Aintree and Sandown - 7th Dec

Today's two cards at Sandown and Aintree are choc full of enticing but trappy events. It's a bit of a minefield from a punting point of view - not helped by the fact that a couple of the horses that I'm interested in were backed last time but ran below form.

In the Becher Chase I am keen on Walkon. I prematurely backed him for the race earlier in the week at 14/1 (16s available now) and the general feeling is that 3m2f will stretch his stamina to breaking point. That is possible of course but I'm taking a chance at his inflated odds. He's proven over the National fences and the form of the Topham he was runner-up in back in April was massively franked when the winner that day took the Hennessy last week. In terms of stamina I just look back on his two efforts behind Al Ferof and Unioniste last season in really tough, competitive handicaps on deep ground last season. To me those runs behind a really top class sort in the former and a high class one carry less than 10st in the latter suggested Walkon was a staying chaser if anything and at his odds today I'm taking a chance he'll last out.

Also at Aintree I'm giving possibly a last chance to Clondaw Kaempfer. I was very disappointed with his tame effort last time out when he was too fresh, didn't hurdle that well and just seemed like a horse who badly needed the run. That being the case we should expect some sort of improvement today and the fact that he gets decent(ish) ground for a change makes him a bet. I've always thought this horse would be suited to good ground given his action and in a race that lacks quality I just hope his trainer has him ready.

Sandown has a couple of cracking Grade 1's. I was impressed with Taquin du Seuil at Cheltenham last time out when he bested Oscar Whiskey in a race that turned into a bit of a sprint. He jumped well that day although a drop back in trip on good ground is a worry given his odds of 3/1. At similar odds Captain Conan also appeals in the Tingle Creek, the best race of the day. The doubt I have about him, enough to put me off for a single bet anyway, is Henderson's horses mostly needing the run this season. And his entry is an after thought of course with Sprinter Sacre it seems missing the race because he has a man cold. I think Sire de Grugy who heads the market is overrated though so I want to take him on. 

Becher Chase:

Walkon £10ew @ 15/1 (NR) 

Goals Galore Handicap Hurdle:

Clondaw Kaempfer £25w @ 43/10 (lost)

Taquin du Seuil (HenryVIII) and Captain Conan (Tingle Creek) £15 dbl @ 3/1 and 5/2 (lost)

Clondaw Kaempfer and Taquin du Seuil £10 dbl @ Betfair SP's (lost)

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