Going through the handicap hurdle at Uttoxeter today, one horse stood out as being a possible blot on the weights, so it is encouraging to see solid market support for Minella Boys (3.35) this morning. Backed down to 4-1, he qualifies for this mark with three runs over a totally inadequate two miles. An Irish point-to-point winner, Tim Walford's six-year-old should be seen in a different light over this stamina-sapping 2m6f.
He was well backed for a bumper here earlier in the season, so had clearly shown ability at home, as he did over hurdles when seventh behind the smart Diamond Harry over this course last month.
Walford is a trainer who knows his business and he brings Gypsy George (1.20) back from a layoff in the 3m hurdle at Uttoxeter. There is always the chance that lack of a recent run will find the seven-year-old out, but this looks a suitable opportunity for the improving chaser. Gypsy George is my long-range fancy for the Coral Welsh National — he was priced up at 20-1 when the entries came out yesterday and, looking at the ratings, he will get into the Chepstow marathon off a light weight.
The wheels came off Nicky Henderson's good run at Kempton yesterday, but that should be a temporary blip. I know the stable will be disappointed if they don't win today's bumper at Newbury with Larks Lad (3.45). At much bigger odds, Aztec Warrior (2.40), from the resurgent Henrietta Knight stable, is worth a second look. He was third in this race last year from a 9lb higher mark.
Win! Win! Win!
With the jumps season hitting full stride, we have five copies of David Myers' new book Racing Trends Revealed Jumps 2008/09: The Road to Cheltenham to give away, one each day during Talking Horses this week. It's the perfect guide to all the big races in the coming months, including the Cheltenham Festival in March, highlighting specific clues that help identify the winners.
To be in with a chance of winning one of the five copies, all you need to do is send us three daily tips, one each from three nominated races. Today's races are: 2.40 Newbury, 3.05 Uttoxeter and 3.55 Taunton. The daily winner will be the tipster who makes the best profit on the day.
Yesterday's winner was millreef, the only one among 20-odd tipsters who actually managed to find a winner. At least it was an impressive one, the 12-1 shot Laskari. Congratulations, millreef, a copy of Mr Myers' book will shortly be on its way. Many apologies for not confirming your victory before now.
12.30pm Legacy legs it to victory
Tony Paley reports on the afternoon's action: On the first day of Newbury's important Hennesssy Winter Festival meeting, Carole's Legacy wins the opener in a hard-fought finish from hot favourite Over Sixty. Both have pulled well clear in what looked on paper a competitive race for mares. As pundit Andrew Barr noted on Racing UK this is probably a race to take a positive view of and the first two could be running in something like the David Nicholson mares' event at the Cheltenham Festival. The time of the opener suggests it is pretty testing ground and that could be significant with Saturday's Hennessy Gold Cup in mind.
1pm Bear just can't bear chasing
Pasco lands odds of 11-8 on in the novice chase at Newbury. He built up a healthy early lead, never seriously looked like being caught and won well enough apart from one sticky jump in the home straight. The winner got a quote of 33-1 from bookmakers Cashman's for the Arkle Trophy at the Cheltenham Festival. That would be about right and there must be every chance that trainer Paul Nicholls will have alternative races in mind. The significance of this race could be the disappointing showing of Straw Bear again over fences. He has not looked happy at all going chasing this season and connections must be thinking of putting him back over hurdles this term after he trailed home a well-beaten third here.
Nicholls, who has some very good two-mile chasers back home at his yard, confirms on Racing UK that Cheltenham would not be on his mind for Pasco who he says would prefer a galloping track than the undulations of Cheltenham. Looking ahead there was a very good word for Nicky Henderson's bumper horse Larks Lad in the Horse Sense column in the Guardian on Saturday. He has been very well backed for today's concluding race at Newbury today and it will be fascinating to see how he goes this afternoon.
1.20pm Thomas will stay on Star
Nicholls has killed stone dead any debate about who will ride Kauto Star in the King George at Kempton on Boxing Day if Ruby Walsh isn't fit. Sam Thomas, who deputised for Walsh at Haydock last weekend, ended up on the deck after Kauto Star stumbled after the last fence in the Betfair Chase. Nicholls told Racing UK after Pasco's win this afternoon that Thomas might have ridden him differently if he was to ride the race again but he said it was "pointless" to think about another jockey for Kauto Star.
2.45pm First race in today's competition is off . . .
Aztec Warrior pulled up down the back. Jean Le Poisson tailed off.
Alright Now M'Lad wins under Tony McCoy at a healthy 14-1. Despite those big odds, he was tipped up by two of you, TheVic and Bodkin01, and it'll be a struggle for anyone else to reel them in now.
3.20pm Major Catch wins the second of our competition races
At 5-1, he was a much shorter price than the first winner but was tipped only by xwireman, who is still in the running with a 12-1 shot in the last at Taunton.
4.05pm I'm A Legend (5-2) wins the last at Taunton
That's a winner for MaxH and willbeckwith but 5-2 butters no parsnips when the leaders have had a 14-1 triumph, so today's joint winners are TheVic and Bodkin01. If there had been more than two of you, we might have had to arrange a run-off, but instead we'll send you a copy each. Congratulations to you both. For the rest of you, we will convene once more back here tomorrow at noon.
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