Alan Thomson, the former Racing Editor at the Daily Record, puts up five tips at Newbury and Lingfield Park on Saturday. View selections below.
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ROBIN ROE (1.50) was wildly impressive on his hurdles debut at Aintree in October and is fancied to land the Betfred Challow Hurdle at Newbury.
Previously a winner on his sole bumper start at Warwick in March, Robin Roe made mincemeat of the useful No Comment over hurdles at Aintree over 2m 4f, the same distance as today’s Grade 1 contest for novices. Dan Skelton’s five-year-old came 12 lengths clear in the manner of a good horse and is taken to cope with this slightly tougher assignment.
Ami Desbois will go close if able to repeat his excellent second to Wholestone at Cheltenham but a bigger threat may be posed by Messire Des Obeaux. Alan King’s gelding is on a hat-trick, with his latest victory over Ballyandy and Cultivator pretty strong form.
Gordon Elliott sends over JP McManus’ Baltazar D’allier, the winner of his sole start under Rules at Naas. He was sent off a hot favourite for that maiden and could be anything.
At bigger odds, Colin Tizzard’s Elegant Escape, a game winner over Laser Light at Ascot, should go well. Robin Roe holds a narrow verdict over Laser Light in a point-to-point 12 months ago, so there may not be an awful lot between them.
POTTERS CROSS (1.15) likes to get on with the job and he had most of his rivals in trouble a long way out in the Welsh Grand National Trial at Chepstow earlier this month before being collared by Lamb Or Cod.
The pair galloped 14 lengths clear and although Potters Cross has a welter burden to carry in the Betfred Mandarin Chase, young James King takes off 7lb.
At the other end of the handicap, Yanmore is attempting a four-timer following his latest triumph at Towcester. This is a step up in class and Treaty Girl’s second to Still Believing in a mares’ event at Cheltenham may be stronger form.
Nigel Twiston-Davies also saddles I Am Colin, up 7lb for his Bangor victory, and not without a chance.
Betfred also sponsor the 2m 4f handicap hurdle and this competitive Class 2 contest could be at the mercy of prolific winner GEORDIE DES CHAMPS (3.00).
The handicapper has taken a chance keeping him on the same mark following his latest success at Chepstow and Rebecca Curtis has placed the JP McManus-owned gelding very adroitly.
Elliott’s Irish raider Kings Bandit was still in contention when squeezed for room and falling at Navan before Christmas in the race won by stablemate Automated.
The Skeltons have a nice horse in Born Survivor, fourth to Onefitzall over course and distance at the Hennessy fixture, but the winner was a bitter disappointment behind Mr Mix at Wincanton on Boxing Day.
Evan Williams’ duo Court Minstrel and John Constable are interesting. Court Minstrel has been dropped a few pounds after taking on the likes of The New One and Yanworth on his last two starts. He is sitting on the same mark as when beating Rock The Kasbah at Chepstow in October 2015.
John Constable has never tackled this trip but he split Sternrubin and Ch’tibello over two miles in the bet365 Intermediate Hurdle here last November. His last run, when sixth to North Hill Harvey at Cheltenham, wasn’t a bad effort and John Constable could run well at a nice price.
The opening juvenile hurdle has been mopped up the last two years by Nicky Henderson and he introduces another likely lad in PERCY STREET (12.10).
Rated in the mid-90s on the Flat for Karl Burke, Percy Street ran out a convincing winner of a 1m 2f Newmarket handicap and will take a deal of beating if taking to this game.
If there are any flaws in Percy Street’s jumping, Final Choice (Warren Greatrex) and Saint Contest (Alan King) could make full use of their recent initial outings, both of them displaying promise.
At Lingfield, Godolphin’s filly NATURAL SCENERY (2.40) can take the Betway Middle Distance Handicap.
She was beaten a neck by Van Huysen here over 10 furlongs but had earlier scored at Wolverhampton over today’s longer distance. Natural Scenery had to overcome some trouble in running that day and on a line through Jacbequick she probably just has the edge over Marco Botti’s Burcan.
William Haggas saddles Wrangler and he is closely matched with Burcan on collateral formlines through Watermeet. It is probably best to stick with the progressive three-year-old Natural Scenery.
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Tally Ho
Alan
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