Fakenham free racing tip: Market leaders set to dominate competitive handicap chase

15:20 Fakenham: PRA Prize Money Plaque to Fakenham Handicap Chase (2 miles)

Nevendon opened his jumps season account with a tidy win at Southwell at the beginning of the month, and he was far from disgraced in coming a close-up second on an all-weather Flat outing at Wolverhampton nine days ago.

Fever Dream kicked off his campaign by seeing off ten rivals with an emphatic four lengths in hand on his season debut at Perth in June, and should be there or thereabouts again in this company, despite being 15 pounds above that winning mark.  

All of which brings us to the oldest and top-weighted contender in the shape of Grain D’oudairies, who has rarely been far from the frame in 11 outings to date, and is a proven three-time winner over his lightly-raced career.

Suggested Bet: Grain D’oudairies in the 15:20 at Fakenham

After kicking off 2024 with a 16-length romp at Market Rasen in March, Donald McCain’s gelding has finished third in each of his three subsequent appearances during the early summer, always performing willingly under regular jockey Brian Hughes, who teams up in the saddle again here.

Two of their three wins (and one runner-up spot, beaten a neck) came when running fresh from an extended break, so it will be no surprise to see the eight-year-old revved up to hit the ground running again here after more than four months off the track. 

McCain’s yard enjoys a healthy 13.76 unit profit when having just one chaser on the card, while former champion jockey Hughes boasts an impressive 24% win rate (59% place rate) from his last 34 rides at Fakenham, all enhancing the view that Grain D'oudairies has an excellent opportunity to add another win to his figures in a race of this nature.

• Tip and preview provided by David Xristo on Tipstrr