Sun Alliance Chase Fixed Odds Betting Preview

Much of the gloss of Wednesday's Sun Alliance Chase (Cheltenham, 2.35) has been lost through the defection of ante-post favourite Ollie Magern. But that does not mean that we should overlook a sound betting opportunity, and in L'ami, who can be backed at a generous-looking 4-1, we have just that.The French raider was impressive at Warwick last time where he beat Comply Or Die by nine lengths after travelling well throughout and consistently out-jumping his rivals. The going at Warwick was soft, which probably counted against Comply Or Die, but his jumping left a lot to be desired that day, and, anyway, I believe that L'ami will also improve a good deal for tackling the predicted good ground at the Festival and can see no reason why he should not beat Martin Pipe's charge again.Francois Doumen earmarked this race as L'ami's target after he readily beat useful yardstick Distant Thunder on his UK debut at Lingfield in December where he was conceding 7lb to that rival yet still won a shade cosily.The only defeat L'ami has suffered in the UK was when he fell in the Feltham Novices' Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day. However, it is worth ignoring that blot on the copybook as his jumping has been excellent otherwise and he is confidently expected to prove his class in this 3m 110yard heat.Trabolgan posted a career-best in the Feltham where he ran Ollie Magern to a short head. Strictly on that form, he is a worthy favourite, but it's worth noting that Ollie Magern went into that race on the back of two hard races; and that he was not at home on the right-handed track, therefore Trabolgan may be somewhat flattered by his proximity to the winner. Furthermore, Nicky Henderson's representative was readily beaten by Jazz D'estruval at Haydock last time, a level of form that leaves him far short of what is required to win this.One that interests me at a big price is Backbeat, who is over-priced at 25-1.Formerly with David Elsworth, the eight-year-old was purchased by Graham Wylie, thus has joined the powerful Howard Johnson stable, after falling in the Feltham. Backbeat was in the process of running a big race there until a bad blunder six-out knocked the stuffing out of him, and he appeared to loose his confidence thereafter, eventually falling when well held at the second last.Every horse can be forgiven a bad run and if you forgive Backbeat that effort, many positives can be drawn from the manner of his back-to-back victories at Exeter previously. On both occasions, the gelding jumped with pinpointed accuracy and looked particularly good when recording the second of the victories in December, a race in which subsequent winners Liverpool Echo and Specular were beaten with consummate ease.It is unlikely that Backbeat will win, but at the odds available it's well worth chancing that he will reach the frame in a race where there are valid question marks surrounding many of the principals.Betting verdict - 1 pt win L'ami @ 4/1 (Sporting Odds, Stanley Bet )0.50 pts e/w Backbeat @ 25/1 (VC Bet )Philip Hobbs rarely leaves the Cheltenham Festival without a winner and the Somerset handler appeared bullish when singling out Gold Medallist, who is favourite for the Sun Alliance Hurdle (Wednesday, 2.00), as his best chance of victory at the meeting.He would appear to have good reason to be confident too, as the former smart stayer on the level has quickly made up into a high-class novice hurdler and, with the defection of Ambobo over the weekend, and, on all known form, he has only Irish raider Royal Paradise to worry about.Gold Medallist, who cosily scored on his debut at Exeter in December before coasting home at Kempton a month later, was made to dig deep when landing the odds at Huntingdon last time where he beat Pole Star by half-a-length. Many bookies reacted by pushing the five-year-old out in the betting, but I feel that there was a lot of positives to take out of that performance, even if he didn't win like a 4-6 chance should.The son of Zilzal was evidently not enjoying the tacky ground there, as he was hanging left all the way up the straight, yet still had the determination to grind out a victory over the smart Pole Star, who was receiving 4lb. That sort of tenacity will be a potent weapon up the Cheltenham hill, and he will be far more effective on the prevailing good ground at Prestbury Park, while his quick jumping technique will be another key asset.Royal Paradise was ridden out to beat The Railway Man by three-lengths in the 2m 2f Deloitte Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown last month, shaping as though this step up to 2m 5f will suit. Thomas Foley's charge has yet to race on going better than soft, but his action suggests he will act on faster ground and he is clearly the main threat to the selection.Dermot Weld's raiders always command respect and the unbeaten mare Queen Astrid is an interesting contender. A Listed winner on the level, the daughter of Revoque followed a smart debut win at Leopardstown by careering home twenty lengths clear of Cake It Easy in a relatively weak race at Limerick.She has further improvement in her and possesses ample stamina, but the ground was ultra testing at Limerick and she was possibly flattered by the margin of success, and I doubt that she will have the pace to cope with the likes of Gold Medallist and Royal Paradise.Reveillez, a smart handicapper on the level, made it two out of two when beating Pretty Star at Doncaster last time, and the latter franked the form when scoring next time out. James Fanshawe's charge is going the right way, although it would be a big surprise if he could trouble Gold Medallist, who was rated 20lb superior on the Flat.Fellow Flat recruits Bagan and Mephisto look best of the rest. The latter is not a certain starter as his trainer Howard Johnson has indicated that he may send his charge straight to Aintree. Bagan, formerly a decent sort with Henry Cecil, gave the useful Savannah Bay 10lb and a 2½l beating at Doncaster earlier this month. That was a well-contested heat and Bagan rates a decent each-way bet at the generally available 16-1.Betting verdict - 1.5 pts win Gold Medallist @ 3/1 (VCBet)0.50 pts e/w Bagan @ 16/1 (VCBet)