Newbury
12.10pm
Ahorsewithnoname
This is her debut for us, and her first run for well over a year. The formbook tells you she has ability – both in bumpers and on the Flat – as does her recent homework. The likes of Mrs Hyde set a pretty high standard for her to aim at, and that mare could take a lot of beating, but hopefully our new recruit can show up well on ground her record says she will enjoy.
1.50pm
Champagne Platinum
He won over hurdles here two seasons ago and shaped well on a couple of occasions over fences last term, rounding off with a seventh in the Kim Muir. He obviously makes his comeback over hurdles here though, and hopefully does so on a fair mark.
2.25pm
Marie’s Rock
We were all gutted when she was ruled out of Cheltenham with a stress fracture, as we thought she was going there with a big chance after a very impressive win at Taunton, a race in which she took off with me after the last. But she is back on track now, and she has also had her wind done, and I was very happy with her in a work-out here last week. We would like to think she will be very competitive off a mark of 141 here but this is always a hard to handicap to win. She won her bumper on good ground, so she should be fine on that front.
3.00pm
Kildisart
I would imagine Ben would have been delighted with his comeback third over at hurdles at Wetherby, and we know how good a horse he is over fences. He ran a great race when just touched off by The Conditional in the Ultima on his final start last season and, while 4lb higher here and arguably more exposed than a few of these, his class and big-field experience are two pluses. One of his better efforts, his win at Aintree, came on good ground, and the cheek pieces that he wore at Cheltenham are back on here, as well.
3.35pm
The King Of May
He hasn’t been out since January but he was winning at Sedgefield then, and he doesn’t seem overburdened here off a 3lb higher mark. And this race has cut up nicely. This trip on decent ground looks set to suit, and hopefully he is a good ride to pick up for a stable that I have been lucky enough to have had some success for from just a few opportunities, most recently Mrs Hyde at Kempton.
