You would be forgiven for thinking this race was being held in Ireland, as three of the four entries are trained in Ireland.

Will this be another successful raid by an Irish trainer on the UK, or can Iroko stand firm for the UK?

Here, I will review all four runners and discuss their strengths and weaknesses that may or may not hinder their chances of winning the Howden Graduation Chase.

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Howden Graduation Chase runner by runner betting guide

Now it’s time to take a in-depth look into runners of the Howden Graduation Chase and the best horse racing bookmakers to help you make a winning bet.

🏇 3 Iroko

• Age: 6
• Weight: 11st 7lb
• Form: /152-2
• Rating: 152
• Jockey: Jonjo O’Neill Jr
• Trainer: Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero
• Odds: 7/4

Iroko has had the Grand National as a long-term target this season, so with horses like him, it’s always hard to gauge how they will run or how they want him to run.

His comeback run was full of promise, and even though he was sent off an 11/8 favourite on the day, you can mark up his performance given where he came from and how the track was riding on the day.

He was the horse I put up for that specific race, but there was enough there to take him on next time out.

His talent is unquestionable, but given that he obviously has a bigger picture to worry about, I can’t confidently back him.

✅ Jumps well
✅ Receives weight

❌ Has bigger targets ahead

Star rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐⭐

🐎 Bet on Iroko with talkSPORT BET 🐎

🏇 1 Fil Dor

• Age: 6
• Weight: 11st 10lb
• Form: 73-P21
• Rating: 152
• Jockey: Danny Gilligan
• Trainer: Gordon Elliott
• Odds: 4/1

Fil Dor was a horse who promised so much as a juvenile hurdler, and it looked like he would scale even bigger heights over fences when making a faultless transition, beating Saint Roi and bagging a Grade 3 in his first season over fences.

He started well last season with a second-place finish to Dinoblue at Naas and a second to El Fabiolo at Cork, but failed to match that form for the remainder of the season.

This season started with an eye-catching run in the Clonmel Oil Chase. He went on to win a two-horse race in a canter, but he would have done more work at home than he did in the actual race.

He seems to be best at this time of the season, and if he can run to the level that saw him get within a length of Dinoblue and just over four lengths off El Fabiolo, that can be good enough to take this.

All the right signs are there for a big run.

✅ Has been beaten by proper Grade 1 chasers
✅ Looks to be finding his form again

❌ Can leave himself with a lot to do

Star rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐⭐⭐

🐎 Bet on Fil Dor with Sky Bet 🐎

🏇 4 James Du Berlais

• Age: 8
• Weight: 11st 7lb
• Form: 4372-F
• Rating: 155
• Jockey: Daryl Jacob
• Trainer: Willie Mullins
• Odds: 4/1

For all his talent, James Du Berlais has to be one of the most frustrating horses in training.

He has long threatened to win a big one, but when the taps are turned on, James does not want to know.

He consistently flatters to deceive with how he travels through races and then finds next to nothing when asked for his full effort.

His only win over fences came on his chase debut, and he has been beaten over a combined 127 lengths in his ten starts since.

Even with James Du Berlais being trained by the master for Closutton, I can not consider him, given how weak he is in a finish.

This will need to be a masterful ride by Daryl Jacob to get James Du Berlais head in front today.

✅ The talent is there
✅ Jumps well

❌ A very weak finisher

Star rating: ⭐️⭐️

🐎 Bet on James Du Berlais with Paddy Power 🐎

🏇 2 Jungle Boogie

• Age: 10
• Weight: 11st 10lb
• Form: 1/416-
• Rating: 154
• Jockey: Darragh O’Keeffe
• Trainer: Henry de Bromhead
• Odds: 5/1

Jungle Boogie is pushing 11 but has only raced six times in his career.

He is a hard horse to keep right, but when he is not on the sidelines, he is a talented operator, as seen on New Year’s Day when he won the Grade 3 Savills Chase at Tramore.

But you can take Jungle Boogie here for several reasons, mainly the ground.

His standout performances have been on soft or heavy ground, and the ground conditions will be nowhere near as soft as he would like.

With Montys Star looking set to head to Tramore on New Year’s Day, this looks like a realistic race Jungle Boogie can compete in, but he still should find one or two too good for him.

✅ Very lightly raced for his age
✅ May get an easy lead

❌ The ground may be an issue
❌ A hard horse to keep right

Star rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

🐎 Bet on Jungle Boogie with Midnite 🐎

Howden Graduation Chase verdict

It’s a tight race on paper, but a chance is taken that FIL DOR can find his best form here.

He is finding his feet again after a below-par finish to last season, and if he can build on his two runs so far this season, he can take all the beating here today.

Iroko should prove his biggest danger.

Current Betting: Iroko 7/4, Fil Dor 4/1, James Du Berlais 4/1, Jungle Boogie 5/1.

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