£25 Friday double returns £227

Paul Ferguson has two selections from Newbury for us on Friday; Saphir Du Rheu at 2.05 and Pendra in the 2.40. Compare odds and bet.

Day two of Newbury’s Hennessy meeting looks much better than the opening day and Saphir Du Rheu (2:05) is taken to get Paul Nicholls off the mark at a meeting he notoriously does well at.

The five-year-old is held in high regard by the champion trainer and makes his eagerly awaited chasing debut in a warm renewal of the Fuller’s London Pride Novices’ Chase, a race he won last year with Wonderful Charm and also with the mighty Denman, back in 2006.

A rapid improver once stepped up in trip last winter, the son of Al Namix handles deep ground and has the size and scope to make a big impact over fences. He faces no penalty kick on debut here, with fellow newcomer Coneygree the one who may give him most to do, but connections will no doubt be hoping he can take this en route to bigger and better things. The selection was trading 11-10 on Thursday evening.

Later on the card Pendra (2:40) is fancied to provide AP McCoy another winner since his return to the saddle, in the 2m4f handicap chase.

Charlie Longsdon’s six-year-old has a fine record fresh (won first time out in each of his three seasons), will handle today’s testing ground and remains open to further improvement after just five chase starts.

Third behind Present View at the Cheltenham Festival in March, when he made a fairly serious blunder at the last, the well-bred Old Vic gelding remains on a fair mark and can land a nice prize this season. He was available at 4-1 with Hills last night.

Friday’s selections:
2:05 Newbury; Saphir Du Rheu; 11/10 Totepool
2:40 Newbury; Pendra; 10/3 Winner.com

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