Newbury today

Newbury stages the second day of the Hennessy meeting with another good card. With the weather improving, the track is now good to soft and is expected to dry out further. Main feature is the Grade Two novice chase over 2 1/2 miles at 15.05 CET, in which Dynaste (David Pipe/ Tom Scudamore) looks a worthy favourite. He was a smart staying hurdler - chasing home Big Bucks on one occasion- and won his first chase in promising style. Theatre Guide (Colin and Joe Tizzard) was not much worse over hurdles and also started off over fences with an impressive win; he is up in trip but looks the main danger. Court in Motion (Emma Lavelle/ Barry Geraghty) is an interesting runner; he had some smart form 2 years ago and made a satisfactory comeback recently, but the stable has been a bit quiet recently. Benefficient (Tony Martin/ Tony McCoy) was runner-up in a similar race over 3 miles here yesterday and would be a danger if he turns out again.

The card opens with a 3yo hurdle in which ex-French Saphir du Rheu (Paul Nicholls/ Ruby Walsh) makes his U.K. debut; he is highly regarded and can defeat some useful ex-flat horses from big stables. This could be the start of another good day for the Nicholls/ Walsh team, who can also score with Curtain Razer at 15.40 (although this looks a very open race, in which we also like German-bred Fair Along) and The Knoxs at 16.15, who receives 17 lbs from stable companion Tataniano (Daryl Jacob); the latter is pretty useful, but we do not imagine that he can win under this weight. Nicky Henderson and Barry Geraghty are represented by Giorgio Quercus in the latter event, whose recent form is not so great but he has been dropped to a lenient rating and could be a big threat. Henderson and Geraghty can also take the mares novice hurdle at 14.00 with Glorious Twelfth and have another winning chance with Kaki de la Pree in the concluding maiden hurdle at 16.45, where smart bumper horse Puffin Billy (Oliver Sherwood/ Leighton Aspell) looks the one to beat.

There is an inspection still to come at Musselburgh today, where there has been overnight frost, but there are no problems with Doncaster, where we expect in-form trainer Tom George and his stable jockey Paddy Brennan to enjoy another profitable afternoon.

Betting forecast:
1. Race: Saphir Du Rheu - Vasco D`ycy - Pistol
2. Race: Glorious Twelfth - Carole`S Destiny - Dancingtilmidnight
3. Race: Drumshambo - Roll The Dice - Ballywatt
4. Race: Dynaste - Theatre Guide - Court In Motion
5. Race: Curtain Razer - Ballybough Pat - Duke Of Monmouth
6. Race: Prince Of Pirates - The Knoxs - Bless The Wings
7. Race: Puffin Billy - Kaki De La Pree - Sound Investment

good racing at Newbury

some good news for a change - there is a good card at Newbury today, the first day of the 3-day Hennessy Gold Cup meeting, and with the weather showing slight improvement, the ground may not be quite as bad as feared earlier. It will however still be very soft and there seem certain to be further abandonments tomorrow and Saturday. Today´s main event is the Grade Two novice chase over 3 miles at 15.05 CET, in which all 6 runners are last-time-out winners, most of them after winning their first race over fences, including Irish hope Benefficient (Tony Martoin/ Tony McCoy). However our main fancies are Houblon des Obeaux (Venetia Williams/ Aidan Coleman), a smart hurdler who has won both his chases in fine style, and the promising Harry Topper (Kim Bailey/ Timmy Murphy). The limited handicap chase over 2 miles 1 furlong at 13.55 is another good race, with 5 of the 6 runners winning last time. Celtus (Nicky Henderson/ Barry Geraghty) is the exception, as he was pulled up behind Howard´s Legacy (Williams/ Coleman), whom he now meets on 7 lbs better terms.This is another open affair in which we side with German-bred Kruzlinin (Donald McCain/ McCoy), who has won his last 3 races, two of them over hurdles at Perth. Despite being by Sholokhov ourt of a DSurumu mare, he appears to handle very soft ground well enough. Ex-French Elenika (Paul Nicholls/ Daryl Jacob) could be the main danger.

