Horsebetting.com experts give their three best bets for the supporting card on Badger Ales Trophy day at Wincanton on Saturday, 10 November. Trainer Paul Nicholls has a superb record in the Rising Stars Novices’ Chase, so Secret Investor rates the main bet to further enhance it. Litterale Ci is an improving sort who looks capable of defying top weight in the Mares’ Handicap Hurdle, so is our next best bet on this seven-race card. Ballinure has a tremendous record fresh and looks well-treated on the pick of his form, so appeals each-way in the conditional jockeys’ chase. Find out more about these horses in our in-depth preview with Wincanton betting tips for November 10.Secret Investor one of the Rising Stars at WincantonThe main supporting race on Badger Ales Trophy day at Wincanton on Saturday is the Grade 2 Rising Stars’ Novices’ Chase (14:25). Trainer Paul Nicholls has won the 2m 4f contest a record 10 times, including four of the last five runnings. His sole representative in this year’s renewal is Secret Investor, a classy sort who looks a worthy favourite to add to that tally.
Since being successful in his sole start in an Irish point, this six year-old has shown progressive form in eight outings over hurdles for the Ditcheat handler. He was won three times and been placed on four occasions, and comes into this having posted a career-best performance on seasonal reappearance at Chepstow last month.
That came in the Grade 2 Persian War Novices’ Hurdle where, after racing keenly early doors, the son of Kayf Tara was produced to take up the running at the last by jockey Harry Cobden. He then kept on strongly to readily beat Double Treasure by two lengths.
It was a most taking performance and one which suggested Secret Investor needed keeping firmly onside. Nicholls said before the race that it was a prep before going chasing and believes he has a big future over the larger obstacles.
The gelding is certainly a scopey sort made for fences having already achieved a high level over hurdles to be rated 143. If all goes to plan, he looks the type develop into a JLT or RSA Chase contender come the Cheltenham Festival next March.
In order to reach those lofty heights, Secret Investor has to be up to winning this despite the fact he faces a useful rival in the shape of Bags Groove. That one is rated 145 over the larger obstacles following his success last time out, but has more miles on the clock than Secret Investor and has not always looked the most straightforward.
So, taking everything into account, Secret Investor had to be the main selection in our Wincanton bettings tips for November 10 and is fully expected to land the spoils en route to bigger and better things.Lots to like about the chances of Litterale CiIn the 2m 5f Mares’ Handicap Hurdle (13:50), Litterale Ci is taken to defy top weight and bag another success. This Harry Fry trained five-year-old is a progressive sort who has a terrific strike rate of 38 per cent over the obstacles having won four of her 11 starts.
In the last of those at Newton Abbot in September, the son of Soldier Of Fortune came from off the pace and only had to be nudged out on the run-in by Aine O’Connor to readily beat Serosvsky by 1 1/2 lengths off a mark of 132. She was value for more than the winning margin, while the runner-up and third home have both run well since to make the frame.
The fourth home Equus Amadeus has also won since, so that gives the form a solid look. It was a career-best from Litterale Ci and, although she has been put up 6lb for it, a revised rating of 138 does not look beyond her.
She needs to be delivered late, so only just does enough to get the job done. That makes it very hard for the handicapper to get to grips with her. Litterale Ci also has proven winning form on the ground and O’Connor, who is once again in the saddle and takes off a handy 5lb with her claim, has built up a great rapport with her.
The lady amateur has a superb strike rate of 67 per cent aboard Litterale Ci, having won four times and been placed once on her in six starts. So, with Fry in fine form at present and operating at a strike rate of 28.5 per cent at the time of writing, there is nothing not to like about the chances of Litterale Ci in this. Thus she rates out next best bet on the card.Ballinure the each-way betBallinure has a tremendous record fresh and looks nicely treated on the pick of his form, so makes plenty of each-way appeal in the 2m 4f conditional jockeys’ chase. (13:15). The eight-year-old, who hails from powerful yard of Seven Barrows handler Nicky Henderson, has won two of his five starts over fences.
The last of those successes came in a novice contest at Stratford in August 2017, where he made all and stayed on gamely to beat Braqueur D’Or by three-quarters of a length off an official rating of 128. Given that the runner-up, from whom he was receiving just 1lb, has won again since and ran a blinder to finish fourth of 20 to Total Recall in the Grade 3 Ladbrokes Trophy last December off a mark of 139, it gives the form a very strong looks in relation to this class 3 affair.
Ballinure has also won again since, when landing a handicap hurdle at Towcester back in May off a rating of 122. He now reverts back to the larger obstacles off just 2lb higher. His current rating of 124 gives him leading claims in this, especially on his aforementioned victory over Braqueur D’Or.
The useful Ben Curtis also takes off another 3lb with his claim, while another plus is that Ballinure has his ideal underfoot conditions. This race also lacks any real strength in depth and represents a nice opening for Ballinure.
It will be disappointing if he does not make the frame at least for his in-form yard, and on form he has every chance of winning. Ballinure is therefore well worth an each-way punt, according to our Wincanton betting tips for November 10.Your Next Bet
