Newbury action on New Year´s Eve

Six meetings today, and the best racing comes from Newbury, where the highlight is the Grade One Challow Hurdle for novices over 2 miles 5 furlongs at 16.05 CET. Only six runners, but a select field, and the clear favourite is the unbeaten Fingal Bay (Philip Hobbs/ Richard Johnson). He has already won two Grade Two´s and is expected to take this step up in his stride and go to the very top of this category. Top of the Range (Nicky Henderson/ David Bass) is also unbeaten, but in just two relatively low-key affairs at Ffos Las (the track belongs to his owner Dai Walters); he needs to improve to beat Fingal Bay but still looks the only serious danger.

The most valuable race on the card is the handicap hurdle at 16.40, which looks really tough. Celestial Halo (Paul Nicholls/ Daryl Jacob) is the class act here; he has been running in top company, and has twice finished close up in the Champion Hurdle. However he is rated accordingly and we are not sure that he can concede such a lot of weight to several smart and in-form handicappers. Rigidity (Tim Vaughan/ Aidan Coleman) ran a great race at Ascot last time, but he is one of three 4yo´s in the field, and we prefer to go against the younger horses here. We like Olofi (Tom George/ Paddy Brennan), but he missed his last engagement, and we slightly prefer Torphichen (Alan King/ Wayne Hutchinson), from a stable that is now coming into top form. King and Hutchinson can also win the 3yo hurdle at 13.55 with the ex-French Vendor (reported to be one of their top juveniles) and the novice chase at 15.05 with the smart Walkon.

The other meetings are of only limited interest, but we make Back Bob Back (Tom George/ Liam Heard), topweight in the 2 mile chase at 15.30, our best bet at Uttoxeter; he was a most impressive winner last time at Newbury, and his runner-up then, The Boss (Jeremy Scott/ Nick Scholfield), runs 20 minutes later at Warwick.

Newbury - betting forecast:
1. Race: Night Alliance - Ben`S Folly - Way Back When
2. Race: Vendor - Tango De Juilley - Stentorian
3. Race: All The Aces - Destroyer Deployed - Douchkirk
4. Race: For Non Stop - Walkon - Cue Card
5. Race: Quotica De Poyans - Rey Nacarado - Ballyegan
6. Race: Fingal Bay - Top Of The Range - Fill The Power
7. Race: Lifestyle - Ubi Ace - Rigidity