Twisted Logic?

With Haydock’s big meeting having been abandoned after a morning inspection, all eyes were on Ascot on Saturday (January 19th) and the latest renewal of the Victor Chandler Chase.

On the face of it, the defeat in the race of Twist Magic, the current favourite for the Queen Mother Champion Chase, was a big disappointment. However, his eclipse was surely due primarily to the extremely testing conditions at the Berkshire track, and the result hasn’t really dented his championship ambitions too badly.

The horse travelled extremely well for most of the race and looked all over the winner turning out of Swinley Bottom. He was then comprehensively outstayed by the winner up the straight, but I can easily see him reversing the form with Tamarinbleu at the Festival and, for my money, on decent ground, he is still the horse to beat in what looks like being a relatively weak renewal of the Champion Chase. The 5/1 offered by one bookmaker for the winner immediately after the contest looked a total overreaction and makes no appeal.

If Twist Magic is vulnerable in the Queen Mother, then so are most of his rivals at the head of the betting and so if you want to take him on our advice would be to look for an each way outsider, as it would be no surprise at all if there was a big price winner of the race this year.

With the entries having recently closed, one horse worth looking at is a stablemate of the favourite, Andreas, who finally started to fulfil his huge potential when winning last year’s Grand Annual. He has proved himself over course and distance and could make the step up in grade, granted decent ground.

The bookmaker currently offering the best odds on Andreas is Sportingbet whose 50/1 probably won't last long. To open an account with Sportingodds and claim £100 of free bets click here.