Newbury selections Saturday 8th February
Another new name for one of Britain’s foremost handicap hurdles with William Hill taking over sponsorship of the feature betting race at Newbury. However this is a race which Nicky Henderson has already won six times under its various guises and I fancy his chances of making it seven today. I have selections for four races on the stellar card this afternoon. Headline selection Backtonormal won at the Dublin Racing Festival on Sunday (advised 7/2) whilst Riaan was placed in the same race for the each-way bet (advised 12/1).
Newbury 1.50: Magical King
A very open looking handicap which can go to the youngest horse in the field MAGICAL KING.
By definition this 6yo is unexposed, especially at 3m, and has been placed on all three starts in handicaps since last winning in a novice hurdle at Wetherby at this time last year. His recent form confirms his handicap mark is fair and he stayed on well on heavy ground at Haydock without quite ever matching the pace of winner Supremely West. That at least proved his stamina for this distance.
On his other start this term he travelled really well at Aintree before getting tired late on, but that could be put down to the lack of a recent outing. He remains well handicapped, whilst several of his rivals such as Haiti Couleurs, Up for Parol and Shutupshirley must defy much higher ratings after recent wins.
Newbury 2.25: Djelo
A sub-standard Denman Chase can go the way of DJELO, especially that the Venetia Williams yard has seemingly recovered from a brief New Year blip.
Djelo seemed ill at ease around Windsor last time, jumping out to his right on occasions, but this more conventional left-handed track should be more suitable – he is already a winner here over fences. He was a brilliant winner of the Peterborough Chase in December, readily outpacing decent opponents, but I think he will have the stamina to last home over this extra 3f.
With Bravemansgame seemingly on the downgrade, most of the rest of the field would seem more suitable for top level handicaps than Grade 2 company and Djelo might simply have the class edge and defy his Grade 2 winning penalty.
Newbury 3.35: Joyeuse & Secret Squirrel
I am looking to the less exposed second season hurdlers for this big handicap and am taking two against the field.
JOYEUSE looks a handicap blot, the only issue is does she have enough experience to cope with a big field like this. I thought lack of race craft cost her the race at Cheltenham last time, having cruised into contention turning for home. She did stay on well up the hill, but I think she will have learned plenty from that and she has the cruising speed to cope with a drop back down to 2m.
Whilst she has been pushed up 4lbs for that run, I am sure she is better than an 123 rated individual and has drifted to an attractive each-way price now. She showed she has the pace for 2m when winning on her jumping debut at Taunton, beating the 125 rated Tutti Quanti (runs in the opening contest here) with something to spare. Whilst she was beaten at Ascot on her return, that was a hot race and good ground was probably not in her favour that day. A strongly run 2m on soft ground should be more to her liking today.
SECRET SQUIRREL is a horse I’ve followed for a while, though not sadly when he won a good race at Windsor three weeks ago. Nico de Boinville rode him from just off the pace that day, something that worked to great effect as he had a couple of times faded when ridden from the front, just as when falling at the last at Ascot’s Christmas meeting when set to finish third.
Sean Bowen takes the mount today with de Boinville on Joyeuse and his patient riding style ought to match up well with Hughie Morrison’s charge. This horse is a pacy individual, who could probably run to a high level on the flat, but he goes well on soft ground having won that Windsor race in similar ground to today and beat a strong field on soft at Taunton last spring.
Newbury 4.10: Pic Roc
This is a fascinating and high quality novice chase, but my fancy is PIC ROC, upped in distance.
He has yet to win on either chase start, having fallen early at Carlisle, then having to narrowly give best to Issam at Exeter. That race was over 2m3f and he was staying on strongly at the finish, having jumped to his left a bit throughout. Going left-handed should solve the latter issue, whilst the extra 4f trip should also bring about plenty of improvement.
He displayed decent form over hurdles last season, notably when narrowly failing to make all in the EBF final at Sandown in March, caught by a stablemate in the final few yards. He kept up the pace over 2m4f really well that day and his prominent racing style should lend itself well to a good career over fences.
Recommended bets
1pt each-way – Magical King – 1.50 Newbury – 6/1 general (most bookies 1/5 odds 1st 4)
1pt win – Djelo – 2.25 Newbury – 2/1 general
1pt each-way – Joyeuse – 3.35 Newbury – 11/2 William Hill (1/5 odds 1st 5)
1pt win – Secret Squirrel – 3.35 Newbury – 4/1 general
1pt win – Pic Roc – 4.10 Newbury– 100/30 general
