Friday 28 November 2014 14:33, UK
Racing UK's Richard Hoiles runs through all the major weekend's action and fancies Fingal Bay in the Hennessy Gold Cup.
Saturday’s big handicap is the 3m 2f Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury where second-season chasers are often the key.
This race gives them the opportunity to capitalise on receiving weight from the established brigade, many of whom are likely to be meeting at level weights come the end of the season.
The market has been headed all week by Djakadam, who fits the criteria but is an unusual favourite in that he is just five years old.
Much has been made of the fact that no five-year-old has ever won the race but so few have tried that it would be wrong to pass over Willie Mullins’ horse due to that factor alone.
Of more concern is the fact he has never raced beyond 2m 5f and the testing conditions could well expose any physical immaturity. On balance he looks short enough in the market.
Smad Place brings the best of last season’s novice chase form to the table having been narrowly beaten in the RSA at the Cheltenham Festival.
Having also filled the frame in two World Hurdles he has the class and looks sure to give backers a decent run for their money. He has been a bit of a nearly horse in the last few seasons, however, and may again find a couple too progressive.
Indeed it is a second season novice with a rather different profile who may land the spoils. FINGAL BAY has not been seen over fences since crashing out through the wing at Exeter in December 2012 when long odds-on; hardly an auspicious preparation for a race like the Hennessy. His back catalogue, however, has form lines with some of the best horses around, including the likes of Simonsig and Dynaste.
He has a Grade 1 success at the track in the Challow Hurdle and his victory in the Pertemps Final shows his ability to shine in a big-field handicap. Philip Hobbs has made an excellent start to the season and hopefully Fingal Bay can add another big Saturday prize to the tally.
The other major highlight on the Newbury card is the reappearance of MORE OF THAT in the Long Distance Hurdle at 2.25. Whilst not really a betting proposition, it will be great to see one of the real emerging stars of the winter game back on the track, and to see whether connections’ slightly surprising decision to remain over hurdles proves the correct one.
The best bet on the Newbury card looks to be TARA ROAD in the 12.50. A winning point-to-pointer he got off the mark over regulation fences with a taking success at Ffos Las last time out.
The strength of his hurdles victory prior to that at Ascot was franked by Light Entertainer, who bolted up at Fontwell during the week. He can win again.
Up at Newcastle the hurdlers hold centre stage in the StanJames.com Fighting Fifth (2.05) and here AURORE D’ESTRUVAL can turn over likely favourite Irving.
She impressed with a fluent success at Wetherby and while this represents a tougher assignment she may have more potential to progress.
Irving, by contrast, looked very much the finished article over hurdles last season but has the nasty experience of a last-flight fall at Wincanton on his reappearance to overcome.
Finally at Newcastle PRESENT LODGER can begin to justify a hefty price tag by winning the 12.35. He cost a cool £200,000 after winning a point-to-point in Ireland and has achieved his handicap mark over an inadequate trip over hurdles.
It looked significant that he was sent straight over fences and upped markedly in trip for his handicap debut at Hexham only to blunder his rider away at halfway. He should outclass his rivals here and could be the sort to run up a sequence.
PRESENT LODGER 12.35 Newcastle
AURORE D’ESTRUVAL 2.05 Newcastle
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