Saturday's Meetings Warwick N/H 7 Races 12:55-4:23p.m. Uttoxeter N/H 7 Races 1:03p-4:33p.m. Newbury N/H 7 Races 1:15-4:45p.m. Naas N/H 7 Races 1:20-4:50p.m. Newcastle(E) A/W 7 Races 3:55-7:00p.m. Wolverhampton(E) A/W 8 Races 4:40-8:15p.m. Racecards At The Races Sporting Life Racing Post Good Luck
Ouch - hope they can get him right for the Arkle. Him taking on Majborough is probably the race I am most looking forward to at the festival.
Hendo has his fair share of pre Cheltenham dramas doesn’t he. I suppose he’s in a far better position than he was 12 months ago though
Well done, Attivo, you’re a true stayer! You should change your name to Trelawny- he was a better stayer than Attivo.
There will be plenty of festival pointers around today starting with the opener at Newbury where Nicky Henderson's Kientzheim will be hoping to secure an entry in the Mares Novices Hurdle. Her main rival today is Paul Nicholls Tutti Quanti (lovely name for a gelding) who will be looking to show he is worthy of entries in the Supreme and Turners. The form of his Ffos Las victory has certainly been boosted by second placed Diamonds For Luck who has since won twice and it should be a good contest today. In the 1.50 at Newbury I'll be watching (but not backing) two horses trying to recapture former glories - Ballygriffin Cottage has moved from the Skeltons to Harry Derham and gets a pair of first time blinkers (but a mark of 132 still looks challenging) whilst An Tailliur, so prolific in the 21/22 season, continues to tumble down the weights. I can't get excited about the Denman Chase but in the Game Spirit I will be cheering on the beautiful specimen of a horse that is JPR One who goes very well fresh. The Schweppes Gold Trophy / Tote Gold Trophy / Betfair Hurdle / William Hill Hurdle is as competitive as ever but Fiercely Proud comes here in excellent form and is only 4 lbs worse off with hot favourite Secret Squirrel on Ascot running, Secret Squirrel held when falling at the last. Over at Warwick we will hopefully see a dominant display by L'Eau Du Sud to book his ticket to the Arkle whilst at Naas there are a number of interesting races including the bumper (Apples Jane, daughter of Apples Jade making her debut) and the opening rated hurdle for juveniles where William Durkan's Holy See is a somewhat surprising favourite ahead of Kurasso Blue (put up at 25/1 ew for the Triumph Hurdle on the Ante Post thread by @Pilgrim a couple of weeks ago). You can get 4/1 about Kurasso Blue today and I am taking some of that .
15:00 Newbury - Libberty Hunter Grade 2, Class-1, GBB Chase over an extended 2m on soft ground. Only 5 runners scheduled to go to post, but still a tough event to select a possible winner. However, have to give this one a chance as, apart from having decent form, the 9YO Yorgunnabelucky gelding is lightly-raced.. Adam Wedge rides for the Evan Williams yard. 9/2 best price in most places on the ATR site, at time of writing.
16:33 Uttoxeter - Red Cadillac Class-5 Novices' Handicap Hurdle over a distance just short of 2m4f on soft ground. Jukebox Jury gelding has been well-backed in previous runs, and a good performance is expected again. Danny McMenamin rides for the Nicky Richards stable. Around 5/2 cureent best price on the ATR site, at time of writing.
2nd. Ran a good race but on the run-in after the last fence, just could not get to Master Chewy, who, frankly, I did not fancy at all.
2nd again. Both selections ran well today but had to be content with second place. Seconditis really is a pain.
