Tag: Newbury

Newbury Saturday Preview

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Richard Johnson stole the show at Newbury on Friday with a treble including two for Philip Hobbs. It’s good to see the Hobbs yard back in form after a miserable Cheltenham where they sent out 15 runners to no avail, one-third of them failing to complete the course.

It was not such a good day for Nicky Henderson but he could be back in the winners’ enclosure after Saturday’s big race with Spartan Angel. The EBF Mare’s Hurdle Finale takes some winning and there are eighteen set to line up on Saturday. You could make a case for most of them and it is no surprise to see the bookmakers going 7-1 the field overnight.

The weight range is no more than 13lbs but bottom weight gives Spartan Angel an excellent charge for the Lambourn stable. She has been very lightly raced since winning a small race at Worcester in the summer. The daughter of Beneficial raced twice at Ascot before Christmas and was a fair second to Batavir. David Pipe’s gelding followed up at Wincanton before disappointing in the Doncaster race won by Call The Cops.

Henderson’s stable were not firing on all cylinders at the time and it may be that she has simply been put away for better ground and/or this race in particular. Hannah’s Princess is another worthy of consideration after winning comfortably on similar ground last time.

Every Tony McCoy winner is cheered to the rafters at present and Financial Climate should go close in the 3.10 race. He never really looked in any danger once he kicked on two fences from home at Sandown and a 4lbs penalty could be lenient. The opposition are a mixture of ageing chasers and unreliable handicappers.

Andrew Balding has kept Storm Force Ten for hurdling this season but he was a late withdrawal from the Cheltenham festival. I had given him a chance in the Fred Winter after a couple of encouraging runs, notably when fourth to Triumph winner Peace And Co. Four-year-old handicaps are a devil to unravel but he won’t mind the quicker ground and may have most to fear from Gimme Five. Alan King has been running this one on the all-weather and he looks quite well in with 10st 10lb.

2.35 Spartan Angel @7-1 Bet365

3.10 Financial Climate @9-2 William Hill

3.45 Storm Force Ten @7-2 Bet365

Newbury Friday Preview

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The dust has finally settled on the Cheltenham Festival 2015 and National Hunt fans are now looking forward to Aintree and Punchestown. Newbury provides some decent jumping action on Friday with all of the top stables represented.

Alan King’s festival was saved by Tony McCoy’s inspired ride on Uxizandre in the Ryanair Chase. He has a useful hurdling prospect in Inner Drive in the opening race at 2.10. The son of Heron Island was runner-up in his two bumper races but returned after more than a year off the track to thrash a decent field at Huntingdon. Wayne Hutchinson barely had to shake him up to storm clear by fourteen lengths.

This is a tricky little contest and I am always reluctant to pass over Nicky Henderson’s runners here, even if his older novices disappointed last week. He still saddled a Triumph Hurdle tri-cast and a big handicap winner so all is not doom and gloom at the Lambourn yard. Champagne Express had his form boosted by the runner-up yesterday and is feared most.

The three-mile handicap hurdle looks no easier to solve but it may pay to side with Tony McCoy on top weight Last Shadow. He is going up in trip but the first two pulled right away when he was second at Kempton last time. He does not look to be up against a great lot here with the lowly weighted Bold Adventure one of the few with winning form over three miles. He would have a chance but is unlikely to find much improvement at the age of eleven.

Whatever the fate of Champagne Express in the first, I expect Henderson to score with Medieval Chapel in the Brown Chamberlin Trophy at 3.45. The grey races in the colours of Simonsig and gave a pretty good impression of that horse at a couple of his fences at Fakenham last time. He won with any amount in hand and a 6lbs penalty looks lenient. Desert Joe carries the same penalty but looked flat out to score last time for Alan King.

Gassin Golf will be fancied in the two-mile handicap hurdle but I would go each-way if you are putting your faith in this one. He ran well when third in the Imperial Cup but has finished runner-up nine times since he last put his head in front! I prefer to take a chance with the lightly-raced Baby King for Tom George. He looked like beating Royal Guardsman here last time out but faded on the run-in. He is 4lbs better off here and will be having only the fifth race of his career.

Inner Drive 2.10 @4-1 Betfair

Last Shadow 3.10 @9-2 Bet365

Medieval Chapel 3.45 @4-1 Ladbrokes

Baby King 4.20 @8-1 Paddy Power

Scoop6 could hit £400,000 on Saturday

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The Tote have forecast a massive £400,000 Scoop6 jackpot this Saturday. With the Cheltenham festival almost upon us, the quality of the racing this weekend is not the greatest and winners may be difficult to find.

