This weekend’s big race looks a belter, with a maximum field of 20 lining up over 3m for the Racing Post Chase live on Channel 4 from Kempton Park.

Paul Nicholls is four handed in the race, and number one amongst his squad has to be Sky Bet Chase winner Big Fella Thanks, who has attracted significant support in recent days, and is a best price 7/2 shot with Paddy Power and Ladbrokes at the time of writing.

Connections won this race 12 months ago with Gungadu taking the spoils as a 4/1 favourite for the Barber-Findlay axis, and it’s known that Harry Findlay has been active in availing himself of some larger prices about Big Fella Thanks earlier in the week.

It was hard not to be impressed with how he won at Doncaster in the hands of Christian Williams, scoring his first win over fences at the fifth time of asking.

Big Fella Thanks was also probably value for a bit more than the official margin that day, running out an 11 length winner over the classy Ungaro (who re-opposes here), but the handicapper has had his his say, slapping him with a 13lb rise for that success.

Although a year younger than his predecessor he too has the advantage of Ruby Walsh doing the steering, Nicholls’ number 1 jockey taking over from Williams.

That said he’s shot up the weights to a mark of 149 now, and a right handed speed track might not be ideal for a horse who looks an out and out stayer. His Doncaster win was an emphatic and dour display, but for me he looks short enough in the market now.

Nicholls also has top weight Nozic compressing the handicap, a cute move since he takes 5lb off his back via the very capable Harry Skelton, but the Rowland Meyrick winner strikes me as vulnerable off this sort of mark, and I’d struggle to recommend him after failing to complete at Cheltenham last time.

Also boarding the horsebox from Ditcheat will be Denman’s brother Silverburn, a high class novice who came into this season looking as though he had the world at his feet.

It hasn’t quite panned out like that though, and when you stop to consider how his star has faded sice being sent off favourite for the Paddy Power Gold Cup three months back, it’s astonishing how he’s now dismissed in a race of this calibre.

Dismissed he is though, as despite a wind op that was meant to work the oracle that Cheltenham flop was followed by a dismal showing when odds on at Exeter. He has it all to prove.

Well backed in recent days has been Keith Goldsworthy’s Hold Em after favourable mentions in various prominent tipping columns, and now generally an 8/1 and 9/1 shot he gets in at the foot of the weights with 10st 1lb, plus the 5lb claim of rising star Rhys Flint.

Placed in the Feltham Novices’ Chase at Kempton behind Breedsbreeze at Christmas Hold Em then dipped his toe into handicap chase company for the first time on New Year’s Day, running third behind Stan and Fier Normand at Cheltenham.

My impression having viewed that race from the Cheltenham betting ring through a pair of slightly sleep deprived eyes was that he’d be best going right handed, so Kempton could well suit.

What concerns me though is his jumping, which needs to improve markedly to take one of these races. Still, he rates as place material.

Definitely worth a mention is Tom George’s Nacarat, a French import who got his act together in formidable style over 2m 3f at Donny last time on the same card as Big Fella Thanks won the Sky Bet.

Always travelling like a winner he won that race at a canter, beating Yes Sir with contemptuous ease in the hands of AP McCoy.

It’s little surprise the champ has opted to stick with him – if he can defy a deserved 12lb rise and step up successfully in trip then he has it all going for him – George reckons he wants to go right handed on a flat track, so hey presto, take a slice of the 10/1 available with Bet365 and Victor Chandler.

Also carrying my cash will be an old favourite of mine Lacdoudal. I can’t resist having a few quid each way on this classy grey after watching him display plenty of his old relish for the task when trying to give lumps of weight to a decent young horse in Can’t Buy Time at Sandown the last day.

The 2006 Betfred Gold Cup winner has a chance off a mark of 142, and you can be certain trainer Philip Hobbs wouldn’t have persevered with the old timer if he didn’t think the 10-year-old still had the ability to cut the mustard at the top level.

Off for nearly two years with a leg injury Hobbs re-introduced him over hurdles at Cheltenham, a race which made me fear this son of Cadoudal ought to be seeing out his days chasing sheep in a field in Garstang rather than toiling around at the back trying to recapture former glories.

I needn’t have worried though, as back over fences he made a proper fist of it at Sandown, delighting connections sufficiently to ensure a tilt at the Racing Post made it onto the radar.

Third in this race to Simon in 2007 when rated 8lb higher than he is now Lacdoudal has plenty going for him.

The stats speak favourably, since his trainer’s last 13 runners in the contest have yielded three winners, two seconds and two thirds.

The case becomes more compelling when you realise this is a race jockey Richard Johnson simply loves to win – taking it in 2000 on Gloria Victis, 2001 on Young Spartacus, 2002 on Gunther McBride, and 2005 on the ill-fated Farmer Jack, as well as finishing in the frame in 1997, 2003, 2004 and 2007!

I suspect there could be a major prize left in Lacdoudal yet, so help yourself to a bit of 16/1 each way with Coral.

Good luck!

Tom’s Racing Post Chase tips (3:10 Kempton – Saturday 21st Feb):

Nacarat win @ 10/1 – Bet365 and Victor Chandler

Lacdoudal e/w @ 16/1- Coral