Looking ahead to a great weekend of racing

Looking ahead to the weekend

Wow...What a weekend we have to look forward too! After a barren spell over the jumps recently due to the weather we look like getting some action back starting on Thursday which is good. However the weekend is where the real action is with cracking cards at both Newbury and Leopardstown, with Warwick also staging some decent action. Cheltenham clues look like coming thick and fast over Saturday and Sunday so lets have a quick look at what we can expect from this weekend.

Newbury Saturday

Betfair Hurdle

The most valuable handicap hurdle run on these shores in the National Hunt season is as competitive as you'd expect considering the prize fund. However while the winner of this is usually linked to a potential Champion Hurdle winner the presence of Faugheen and The New One in that market means that we will have to get an ultra impressive winner on Saturday for those links to be made this year. With the covers down at Newbury I expect the ground to be pretty testing as the covers can lead to the ground sweating somewhat which won't suit Sign of a Victory at the top of the weights.

I did like Seedling for this but he did not feature at Thursday's entry stage so I'll look elsewhere starting with one that will need good ground really, certainly not too testing, in Goodwood Mirage. Now that the stable are coming back to form I think Jonjo will have a few well handicapped beasts to send out and I certainly expect a better showing that in the Ladbroke where the stable were in rancid form. This horse has enough speed to win on the flat so this trip around a flat course like Newbury should suit him just fine. I was surprised to see him as big as 25/1 for this one which is a very juicy e/w play; the gelding operation he had over the summer means this is a horse I'm expecting to make his mark at some point this season and if we get decent ground it could well be in the Betfair this Saturday.

If the ground rides more testing however I'd e half tempted to have a flutter on Forced Family Fun at a massive 33/1. He represents John Quinn who knows how to win this race, has won over the distance and on soft ground, is upwardly mobile having won 2 of his last 4 over hurdles and will be race fit having had an outing on the flat recently. Like Goodwood Mirage he has the speed to win on the flat which will stand him in good stead here and at the prices I think is worth a cheeky e/w bet. No Champion Hurdle pretenders in here though.

The Game Spirit Chase

This sees the return of Champion Chaser Sire De Grudy and I fully expect him to take the Game Spirit on re-appearance. He may well have less that the current 5 opposition in the line up as Mr Mole and Uxizandre probably both won't run for the same owner. Vibrato Valtat also has an engagement at Warwick so I'd advise taking the price on Sire De Grugy who will be fit enough to do himself justice according to his trainer Gary Moore. I'm hoping for a good performance as well as I'm desperate for something to put a firm stamp on the betting for the Champion Chase!

Jamie Moore and Sire De Grugy after winning the 2014 Queen Mother

The Denman Chase

This race could prove fairly informative in terms of the Gold Cup as Holywell, Taquin Du Seuil and Coneygree are all potential runners in the Blue Riband event in March. However I quite like the chances of another Gold Cup potential runner, for all I don't think any of this field will be winning the Gold Cup, in Houblon Des Obeaux. Houblon has been running crackers in big handicaps off big weights this season and will be better off at the weights with many of these opposition in this Grade 2.Miss Williams is winning Saturday races for fun at the moment, Houblon won't mind testing ground and loves it round this track. Like the Betfair Hurdle however I don't think we have a winner of a Championship race at Cheltenham here.

Leopardstown

What...A....Card! Yet again Ireland really does do Sunday racing at it's absolute best and I'll have a brief look ahead to this top quality card.

Kalkir and Vercingetorix line up in the Juvenile Hurdle and both have prominent positions in the betting for the Triumph Hurdle in March. If we get an impressive winner here expect it to shorten into at least 2nd favorite in this market, however it would have to be some victory to usurp Peace and Co as current favorite,

The Delottie Novices Hurdle also looks a cracker with Willie Mullins holding a ridiculously strong hand - 5 top top quality horses for the man who has taken this race the alst 2 years with Champagne Fever and Vautour. Alviso Ville, Black Hercules, McKinley, Nichols Canyon and Sempre Medici are all potential runners and whichever make the track on Sunday must be given the utmost respect. A few I'll be watching really keenly are Identity Thief and Silver Concorde, both of whom are too big in the market for the Supreme currently in my opinion. A big run from either horse at the weekend will see their huge odds slashed and I fancy I'll get a price on them on Sunday with Mullins entries making the market. Silver Concorde especially interests me given he is the Champion Bumper winner so obvious is incredibly talented, acts round the course and is 20/1 for Supreme glory...very nice!

Silver Concorde winning the 2014 Bumper

The 2 mile 5 furlong Novice Chase on the card sees impressive Topaz Chase winner Don Poli out, although I fancy this trip may be a touch on the sharp side for this one considering his prominence in the RSA and 4 mile markets for Cheltenham. There are a host of top horses in opposition as well; Very Wood, Rule the World, The Tullow Tank, Shanahan's Turn, Band of Blood and the one I like Valseur Lido. Valseur Lido will be more at home over this trip than Don Poli and has top form in the book, winning his last two including a Grade 1 last time out. I think he could well win here and stake his RSA claims, allowing Don Poli to be sent on the 4 mile route...I'm sure Patrick Mullins may well cheer that outcome!

Finally lets quickly look at the Hennessy where Gold Cup 2014 winner Lord Windermere continues on his path to Cheltenham in March. His trainer has always said the Gold Cup is the aim so he may even come of again for this run and I'll steer clear on Sunday. On His Own only just went down to Road to Riches in the Lexus earlier this season, top class form, and he really impressed me that day. With no R2R in the line up on Sunday he may well be able to gain compensation.

Thanks for reading and lets all allow ourselves to get a bit excited for a top class weekend of jumping action!