Newsboy fancies his nap, Eceparti, to win at Chepstow and also hopes Alfa Whiteburd can score at Newcastle and complete his Daily Double
ECEPARTI is fancied to make a winning comeback by racking up a fourth course success in the Rebecca Faulkners 40th Birthday Bash Handicap Chase (2.50) at Chepstow.
The 10-year-old, trained by Venetia Williams, has an enviable record at the home of the Welsh Grand National. From 10 visits, Eceparti has gained three victories and made the frame on a further five occasions.
Two of those wins came on my selection’s return to the fray – Ned Fox’s partner scored here in November 2019 when racing over British fences for the first time, and when landing a three-mile, two-furlong handicap chase on Hallowe’en last year.
Defeats on his final six outings of the 2023-24 campaign mean that Eceparti competes from a British Horseracing Authority mark of 105 – just 1lb above the rating from which he scored over course and distance on his second start of last season – so a bold show is on the cards.
At Newcastle, Billy Loughnane and ALFA WHITEBURD are the combination to beat in the Safer Gambling Week 2024 At BetUK Handicap (Div II) (6.45).
Craig Lidster’s gelding, who followed a course-and-distance triumph in September with a score at Southwell 16 days later, didn’t reproduce that form on rain-softened turf at Redcar last time out but should be more at home back on Tapeta.
FRIDAY’S SELECTIONS
CATTERICK
12.05 YOU SOME GIRL
12.40 CHARACTER TESTING
1.15 IMPERIAL RULE
1.50 DREAM JET
2.25 KILBARRY HILL
3.00 JUST LOOSE CHANGE
3.32 MIGHTY GESTURE
ASCOT
12.20 MARVELLOUS MICK
12.55 GIDLEIGH PARK
1.30 CELTIC DINO
2.05 NOCTE VOLATUS
2.40 MIRABAD
3.15 LAW OF SUPPLY
3.50 QUAVISTE
CHEPSTOW
12.30 ESPOIR DES FORGES
1.05 HASTHING
1.40 OUT OUT
2.15 RANGE
2.50 ECEPARTI (NAP)
3.25 SIREKOFF
3.59 ASSERTIVE WALK
NEWCASTLE
3.39 FAST FRED
4.10 BLUE LAKOTA
4.40 LEMURIAN
5.15 SOMMELIER
5.45 WHERES THE CRUMPET
6.15 BRUMMELL
6.45 ALFA WHITEBURD (NB)
7.15 ODD SOCKS HAVANA
7.45 SUPERNOVA STEPS
DOUBLE: ECEPARTI and ALFA WHITEBURD
