N.H. racing at Chepstow, Doncaster and Newbury

Despite some frost, there should be no problems with today´s 3 jumps meetings, though the ground is certain to be very soft at all of them. Newbury has the best card and once again it seems that Paul Nicholls and Nicky Henderson will dominate proceedings. They go head to head in the opening novice hurdle at 14.30 CET, with French import Robinson Collonges (Nicholls/ Ruby Walsh) and easy Sandown winner Master of the Hall (Henderson/ Geraghty) are the two to beat.

It could be the same scenario in the handicap hurdle at 15.40, where they are represented by Special Occasion and Gold Award respectively. However this is quite a tricky race, German-bred L´Homme de Nuit (Gary Moore/ Phillip Hide) could run well, while top-weight Buena Vista (David Pipe/ Hadden Frost) has a definite chance in this grade; however Gold Award, owned by the Queen, won so well last time that he again gets the vote. Whatever happens in those races, Nicholls and Walsh should certainly win the novice chase at 15.05 with the smart Tataniano, who has only two opponents and needs only to jump round to win.

At Doncaster, the novice hurdle at 14.55 looks the most interesting race. Spring Jim (James Fanshawe/ Felix de Giles) and Moghaayer (Henderson/ Andrew Tinkler) have both win their only start over the sticks and look useful, but the one here is surely Barney Curley´s Sereth (Warren Marston). The son of Monsun wes a listed class stayer on the flat in Germany, and although he took his time to find form in the U.K., has now shown definite talent. Another German-bred, Heredias (George Baker/ Harry Haynes), has a squeak in the conditional jockeys handicap hurdle at 14.20, but with 20 runners, this is best treated with caution; a more likely winner, at much lower odds, is Barwell Bridge (Warren Greatrex/ Timmy Murphy), runner-up to the smart Advisor at Ascot last week, form which clearly gives him a great chance in the 4yo hurdle at 16.05.
At Chepstow, the novice chase at 15.20 should lie between Mobaasher (Venetia Williams/ Aidan Coleman) and Giles Cross (Vic Dartnall/ Tom O´Brien), but both need to brush up their jumping. Jonjo O´Neill and David Pipe have plenty of runners today, and can be rewarded here with Raise you Five (Robbie McLernon) at 15.55 and Peut Etre Sivola (Tom Scudamore) at 16.30 respectively.