Newbury selections Monday 29th December
Newbury is the principal fixture in Britain today and the Challow Hurdle offers some Grade 1 action to get stuck into. However from a punting perspective, two handicaps earlier on the card look more attractive. Keable was placed for the each-way bet in the previous column on Saturday (advised 17/2).
Newbury 1.50: Annual Invictus
The Mandarin Handicap used to be one of the feature events of the winter, but whilst it has lost a lot of lustre, it is a trappy puzzle to solve today. ANNUAL INVICTUS could be the one to come out on top.
I thought he shaped pretty well, given it was his first start since being narrowly defeated in the bet365 Gold Cup in April 2024 when beaten 30l in the Coral Gold Cup here last month. The calibre of opposition today is considerably lower and hopefully that run will have brought him forward fitness wise.
Drying ground is a big plus as the drier conditions are, the better for this gelding. Most of his best form has come on genuine good going, including a win over hurdles here over 3m, following up another good ground success at the Cheltenham November meeting. Over fences his big day, apart from that great run at Sandown, was to win the Great Yorkshire at Doncaster, again on good going. As was the case at Doncaster, he seems best when allowed to go from the front, something he was not able to do last month, but he will find it much easier to do so in this smaller field.
Newbury 2.22: Diamond Ri & Andashan
The Gordon team have another strong contender in this big field handicap hurdle with ANDASHAN.
This horse showed good form as a novice last season despite pulling far too hard for his own good in races. He walloped the progressive Absolutely Doyen by 18l at Kempton last season before finishing fifth there in a Grade 2 only two weeks later.
However he has settled much better in his two races this term and that should enable plenty of further improvement from this 5yo. He was a solid third here over 2m last month on his comeback, staying on well enough to suggest longer trips would be of benefit. That certainly appeared the case over 2m3f at Haydock last time when he kept on strongly for second behind a horse in Kabral Du Mathan who is a graded winner in waiting. He is only up a pound for that and any concerns about him settling over this slightly longer trip ought to be allayed by the big field and probable sound gallop.
At much bigger prices I give a shout to DIAMOND RI. Despite racing for the first time in eighteen months here last month, and though trainer Joe Tizzard said he would need the run badly, he was well supported into 4/1 for a very competitive 3m contest. In the event he was beaten a long way out, but that did simply look a case of ring rustiness and he will surely be sharper today.
His second to Peaky Boy at Cheltenham on his previous start in April 2024, both showed his ability to handle good going and in itself showed a high level of form, backing up some strong efforts as a novice including a win over Vincenzo at Warwick.
Recommended bets:
1pt each-way – Annual Invictus – 1.50 Newbury – 5/1 general (¼ odds 1st 2)
0.5pts each-way – Diamond Ri – 2.22 Newbury – 22/1 Unibet, BetVictor (1/5 odds 1st 4)
1pt each-way – Andashan – 2.22 Newbury – 5/1 Unibet (1/5 odds 1st 4)
