is the gelding has a terrific record fresh.
Present Man also has winning form on the ground and his aforementioned proven course form is another big plus. He is also sure to be tuned to the minute for this; so, with Frost once again in the saddle taking off a handy 3lb with her claim, there is nothing not to like about Present Man’s profile for this and he therefore had to be the main selection in our 2018 Badger Ales Trophy betting tips.Bigbadjohn feared mostBigbadjohn made his first start at the venue a winning one last time out, so looks sure to make a bold bid to follow-up. The gelding had some smart form to his name when trained by Rebecca Curtis, including when runner-up to the top class subsequent king George winner Thistlecrack in a Grade 2 novice chase at Newbury, and was rated 144 at his peak.
The nine-year-old has won two of his five starts since joining Nigel-Twiston Davies. He showed a good attitude when making all and keeping on strongly to beat Ridgeway Flyer by 1 3/4 lengths here 13 days ago off a mark of 135 on quick ground.
Bigbadjohn has been raised just 2lb for that success, so off a revised rating of 137 remains well-treated on the pick of his back form. Thomas Bellamy, who partnered him for the first time that day, is also once again in the plate and Twiston-Davies has his team in good nick.
Another plus is that the son of Vinnie Roe is two from four on good or firm going, so there are no worries regarding underfoot conditions. It’s also worth bearing in mind that he was sent off 12/1 in the aforementioned bet365 Gold Cup when pulled-up – less than half the odds of Present Man (25/1) whom he now meets on near identical terms.
So, taking everything into account, the bold jumping Bigbadjohn has lots going for him and thus rates our main danger to Present Man in a typically wide-open renewal of the Badger Ales.Pipe’s Ramses De Teillee the each-way play Trainer David Pipe also has a good record in the race having won it three times since 2007. His sole representative is Ramses De Teillee, who progressed throughout last season when winning twice and posting some solid efforts in defeat.
In the last of those successes at Chepstow back in January, the six-year-old jumped well before cruising clear to beat Rons Dream by seven lengths off a mark of 137. The runner-up, to whom he was conceding 13lb, has won three times since – including twice in Listed company off an official rating of 139.
That gives the form a strong look and Ramses De Teillee went on to finish a solid second to the highly-regarded and smart Elegant Escape in a graduation chase at Exeter off 148. He was then far from disgraced when seventh of 18 to Coo Star Sivola in the Ultima Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival off 145 or on his final start of the campaign when ninth of 16 to Traffic Fluide in a Grade 2 at Aintree’s Grand National meeting off 142.
Ramses De Teillee now makes his seasonal reappearance off a mark of 141 and that makes him look potentially well-treated on the pick of his form, especially on his win over Rons Dream. Given his young age, the son of Martaline has achieved plenty so far and should have more improvement left in the locker.
The one concern is that this will be the quickest ground that Ramses De Teillee has encountered so far. However, Pipe wouldn’t be risking him on it if he deemed it unsuitable; so, at the odds on offer, he’s the each-way punt in our 2018 Badger Ales Trophy betting tips.Your Next Bet
