Friday 29th November 2024
12.45 Newbury: Coral Racing Club Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase: After a few days off I’m back in action at Newbury on Friday and my first pick comes within the 12.45 which is a Class 3 novices handicap chase over two miles and half of a furlong. I’m going with Personal Ambition here for Ben Pauling and Ben Jones who’s currently an 8/1 chance in the betting. He was a Grade 2 winner over hurdles and made an encouraging start to life over fences on his seasonal reappearance at Uttoxeter earlier this month when finishing a length behind the smart Lookaway. I think he’s got significant potential and if he progresses from his latest outing, he can have a big say here. Personal Ambition – 8/1 (Each-Way)
1.20 Newbury: “Bet In-Race” With Coral Fillies’ Juvenile Hurdle: Next up is the 1.20 which is the Listed Fillies Juvenile Hurdle that’s also contested over two miles and half of a furlong. I like Ambiente Amigo here for the team of James Owen and Sam Twiston-Davies. She was a smart horse on the level being rated as high as 95 and made a seamless transition to hurdling when winning by six and a half lengths at Newcastle back in October. She’s also got form on soft ground on the flat which suggests that the going that she’ll encounter here won’t pose a threat. She could prove a very useful recruit to this code and I think she’s a significant player here. Ambiente Amigo – 10/3 (Win)
1.55 Newbury: Coral John Francome Novices’ Chase: My third selection of the afternoon comes within the 1.55 which is the Grade 2 John Francome Novices Chase over two miles and four furlongs. I like The Jukebox Man here who’s another representative for Ben Pauling and Ben Jones. He was second in the Grade 1 Albert Bartlett at the Cheltenham Festival last season and followed up when second in more Grade 1 company at Aintree behind the highly progressive Dancing City of Willie Mullins. Connections think very highly of this six-year-old and I think he could go on to have a very productive season, he should be ready to go first time out here and can make his presence felt. The Jukebox Man – 11/4 (Win)
2.30 Newbury: Coral “Daily Rewards Shaker” Handicap Chase: We move back into handicap company at 2.30 with a Class 2 handicap chase over two miles and four furlongs. I’m strong on the chances of Galop De Chasse here for Venetia Williams and Charlie Deutsch. The yard has just started to hit form and they look to have another live challenger here, he won at this track twelve months ago when getting the better of the Kandoo Kid and returned from a layoff to finish second of four at Wetherby earlier this month. He should improve a great deal from that run and should be going well off just a pound higher mark here, most of these have question marks over recent form and I think he looks solid. Galop De Chasse – 5/2 (Win) (NB)
3.05 Newbury: Coral Long Distance Hurdle: Signing me off for the afternoon will be the 3.05 which is the Grade 2 Long Distance Hurdle over three miles. This looks to be all about Strong Leader for me who currently heads the betting for Olly Murphy and Sean Bowen. Looking through the field, Langer Dan’s best form comes in the spring, it looks as though Monmiral is being aimed at handicaps in the spring, and Flight Deck has enough to find on form as a ten-year-old. The Murphy charge signed off last season with Grade 1 success at Aintree back in April and I can see him winning a few of these races within a weak division en route to the Stayers at the Cheltenham Festival. Strong Leader – 5/6 (Win) (NAP)