This Saturday’s Scoop 6 covers action from Doncaster, Lingfield and Newbury and syndicates are bound to busy burning the midnight oil to find the winning combination. Five of the races are live on Channel 4 and here is our guide to this week’s Scoop6.

Totesport Scoop6

Leg 1: 1:45 Newbury

A tough introduction with a sixteen-runner handicap hurdle over two miles and five furlongs. Very few of these are at the top of their game at present but Bothy has run some fine races around here in his time. Brian Ellison’s nine-year-old has Jamie Moore in the saddle and could go close while Winning Spark should be in the money after a couple of decent runs for Jackie Du Plessis.

Bothy

Winning Spark

Leg 2: 2:15 Newbury

Things do not get any easier in the next with thirteen veteran chasers lining up over three and a quarter miles. Several of these are familiar stayers that have seen better days including West End Rocker, a one-time Grand National fancy for Alan King. Soll looks to have a major chance for David Pipe after winning at Exeter last time while Ballyoliver is likely to plug on up the home straight.

Soll

Ballyoliver

Leg 3: 2:50 Newbury

Yet another Newbury handicap makes up leg three with nine lining up over two miles. First Mohican has been disappointing over hurdles so far but this looks a good opportunity for the formerly useful flat performer. Kiama Bay has been keeping better company and also has claims in a modest contest.

First Mohican

Kiama Bay

Leg 4: 2:55 Lingfield

The action switches to the all-weather at Lingfield and the one-mile Ladbrokes Handicap. Holiday Magic is sure to be popular after finishing a slightly unlucky fifth behind Baddilini in a much stronger heat last weekend. Halation could be sharper for his recent run here and David Simcock’s runners are always noting at this venue.

Holiday Magic

Halation

Leg 5: 3:25 Newbury

Back to Newbury for another very tricky race, the two and half-mile Greatwood Gold Cup. Sound Investment is not out of it despite shouldering top weight while the danger could come from the opposite end of the handicap in Saint Raph.

Sound Investment

Saint Raph

Leg 6: 3:45 Doncaster

If we are still standing by this stage it will be a minor miracle but the final leg is no easier than the previous five. The Grimthorpe Handicap Chase over three and a quarter miles has attracted twelve runners. Aachen only won a veterans race last time but this does not look that much better while Theatre Queen won’t mind the ground, providing she agrees to start!

Aachen

Theatre Queen

Horse Racing Preview February 7th

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It’s all systems go for a cracking Newbury card on Saturday with the Betfair Hurdle supported by the reappearance of champion chaser Sire de Grugy.

We previewed the Betfair Hurdle last month and our ante-post selections have both made the final line-up. Activial (tipped at 10-1) has been trained for the race and I see no reason to desert him at this late stage. It could be argued that he is badly weighted with Calipto on novice form but I think the favourite has a few quirks and I’m prepared to oppose him.

Vasco Du Ronceray (tipped at 33-1) is currently showing at 75-1 on Betfair and seems virtually friendless in the market. Whether that is because Barry Geraghty has chosen to ride Sign Of A Victory I am not sure but Peter Carberry claims 3lbs and it wouldn’t be impossible for him to make the frame. There don’t seem to be any natural front-runners in the field so I can see the field packed up turning for home and there could be some hard-luck stories.

As expected, Vibrato Valtat has headed to Warwick for the Kingmaker Chase rather than take on Sire de Grugy in the Game Spirit. That leaves the improving Mr Mole as his most likely danger and even still looks a good price about the popular chestnut. Gary Moore obviously won’t have him at 100% for this but I’d be disappointed if he wasn’t fit enough to win. Hopefully he can take this and set up the three-way clash with Sprinter Sacre and Dodging Bullets in the Champion Chase next month.

The Denman Chase is a tricky one with question marks against several of the runners. Houblon Des Obeaux ran a cracker in the Hennessy in November but has been beaten since while Taquin Du Seuil, Harry Topper and Double Ross have all been out of sorts. Unioniste is not quick by any stretch of the imagination while Coneygree has done nothing wrong since returning from injury. It may be between the pair with the Nicholls runner narrowly preferred.

Over at Warwick, Vibrato Valtat takes on the game front-runner Top Gamble in the Kingmaker Chase. The race is perfectly set up for the grey to get a nice lead through the race and challenge at the last. Glens Melody should be able to win the Mares’ Hurdle for a second consecutive year without Mischievous Miss in attendance. The Irish mare produced a great run at the Cheltenham festival behind Quevega and nothing else in the field can boast form at that level.

