Newbury Friday Winter Carnival Tips
It's a major weekend in store at Newbury and their Winter Carnival meeting kicks off on Friday afternoon with a seven-race card from 12.15-15.35.
They boast a couple of graded races via the John Francome Novices' Chase and the Long Distance Hurdle and our expert has gone through the card with a selection in every race on day one of Newbury's big meeting.
12:15 - 'National Hunt' Maiden Hurdle
There are some promising sorts in the opener, including Dan Skelton's recent C&D runner-up Sinnatra and Nicky Henderson's hurdling debutant Act Of Innocence, but the team of Olly Murphy and champion jockey Sean Bowen have lots of chances on this card and they might get the perfect start via HARBOUR ISLAND. He bumped into a really promising prospect in Mydaddypaddy when second on hurdles bow at Carlisle recently and has lots of scope for progress now.
Selection: Harbour Island @ 6/4
12:45 - Novices' Limited Handicap Chase
No fewer than four of these contenders made winning starts over fences recently and it looks like a hot race on paper. Aintree winner Mambonumberfive is the only 4YO and ought to go well, while Emma Lavelle's mare Bluey dominated from the front at Kempton. Both Chepstow winner Palacio and Fakenham scorer SECRET DES DIEUX are diving in deeper waters now, but the latter was quite stylish in his jumping four weeks ago and could build on that here for trainer James Owen.
Selection: Secret Des Dieux @ 11/2
13:15 - Fillies' Juvenile Hurdle
Gordon Elliott is sending a couple of runners over for this card and Punchestown scorer HIGHLAND CRYSTAL looks like his best chance of getting on the scoresheet. The daughter of Crystal Ocean runs in the Robcour silks and she did everything very smoothly when making her winning debut earlier this month. She may have too much for Skelton's Tralee Girl, who was third in this grade at Wetherby last month on hurdles debut.
Selection: Highland Crystal @ 2/1
13:50 - John Francome Novices' Chase
Regents Stroll makes his seasonal/fencing bow in this Grade 2 and clearly Paul Nicholls thinks he is up to it. Kempton winner No Questions Asked should be in the reckoning for Ben Pauling, but KINGSTON PRIDE could be the answer for the Murphy/Bowen axis. He joined this yard from Henderson over the summer and was professional in how he went about things in a winning chasing debut at Perth (2m4f, soft) last month. More to come from him.
Selection: Kingston Pride @ 5/1
14:25 - Handicap Chase
Murphy and Bowen appear to have claims in almost every race. Ex-Irish performer American Mike is intriguing having switched from Gordon Elliott's stable, but he doesn't present as being especially well handicapped. TWINJETS scored with something up his sleeve at Fontwell (2m3½f, good to soft) in last month's comeback from 330 days off and Nicholls' inmate looks to hold excellent claims from this 4lb higher mark with the form of that race looking solid.
Selection: Twinjets @ 3/1
15:00 - Long Distance Hurdle
This looks a deeper renewal than the one Strong Leader bagged 12 months ago. He had to work hard for his Wetherby win four weeks ago as Bowen emptied his full bag of magic tricks. This is going to be tougher and perhaps the improving IMPOSE TOI will make the most of the 6lb he receives. Henderson's charge really appeared to relish this sort of trip when scoring at Aintree on his comeback and he merits a crack at this graded prize on that evidence with more to come as a stayer.
Selection: Impose Toi @ 2/1
15:35 - Handicap Hurdle
Joe Tizzard's string are positively flying across recent weeks and it has to be hoped that DIAMOND RI will be fully tuned up for this return from a long absence. He is a lightly-raced winner over hurdles, scoring a Warwick over 2m3f (soft) in January last year and he stayed 2m4½f well at Cheltenham that same April when last spotted. He has gone well off a break before and a mark of 128 looks far from insurmountable now stepping up in distance on this return to action with the yard in flying form.
Selection: Diamond Ri @ 3/1
Odds correct at time of publication but subject to fluctuation
