Monbeg Gold primed to shine for O’Neill and Coleman in Kempton’s Silver Bowl

IT can be hard to come back down to earth after four days of Cheltenham and if today’s racing seems a little mundane in comparison, that’s because it is.

Today’s best fare mostly involves handicaps and some of the horses on show this afternoon were not quite good enough to make it to the Festival.

However, there are still a few decent betting opportunities which shouldn’t be overlooked andifyoumanageacoupleof winners, the cash in your pocket has the same spending power no matter what type of race you earned it from.

Just seven horses go to post for the Winners Are Welcome At Matchbook Silver Bowl Handicap Chase at Kempton (3.15) and if the early markets are anything to go by, the James Eustace-trained Sir Note will go off as favourite.

The six-year-old defied a 10lb hike in the weights to win a handicap chase at Kempton in February which seems impressive on paper, but it was a weak enough contest in which a late faller Gores Island looked to have the race at his mercy.

Priced around 6/1, Monbeg Gold ticks the right boxes for me. Jonjo O’Neill’s gelding finished mid-division in a strong handicap at Newbury in January off 130, but there wasn’t a huge amount in it and the handicapper has eased Aidan Coleman’s mount 1lb which may help just a little. Max Ward can also get involved after a good second at Newbury last time.

EACH-WAY

WITH four wins in the last six renewals, David Pipe has a great record in the Midlands Grand National (3.35 Uttoxeter) so Gevrey Chambertin is respected, but he’s a temperamental sort and you can never be sure what type of race he’s going to run. Priced around 20/1 in the early markets yesterday, Chase The Spud catches the eye instead. Trained by Fergal O’Brien, the nine-year-old is down 2lbs to 130 having finished fifth in a handicap chase at Carlisle last time, but he seems a proper stayer and he put in a very nice run when second off this mark in a gruelling handicap chase over three and a half miles at Haydock in November.

This will be his first time racing at four miles but I reckon it will suit his style, and I’ll be disappointed if he’s not thereabouts near the finish.