Newbury and Southwell today

today´s Musselburgh fixture has been abandoned, leaving a high-class card N.H. at Newbury and a poor all-weather card at Southwell as the only racing in the U.K. today. Newbury stages two Grade One events, including the Long Walk Hurdle over 3 miles at 15.40 CET, held over from last week´s abandoned Ascot card.

In theory this should be easy for Big Bucks (Paul Nicholls/ Ruby Walsh), the best long distance hurdler in training, although the improving Diamond Harry (Nick Williams/ Timmy Murphy) could be a dangerous opponent. German-bred Fair Along, tough front-runner Lough Derg and Karabak can fight it out for third place, but it will be a surprise if they can defeat the two favourites.

The other main feature is the Challow Novice Hurdle at 15.05, which looks much more open. Manyriverstocross (Alan King/ Robert Thornton) and ex-French River d´Or (Nicholls/ Walsh) are the likely favourites here, but there are several possibilities. German-bred Quartano has won his last two starts very easily but now faces much tougher opposition.

A more likely German-bred winner is Iolith (King/ Thornton), who makes his hurdling debut at 14.30. He was group class on the flat for Gestüt Schlenderhan. However this looks quite a strong field, headed by Nicky Henderson´s impressive Newcastle winner Quantitativeeasing (Tony McCoy).

Best race at Southwell is the 5 furlongs handicap at 14.20. Several familiar names in the line-up of 8, including Colorus (Bill Ratcliffe/ Kelly Harrison) and Pawan (Ann Stokell), 2nd and 3rd here recently, and Rebel Duke (Ollie Pears/ Barry McHugh) and Canadian Danehill (Robert Cowell/ Graham Gibbons) 5th and 6th in a slightly better race this CD last time. Our tentative suggestion is Pawan (place only).