N.H. racing at Newbury and Kempton

No all-weather racing today, but five interesting jumps meetings (including one in Ireland). The best meeting is at Newbury, where the grandly-named Gold Cup, a handcap chase over 2 1/2 miles at 16.10 CET, is the main event. with 17 runners, this is really wide open. Paul Ncholls saddles 3 of them, including Natal, the choice of Ruby Walsh, who won the race last year but now has top weight to carry. On form, Mr.Pointent (Sam Thomas) seems to have equally good chances, while bottom weight The Package (David Pipe/ Rhys Flint) is on a seductively low mark. Others to consider are (Ouzbeck Alan King/ Robert Thornton), who has won 5 of his last 8 starts, but faile to complete the other 3 times, Hold ´Em (Keith Goldsworthy/ Richard Johnson), Starzaan (Highie Morrison/ Tom Scudamore) - coming off a 10 months break, but he runs best when fresh - and Charlie Egerton s Hobbs Hill, for whom Tony McCoy is an eye-catching booking. The other interesting race at Newbury is the opening novice hurdle at 14.35; the 3 last-time-out winners Definity (Nichols/ Walsh), Minella Theatre (Henrietta Knight/ McCoy) and Aqualung (Charle Mann/ Thornton) must give 6lbs to the other runners, best of whom is Nicky Hemnderson´s Run for Moor (Barry Geraghty), a useful bumper but disappointing on his hurdles debut.

Betting forecast Newbury:
1. Race: Definity - Minella Theatre - Aqualung
2. Race: Oh Braga - Fit To Drive - Schiehallion
3. Race: Church Island - Go For One - Tom Sayers
4. Race: Hold Em - Starzaan - The Package
5. Race: Mutual Friend - Dishdasha - Norman The Great
6. Race: Kevkat - Blues In Cee - Clova Island
7. Race: Bellvano - Global Warming - Oh No Not Harry

At nearby Kempton, the opening novice hurdle at 14.50 is also a good race, in which Gary Moore saddles two runners, Love and Glory (Philip Hide) and the most interesting runner, Persian Storm (with son Jamie aboard); the latter was a dual Group winner in Germany 2 years ago for baron Ullmann, lost his way for André Fabre last season, and was very headstrong on his recent all-wrather debut for this stable last week. If he settles and jumps, he must have a great chance in this company. Otherwise tere are some very small fields at Kempton, but it could be a good da for the Moore family, as multiple winners Fix the Rib (Jamie) and Heathcote (Hide) can dominate the novice handicap chase at 17.30 - where Free World (Nicholls/ Christian Williams), dropping in grade but conceding lots of weight, is the only danger, and in the 3-runner novice chase at 16.55 the race should mainly concern the Moores´ Or Jaune and Oracle des Mottes (Nicholls/ Williams).

Betting forecast Kempton:
1. Race: Love And Glory - Hohlethelonely - King Brex
2. Race: Captain Americo - Midas Way - Coda Agency
3. Race: Constantius - The Hardy Boy - Alfadora
4. Race: Hell`S Bay - The Shoe - Pheidias
5. Race: Oracle Des Mottes - Or Jaune - My Turn Now
6. Race: Fix The Rib - Free World - Heathcote
7. Race: Aconitum - The Bishops Baby - Divine Intavention