Horse Racing tips: Matt Chapman’s 7 to shine on Friday’s ITV races

Two tracks. Seven races. One Matt Chapman. Boom!

Matt Chapman Cheltenham

* All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.

13:50 Sandown – Bothwell Bridge

ITV Racing gets under way Friday with this novices’ limited handicap chase over 2m4f. The stamina of BOTHWELL BRIDGE could be useful here for Nicky Henderson and the excellent Nico de Boinville. My hope won over an extended 3m at Hereford two runs ago but was then pulled up at Aintree. It’s interesting he’s had a wind operation since that effort and I expect him to be a better chaser than hurdler on ground that should be ideal.

NEW TO PADDY POWER?

14:05 Exeter – Adrimel

ITV are also at Exeter for this novices’ chase over 2m3f. This is a decent race. Adrimel and Boothill are both promising. Boothill has the best recent form, but ADRIMEL appeared to be a right tool before pulling up at both Aintree and Cheltenham. I’ll take a chance he’ll return in good shape and he really has the build of a chaser for Tom Lacey and Jonathan Burke. The betting close to the off will be very interesting.

14:25 Sandown – Brave Kingdom

Now a Grade 2 novices’ hurdle over 2m4f. It’s hard to get away from BRAVE KINGDOM here for Paul Nicholls and a big ride for the champion for Gavin Sheehan. The five-year-old is second run after a wind operation and looks promising after wins at Fontwell and Chepstow. The cheap purchase is clearly a good buy and while there are unknowns against him in terms of how much he will improve, the rest will have to be pretty good to beat the Nicholls inmate.

14:40 Exeter – Gunsight Ridge

Here is a handicap chase over 2m3f. GUNSIGHT RIDGE looked in need of this longer trip when returning with a good run at Aintree and has every chance for Olly Murphy and Aidan Coleman. A winner at Doncaster over hurdles, my selection appears to be very capable of performing off a mark of 127 and the stable is going great guns. He has every chance.

Sandown Races

15:00 Sandown – One True King

This is a handicap chase over nearly 2m. It’s not going to be easy under 12st 1lb for ONE TRUE KING but he’s been racing at big tracks for Nigel Twiston-Davies and Jordan Nailor takes off a valuable 3lb. My selection was a decent second at Ffos Las last time and has two good runs at Cheltenham in the not-so-distant past. The trip and ground are ideal and the surface will make carrying a big weight easier.

15:15 Exeter – Dancing Shadow (each-way)

Another handicap chase this time over an extended 3m6f. DANCING SHADOW is not much better than his mark of 122 and is not going to improve at the age of 12. However, he’s a very strong stayer and is in reasonable form with placed efforts at Chepstow and Sandown. He often goes from the front and should at least give us an each-way run for our money.

15:35 Sandown – Pileon (each-way)

Sandown ends up with a handicap hurdle over nearly 3m and it’s a wide open event. I’m not convinced by many of these over this distance including my selection PILEON. That said, it’s easy to argue my hope is well handicapped for the master trainer Philip Hobbs and Ben Jones. Pileon was an excellent second to Indefatigable in the Martin Pipe at the Cheltenham Festival in 2020 and that was off a mark of 138. He went up to 143 but races off 131 here. His run at Aintree last time was good enough and it should have blown the cobwebs away. I’ll have a few quid on each way.

So best of luck and pray for Yeeehaaas. You hear me Paddy?

Matt Chapman tips summary:

13:50 Sandown – Bothwell Bridge
14:05 Exeter – Adrimel
14:25 Sandown – Brave Kingdom
14:40 Exeter – Gunsight Ridge
15:00 Sandown – One True King
15:15 Exeter – Dancing Shadow (each-way)
15:35 Sandown – Pileon (each-way)

DON’T MISS

  • CHECK OUT OUR BRAND NEW SNAZZY RACECARDS FOR EVERY SINGLE RACE TODAY
  • … THEN GET ALL THE WINNERS BEFORE ANYONE ELSE WITH OUR FAST RESULTS

READ

The latest racing odds are on PaddyPower.com now

The Paddy Power Guide To Safer Gambling – Everything You Need To Know