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Badger Beers Handicap Chase ante-post tips: 25-1 and 16-1 selections
By Nic Doggett
Last Updated: Sun 25 Oct 2026
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Nic Doggett has two early selections for the Badger Beers Handicap Chase at Wincanton in early November.
Wincanton were forced to cancel their season-opening meeting on Sunday due to hard ground, though hopefully the recent spell of wet weather means the racecourse's highlight of their calendar year – the 65th Badger Beers Handicap Chase – can still take place on Saturday 7 November.
Gustavian has three times made his seasonal return in this race, improving year on year to eventually fill first place 12 months ago. He's 8 lb higher here but showed that might not be an immovable object with good runs at the start of 2026. However, he took a heavy fall on his final run in March, and this is a big ask for the now-11-year-old.
His trainer Anthony Honeyball has now won two of the last three renewals, and could be heavily represented once more with Jordans Cross (also Sodexo Gold Cup favourite following an excellent first season over fences but yet to prove himself over this far), Leave Of Absence (winner first time out last year but Ascot may suit better) and Jasmin De Grugy (Grimthorpe winner but in-and-out profile) just three of a six-strong list of entries from the yard.
Not to be outdone, Dan Skelton has seven possibles to choose from, including new recruit Il Est Francais who was given a very different ride on his recent stable debut over shorter compared to his usual front-running, bold-jumping style that saw him win 10 races for his old yard and finish second in a King George. Clearly, he is very well treated if the fire still burns, but it's hard to know when Skelton will light the match.
Here Comes Georgie won the William Hill Best Odds Guaranteed Handicap Chase on Saturday
Recent Cheltenham winner Here Comes Georgie was primed to win first time out on his stable debut for the yard, appearing to relish a more thorough examination of stamina than had previously been attempted. The handicapper will have his say – penalties only after today – but it's hard to quantify how much improvement there might be to come.
I'm more interested in a stablemate that finished behind him on Saturday, though, in 25-1 chance DIAMOND DEALER. He may well have been unbeaten last season had he not had a hard race when doing too much in the Borders National, and I thought he made a very good fist of his reappearance when attempting to dominate Saturday's 3m1f handicap which was run on ever-softening ground. He was eventually fifth after tiring up the hill, but all of those who finished ahead of him were given much more patient rides.
This venue should suit his attacking style much better and he looks overpriced.
No race is safe from Skelton, who I'm sure learned plenty about this race when assistant to Paul Nicholls. The local trainer first won this race in 1999 with Flaked Oats and has since added another 10 wins; his two entries this season are Viroflay, who looks on a tough enough mark for his reappearance, and Knappers Hill, a course specialist who, in contrast, looks on a very attractive perch if putting it all together. He has a fine record fresh, but is yet to comprehensively prove he stays this far.
Califet En Vol beat Viroflay at Kempton last season
That last comment also applies to the Nicky Henderson-trained CALIFET EN VOL, but this speed-favouring venue could be the perfect place for the seven-year-old to try three miles for the first time. I think there could be some well-handicapped runners from Seven Barrows this term and recent runner-up efforts from Independent Lady and East India Express have strengthened that view.
Califet En Vol beat Viroflay from a 3 lb lower mark in February, should be suited by the demands of this race on his seasonal return (looks a better fit for this Kempton and Huntingdon winner than Ascot, in contrast to stablemate Hyland), and he should be added to staking plans at 16s.
Ante-post selections:
back CALIFET EN VOL at 16-1 (general)
back DIAMOND DEALER at 25-1 (Betfair, Sky Bet, Paddy Power)
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