Friday 27th November 2020

A warm welcome to this Friday’s preview which comes from Newbury as it’s Long Distance Hurdle Day. We have a top drawer renewal of the Grade 2 feature and I’ll be sharing my fancy in that particular race as well as the other races on the card.

We’ve had a new feature called “The Punts” on the site this week, where we’ve had two winning days out of the three so far. With Sehayli getting the job done for a 2pts tip on Thursday and Deilginis sealing the win for us on Tuesday at Punchestown for Joseph O’Brien.

As ever though, enjoy the preview!

– Jordan

The first race of the day at Newbury takes place at 12:15 and is Maiden Hurdle over two miles and half of a furlong. This looks all about the exciting FLINTEUR SACRE at the prohibited odds of 1/2 for Nicky Henderson and Nico de Boinville. An exciting relation of the great Sprinter Sacre he got his racing career off the mark in a bumper at Kempton last season in very impressive style, he’s got a lofty reputation from his powerhouse connections and I think he’ll take all the beating here. His main rival looks to come in the form of Dan Skelton’s My Drogo.

Next up is the 12:45 which is a Novices’ Handicap Chase over the same distance, an extremely competitive affair that has attracted eight runners as things stand. I’m chancing the Harry Whittington trained ANEMOI at 4/1 here who’s the mount of Gavin Sheehan, he arrives here
in great form having won his first two outings of the season over fences and if carrying on that momentum here he’s every chance of putting in a bold bid once more. Editeur Du Gite and Eritage merit obvious consideration also.

At 1:15 it’s another Novices’ Hurdle this time over two miles and four and a half furlongs. I think this can be another one that can go to the Seven Barrows team with BOTHWELL BRIDGE at 11/8 for Nicky Henderson and Nico de Boinville. He’s another promising young horse who has a lot of potential as he showcased when winning by six lengths at Warwick on his most recent outing. If building on that here in this particular assignment he could take a lot of beating. The main danger may well be Bravemansgame for Paul Nicholls and Harry Cobden.

The 1:50 is a Grade 2 Novice’ Chase over just shy of two miles and four furlongs. I did originally skip this race but after an extensive look into the race after being bemused by it for some time, I’ve just about managed to side with FIDDLERONTHEROOF at 10/11 for the Tizzard team. He’s made a satisfactory start to life over fences finishing runner up on his first outing before beating a decent horse of Fergal O’Brien’s close home the last day. I’ll take him to come on again from that and put in an improved showing here. Caribbean Boy could well be anything and Getaway Trump seemed to return to form with a nice win the last day, both serious rivals.

Onto the 2:25 we go and this race is another competitive affair and a Handicap Chase over two miles and furlongs. I’m going to side with SULLY D’OC AA at 13/2 here for the team of Anthony Honeyball and Richie McLernon. He won impressively the last day at Ascot and could have that formed franked earlier on in the day if Editeur Du Gite runs well. Unlike many in this line-up he could still have some progression in him with only be a six-year-old, and despite a considerable rise in the weights I’m going to chance him coming on from that Ascot run and going well again here.

It’s the feature of the day next at 3:00 which is the Grade 2 Long Distance Hurdle over three miles. This is an absolutely stellar renewal of the race, last year’s winner of the race Paisley Park will be tough to beat if back to his best and there’s huge depth to the contest with the likes of Thyme Hill, Summerville Boy and the Stayers Hurdle winner Lisnagar Oscar all set to take their place. I’ve actually sided with MCFABULOUS at 5/2 here for Paul Nicholls and Harry Cobden. He was mightily impressive when winning the Grade 2 Persian War at Chepstow when last seen back in October and I think he might have a bit of star quality about him. He will need it though against some of his rivals here.

The concluding race on the card comes at 3:35 and is a Handicap Hurdle over three miles. For me here, it’s hard to see past HILL SIXTEEN at 2/1 for the Twiston-Davies team. He won by 46 lenghts over fences just over a week ago at Ffos Las and reverts back to hurdles here off a three pounds lower mark. I think this could well prove a very clever bit of placing from Nigel, as if this horse turns up in that sort of form again over smaller obstacles he’ll be hard to peg back.

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