Top jumpers in action at Wetherby, Ascot and Naas (Ireland)

Today offers by far the best N.H. racing of the season so far, with top races at Wetherby, Ascot and Naas. Wetherby´s main feature is the Charlie Hall Chase over 3 miles 1 furlong at 16.25 CET, which looks very open with two previous winners entered - Deep Purple (Evan Williams/ Paul Moloney) and Ollie Magern (Nigel Twiston-Davies/ Paddy Brennan), but it is not sure that they can give weight to the very useful Nacarat (Tom George/ Sam Thomas) - almost a white horse- and The Tother One (Paul Nicholls/ Ruby Walsh), while we also have a sneaking fancy for the Queen´s Barbers Shop (Nicky Henderson/ Barry Geraghty). While this distance may be his limit, we expect him to make a brave effort. The West Yorkshire Hurdle over the same trip at 15.50 is another strong race with some of the top staying hurdlers entered, notably German-bred Fair Along (Philip Hobbs/ Rhys Flint), who won this last year. We hope that he can double up, although Tidal Bay (Howard Johnson/ Barry Hughes) and Duc de Regniere (Henderson/ Geraghty) both look very dangerous. The listed mares hurdle at 15.15 looks a match between Amber Brook (Twiston-Davies/ Brennan) and Issaquah (Malcolm Jefferson/ Jmes Halliday); the trip seems on the short side for Amber Brook, so we will take the other one.

Betting forecast:
1. Race: Osric - Knockavilla - Quell The Storm
2. Race: Amber Brook - Issaquah - Alegralil
3. Race: Duc De Regniere - Tidal Bay - Fair Along
4. Race: The Tother One - Barbers Shop - Deep Purple
5. Race: Karasenir - Rupert Lamb - Lap Of Honour
6. Race: Film Festival - The Darling Boy - Morning Sunshine
7. Race: Dakota Boy - Wot Way Chief - First Stream




Three listed handicaps are the main features as Ascot begins its winter season. All look wide open, and our tentative suggestions are the bottom-weights Silmi (Sue Leech/ RP McLernon) and Free World (Wrren Greatrex/ Wayne Hutchinson) at 16.40, the Philip Hobbs pair German-bred Oldrik (Richard Johnson) and Hibiki (Tom Scudamore) at 17.15, and Panjo Bere (Gary and Josh Moore) and Irish hope Sizing Africa (Harry de Bromhead/ Andrew Lynch) at 17.50.

Betting forecast:
1. Race: Lively Fling - Unleashed - Like A Hurricane
2. Race: Pause And Clause - Radium - Othermix
3. Race: Organisateur - Dunraven Storm - Fiulin
4. Race: Take The Breeze - Massini`S Maguire - Carruthers
5. Race: Get Me Out Of Here - Tocca Ferro - Gilded Age
6. Race: You`Re The Top - Sizing Africa - Fiendish Flame
7. Race: Balding Banker - Persian Snow - Natural Spring




There are only 4 runners in the main feature at Naas, a Grade Three chase over 2 miles, but it is still a good race. Captain Cee Bee (Eddie Harty/ Mark Walsh) is the form choice after his Grade One win at the Punchestown festival, but we fancy that German-bred Catch Me (Edward O´Grady/ Andrew McNamara) can beat him in receipt of 11 pounds, especially if the ground comes up soft. Another German-bred Sweet Shock (Michael O´Hare/ Katie Walsh) can take the valuable handicap hurdle at 17.05 if he turns out again after his easy win at Punchestown on Wednesday, Dancing Tornado (Michael Hourigan/ Adrian Heskin) is the class act here but has a huge weight to carry.

Betting forecast:
1. Race: Shinrock Paddy - Rigour Back Bob - Carlito Brigante
2. Race: Captain Cee Bee - Psycho - Catch Me
3. Race: The Bull Hayes - Barel Of Laughs - Si C`Etait Vrai
4. Race: Lucky William - Sweeps Hill - Sorceror
5. Race: Cass Bligh - Bluesea Cracker - Gala Dancer
6. Race: Lochan Lacha - Bale O`Shea - Double Seven
7. Race: Kildare Blowin - Sparkling Tara - He`S Our Man