Horse racing betting tips today: Newmarket and Chepstow latest odds and runners

The weekend’s horse racing centres around the return of the jumps at Chepstow, as well as Group 1 action in the Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket.

Courtesy of GG, Joe Napier has provided his best bets across those two meetings, exclusively for Metro.

2.45 Chepstow – DragonBet / Native River Handicap Chase

Evan Williams has struck with 20% of his chasers since April, with one of those winners in ASK BREWSTER looking to represent a bit of value in the Native River Handicap Chase.

The six-year-old will be relying on the rain staying away, as is expected, because his form on good ground reads 1311, with just one win in eight starts on going any softer. He appeared to significantly improve with experience over fences last season, enduring a tough patch of form when the ground was deeper during the winter months, but emerging in the spring with back-to-back successes by 9½ lengths over course and distance, then by eight lengths at Cheltenham in April upped to 3m4f.

He clearly has decent reserves of petrol and stamina, with that latest success at Prestbury Park particularly notable against 13 rivals. He has shot up the weights into hotter company, but was improving at a decent rate, while he also won his first start of last season, suggesting he should be fit to give his best here.

3.00 Newmarket – Darley Dewhurst Stakes (Group 1)

A grand renewal of this juvenile Group 1 sees the big powers, alongside the season’s surprise package, dominating the betting. However, that has set up some each-way value in OXAGON for John & Thady Gosden, a yard without a fine record in this race, but who with three contestants since 2018, have recorded a win and a 25/1 place.

Their charge here was only fifth to this race’s favourite Distant Storm on debut, but he may well have needed that first run. That suggestion came to fruition in his second start at Sandown where he bolted in by eight lengths, with the runner-up having won both his starts since. That form looks particularly useful, so although he could only finish second in the Group 2 Champagne Stakes at Doncaster since, he may be worth persevering with.

That day, he was runner-up to Aidan O’Brien’s Puerto Rico, who subsequently won the Group 1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at Longchamp with minimal fuss, while the third also won at the French track that weekend. The going looked to have cut up more than the official description of “good” too, so back on what should be a quicker surface, he can muscle in on the big three in the market.

3.20 Chepstow – Wasdell Group Silver Trophy Handicap Hurdle

Last year’s winner JOSH THE BOSS lost his way last season, but is taken to bounce back to claim a second straight renewal of the Silver Trophy Handicap Hurdle.

The six-year-old has run four times in the autumn months in his career, winning three of those, with his only defeat coming when the ground turned soft at Haydock on Betfair Chase weekend. His win here last year came by four lengths off a mark of 124, and the form worked out superbly, with the runner-up improving a stone, and the third 10lb having finished third in both the Grade 1 Mares’ Hurdle and Aintree Hurdle, on official ratings by the end of the season. The fourth was also taking higher order over fences come last season’s end.

The selection returns just 3lb higher than for his victory 12 months ago because of his lapse in form, but with the ground promising to remain on the sharp side and his owner-rider still taking off a 7lb claim, he should be capable of doing better once again.

3.40 Newmarket – Club Godolphin Cesarewitch Handicap

Last year’s winner Alphonse Le Grande, as well as a powerful Willie Mullins-trained contingent of Bunting, Hipop De Loire and Winter Fog, make this a competitive renewal of the Cesarewitch despite a relatively small field. However, they may end up chasing the shadow of REVEREND HUBERT, who can provide a second victory in the race for Charles Byrnes in just four years.

The seven-year-old is officially 6lb well-in after hacking up in the trial handicap for this race in late September, his winning margin ultimately coming in at eight lengths. There were only eight rivals to dispose of that day, but he did it extremely comfortably, while he arrives here with just a 4lb penalty to carry for his troubles.

2m2f on good ground looks to suit him very well on the flat and he has won off this mark of 83 before when trained by Richard Hannon. Given the field has thinned, he would not have needed that bonus weight to get in, with the only nagging doubt being his widest draw of 21. However, Silvestre De Sousa can be patient on him, and with a smaller field than usual, he should be able to navigate the traffic en route to success.

Chepstow race cards in full

13:35 – dragonbet.co.uk Bet 10 Get 20 Juvenile Hurdle
14:10 – DragonBet Real Bookmakers Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase
14:45 – DragonBet / Native River Handicap Chase
15:20 – Wasdell Group Silver Trophy Handicap Hurdle
16:00 – Paul Ferguson’s Jumpers To Follow ‘Four Years Old’ Hurdle
16:35 – Good Intents Marquee Hire Handicap Chase
17:10 – dragonbet.co.uk Best Odds Guaranteed Handicap Hurdle

Newmarket race card in full

13:15 – Too Darn Hot Darley Stakes
13:50 – Night Of Thunder Zetland Stakes
14:25 – Emirates Autumn Stakes
15:00 – Darley Dewhurst Stakes
15:40 – Club Godolphin Cesarewitch Handicap
16:15 – Godolphin Flying Start Nursery
16:50 – Modern Games British EBF Boadicea Stakes