Vibrato Valtat 2.05 Warwick @6-5 Bet Victor

Unioniste 2.25 Newbury @4-1 Coral

Glens Melody 2.40 Warwick @Evens Bet365

Sire de Grugy 3.0 Newbury @10-11 Sky Bet

Activial 3.35 Newbury @10-1 ante-post

Vasco Du Ronceray @33-1 ante-post, 75-1 Betfair

Sire de Grugy even money for Game Spirit

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Sire de Grugy began last season as a 25-1 outsider for the Champion Chase at Cheltenham. The betting for the race was turned upside down when Sprinter Sacre was pulled up in the Desert Orchid Chase and Gary Moore’s chestnut went on to win both races.

The much-awaited clash between the two could take place at the festival in March following Sprinter Sacre’s return at Ascot last month. If Sprinter Sacre was in a different league to his rivals in 2013, Sire de Grugy was a pretty good substitute. He was unbeaten in his last five races, winning the Clarence House Chase and the Celebration Chase without being seriously tested. All ground seems to come alike to the nine-year-old but he has also had his training problems.

A minor injury has kept him off the track since April and there is bound to be some anxiety as he steps out for his prep race in the Game Spirit Chase at Newbury on Saturday. Moore has issued an up-beat bulletin and expects him to run well on Saturday, although he admits that he has left something to work on. He has 11lbs and upwards in hand of his rivals on official ratings and Betfair have installed him as the even money favourite.

I opposed Sprinter Sacre on his comeback with Dodging Bullets and fitness proved decisive for the Paul Nicholls-trained runner. The Ditcheat trainer has Mr Mole and Vibrato Valtat entered on Saturday but I’d be very surprised if the latter took his place in the field. He is also entered in the Kingmaker Chase at Warwick and I believe that Nicholls would rather keep him in novice company on his way to the Arkle Chase at the festival.

Mr Mole has improved this season and won a handicap at Sandown off a mark of 147, beating subsequent winner Brick Red by two and a quarter lengths. The handicapper now rates Mr Mole at 155, some 17lbs below Sire de Grugy.

Uxizandre would look the most likely threat on his Cheltenham form in November when beating Simply Ned by a length and a quarter. Dodging Bullets was a head away in third but it was a combination of fitness and the Cheltenham hill that found him out that day. Uxizandre blotted his copybook when jumping out to his left on several occasions last time out. Upsilon Bleu is on a hat-trick for Pauline Robson but is only rated 150 while Karinga Dancer looks outclassed.

Sire de Grugy 3.00 Newbury Saturday @Evens Betfair

Betfair Hurdle Ante-post Preview

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The Betfair Hurdle has always been one of the top handicap hurdles of the season. It is still fondly remembered by the older generation as “The Schweppes” and has since been equally acclaimed as the Tote Gold Trophy.

The race is often won by a high-class hurdler with names like Deep Sensation, Large Action, Mysilv, Make A Stand and Landing Light bringing back fond memories. More recently the race was won by Zarkandar and My Tent Or Yours, both Champion Hurdle class.

The quality of entry does not look quite up to that grade this year with Garde La Victoire topping the weights ahead of the veteran Get Me Out Of Here and Nicky Henderson’s Sign Of A Victory. Henderson has won this race five times and Sign Of A Victory is one of five entries from the Lambourn yard.

His latest press conference suggested that Sign Of A Victory would run provided the going is not soft but I’d have to say that seems unlikely. He does not believe that Snake Eyes will get into the race but put in a good word for Haydock winner Vasco Du Ronceray. The six-year-old is not exactly thrown in at the weights having been raised 8lbs for his latest success but still has scope for improvement.

He finished fifth in the Triumph Hurdle in 2013, the year of the ill-fated Our Conor. He wore a hood for the first time that day and carried the headgear when winning easily at Haydock in November. The grey could be worth an each-way bet at 33-1, a price that would soon disappear if Henderson’s main fancy were to be withdrawn.

I also like the claims of Activial, trained by Harry Fry. He is very lightly-raced having swerved the festival meeting in March in favour of Aintree. I was disappointed with his run there when only eighth to Guitar Pete but he showed his true form in the Ladbroke. He was well-fancied for the Ascot race and looked to have every chance until fitness told in the closing stages. Fry believes that he may eventually prove better at two and a half miles but Newbury’s long galloping straight should be ideal. He is still available at 10-1 in places.

The ante-post favourite is Calipto, trained by Paul Nicholls. He was unlucky in last year’s Triumph Hurdle when his rider’s stirrup leather broke and finished ahead of Activial at Aintree. He may have raced too keenly when beaten at Cheltenham in October and has been well backed for this race. He still holds a Champion Hurdle entry but I think any value has gone at around 5-1.

Activial @10-1 888Sport, Sportingbet

Vasco Du Ronceray @33-1 Betfair

Each-way ¼ odds, 1,2,3,4