Whittington plots alternative plan for Simply The Betts after handicap rise

The Cheltenham Festival's Brown Advisory & Merriebelle Stable Plate has emerged as a possible spot for recent course winner Simply The Betts, who has been handicapped out of what appeared his likely target in March.

Trained by Harry Whittington, Simply The Betts produced a neat display to beat Imperial Aura at Cheltenham on Trials day and had been pencilled in for a crack at the Close Brothers Novices' Handicap Chase.

However, the manner of the victory meant the BHA handicapper raised the seven-year-old 9lb to a figure of 149, which resulted in his being rated too highly to run in that.

The Plate is an option as are moves into Grade 1 company for the Marsh Novices' Chase or the RSA Insurance Novices' Chase.

Whittington said: "He'll have a Plate entry and we've got the Marsh and the RSA, so we'll thrash it out. It's probably doubtful he'll go for the RSA over three miles because he's got gears.

"But we'll keep all options open. The handicapper thought it was a classy performance – it was and I can't really complain.

"I'd have been more annoyed if it was 6lb, then we'd have just been out of the Close Brothers. I could then have tried to argue it should have been only 5lb, but as it was 9lb I can't argue!"

Harry Whittington: 'We've always loved him and always thought he'd make a better chaser'Credit: Alice Whittington

Simply The Betts is named after Chris Betts, a friend of owners Kate and Andrew Brooks, who died of cancer a few years ago.

He is 16-1 for the Plate with William Hill and a general 20-1 for the Marsh.

He has long been regarded highly by Whittington, who said: "We've always loved him and always thought he'd make a better chaser. We were scratching our heads with those two disappointing hurdle runs last season, but after some investigations we found he had some fragments of bone in a joint, which needed flushing out.

"He had to have nearly a year off, but it's done him the world of good because he's filled out into his frame. He's a nice big horse now and is taking his racing well."

The Brooks family also have the talented Saint Calvados with Whittington. He is in the Betfair Ascot Chase on February 15, but the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham, for which he is 25-1 with Hills, seems the main plan.

"He's in the Ascot Chase, but that's right-handed and I think he's got a great chance in the Ryanair," the trainer continued. "I'd have thought he'd next be seen in that, but we'll leave the option open. His form is best when he's fresh."

A strong, imposing type, Saint Calvados won a Cheltenham handicap in October before a creditable performance behind Defi Du Seuil in the Shloer Chase. He went close to winning on his first try over 2m4½f at the track on New Year's Day.

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