Nicholls also has good chances in the handicap chase at 15.40 and the listed handicap hurdle at 16.15 with the top-weights Cedre Bleu (Jacob) and Edgardo Sol (Harry Derham)- second last time over fences to the very smart Cue Card, but also very useful over hurdles. However we are not certain that he can concede 10 lbs to Lyvius (Henderson/ Geraghty), who has a good German pedigree and appears to have crept in here off a very lenient weight. Henderson and Geraghty can also take the handicap hurdle at 14.30 with Otto the Great, who can overturn the Ascot form with Ivor´s King (Colin and Joe Tizzard) on 11 lbs better terms. Nicholls introduces a very interesting flat winner in the opening novice hurdle at 13.25 - Aaim to Prosper (Jacob), winner of the Cesarewitch last month( for the second time) under top weight. Possibly he might find today´s distance on the short side., and we would rather go with the Tizzards´ Kings Lad, despite his penalty and the fact that he is held by Meg anisi (Rebecca Curtis/ McCoy) on earier running.

Newbury - betting forecast:
1. Race: Aaim To Prosper - Meganisi - Kings Lad
2. Race: Kruzhlinin - Elenika - Parsnip Pete
3. Race: Ivor`S King - Otto The Great - African Gold
4. Race: Houblon Des Obeaux - Hadrian`s Approach - Highland Lodge
5. Race: Sizing Santiago - Alvarado - Cedre Bleu
6. Race: Vendor - Edgardo Sol - Call Back
7. Race: O`faolains Boy - Oscar Rock - Larks Wing

3 all-weather meetings today

With all U.K. turf racing abandoned today, we now have 3 all-weather meetings - Wolverhampton and Lingfield in the afternoon and Kempton this evening, where the main event is the listed race over 1 1/2 miles at 19.00 CET. Top-weight here, and also top-rated, is Harris Tweed (William Haggas/ Graham Lee), who ran badly last time on very heavy ground, but is otherwise consistent enough in this grade.

Media Hype (Elaine Burke/ Martin Harley) is much improved this season and was 4th over this CD 3 weeks ago, form which gives him a chance here. Art Scholar (Mike Appleby/ George Baker) won the November Handicap from Communicator (Andrew Balding/ David Probert) last time, and with the latter a pound better off, there should be very little between them. This is quite an open race and we give slight preference to Art Scholar, who also has decent form at this track. The 6 furlongs handicap at 20.00 is also a nice race here, in which we select top-weight Ivor Bridge Lad (John Ryan/ Adam Kirby), who has been running in better company.

The most interesting races at Lingfield are the two divisions of the 2yo maiden which open the card; we like Wallenberg (John Gosden/ Rab Havlin), from the top German Waldrun family, in the first division at 13.00, and half an hour later the well-bred debutant Demonic (Sir Henry Cecil/ Eddie Ahern). The jockey booking is interesting here, as Ahern is apparently in trouble with the authorities, but nobody is saying why. However Terddy Grimthorpe. representing the owner Khalid Abdullah, has commented: "if he´s good enough for Henry, he´s good enough for us," which seems fair enough. Gosden and Havlin can complete a double later with the lightly-raced Starfield in the 10 furlongs handicap at 14.35, where the one to beat could be CD specialist Tinshu (Derek Haydn Jones/ William Carson).

The card is lower level at Wolverhampton, which has taken over Southwell´sabandoned meeting. York Glory (Kevin Ryan/ Phillip Makin) should defy top-weight in the 5 furlongs handicap at 16.20 after his easy win at Lingfield last week; that was over 6, but he is equally effective at this distance. He is unlikely to be at a decent price however and a better bet might be Prime Exhibit (Daniel Loughnane/ Richard Kingscote) in the extended mile handicap an hour later. He also has top weight, but his chance is less obvious and he shouldf pay much more.

There is jumping in Ireland at Limerick, an extra fixture to make up for the many days lost to the weather. Willie Mullins can land a hat-trick here with Sarabad (Ruby Walsh) and Tempo du Camp (Davy Russell) in the maiden hurdles at 13.50 amd 14.20 -both ex-French horses looking for their first win in Ireland - and the debutant Suntiep in the bumper at 16.25, ridden by his son Paddy. They are all likely to start as hot favourites, and a better value bet could be The Sneezer (TJ Nagle/ Tom Doyle) in the handicap hurdle at 14.50. He is much better over fences, but is extremely well handicapped over the sticks.

Kempton - betting forecast:
1. Race: Layla`s Oasis - Tartan Blue - Many Elements
2. Race: Fairyinthewind - Bert The Alert - Royal Etiquette
3. Race: Neige D`antan - Officer In Command - Hawaana
4. Race: Rivellino - Serenity Spa - Millers Wharf
5. Race: Communicator - Art Scholar - Harris Tweed
6. Race: Rockalong - Kalokagathia - Blank Czech
7. Race: Swiss Cross - Ajjaadd - Ubetterbegood
8. Race: Pull The Pin - Northern Spy - Takitwo