UK racing tips – Friday 1 December 2023

NEWBURY

Race 1 – JERIKO DU REPONET 1/3

The opening race of the two-day meeting, the Coral Get Closer To The Action “National Hunt” Maiden Hurdle, has been won by some top-class horses down the years.

Sizing Europe took it before he was well known and it is one Nicky Henderson tends to target – he is going for his seventh win since 2014.

Buveur D’Air and Jonbon struck for Seven Barrows in the JP McManus silks and the world and his wife appears to know great things are expected of JERIKO DU REPONET in the future.

He took part in a recent gallops morning, catching many an eye, and the point-to-point winner can start the meeting in style.

Race 2 – RUSSIAN RULER 5/1

RUSSIAN RULER looks another likely scorer for Henderson in the Coral Racing Club Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase.

Always highly regarded, he only began to repay that faith towards the end of last season, but it was a case of the old saying ‘anything he did over hurdles was a bonus’.

Expect him to take his form to a new level over the larger obstacles this term

Race 3 – WODOOH 8/13

Gordon Elliott has to split up his army of stars somehow and with a Grade Three juvenile hurdle taking place in Fairyhouse this weekend, he is sending WODHOOH over for the “Bet In-Race” With Coral Fillies’ Juvenile Hurdle.

The ex-Sir Michael Stoute inmate is three from three over timber, albeit she was awarded her first race by the stewards.

Last time out she beat another previous winner and the Irish juveniles have tended to be a different level to those in the UK recently.

Race 4 – HERMES ALLEN 11/8

At a track where he put up the best display of his career, HERMES ALLEN looks hard to oppose in the Coral John Francome Novices’ Chase.

Sent off favourite for both the Ballymore and the Mersey Novices’ Hurdles at Cheltenham and Aintree respectively last spring, he is clearly held in the highest regard by champion trainer Paul Nicholls.

That is mainly due to his exploits in the first half of last season when he won a Grade Two novice event at Cheltenham impressively and fairly bolted up in the Challow Hurdle at Newbury.

The Challow worked out incredibly well, with runner-up You Wear It Well winning the Dawn Run Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at the Festival, yet she was in receipt of 7lb and could not hold a candle to him.

It was therefore disappointing he folded so tamely behind Impaire Et Passe at Cheltenham, but he did show a good deal more behind Irish Point at Aintree, confirming form with You Wear It Well.

Nicholls has started him off much later this season – he had already run twice this time last year – and that will be with the idea of keeping more in the tank for the spring.

Having undergone wind surgery during the off-season, Hermes Allen can provide the Ditcheat team with a first victory in this Grade Two contest since Clan Des Obeaux’s success in 2016.

Race 5 – FRERO BANBOU 7/2

FRERO BANBOU has four chase victories under his belt and reappeared at Aintree last month to claim a third place.

The eight-year-old is highly respected and is trained by Venetia Williams and ridden by Charlie Deutsch who are both in form.

The improving Kandoo Kid recently finished runner-up over course and distance and could be set to exploit a low weight with a bold bid.
Sail Away goes well fresh and can battle it out for a place along with Iron Bridge who has recorded consecutive placed efforts in this grade at Warwick and Uttoxeter since returning from a short break.

Race 6 – MARIE’S ROCK 8/11

Henderson’s MARIE’S ROCK will surely have too much pace for Paisley Park and Dashel Drasher in the Coral Long Distance Hurdle.

Paisley Park ran a blinder in this last year when going down by only a neck to Champ and then won the rearranged Long Walk Hurdle at Kempton, but his subsequent form in the Cleeve and Stayers’ Hurdles was far removed from his best.

Dashel Drasher ran well enough on his return at Wetherby but could do with deeper ground to be seen to best effect.

Marie’s Rock beat Dashel Drasher by six lengths in the Relkeel last season and while she disappointed behind Honeysuckle at the Festival, she showed he true colours when runner-up at Aintree against Sire Du Berlais and three miles now seems her trip.

Race 7 – HYLAND 7/2

HYLAND won a big-field handicap at Cheltenham last time out in smooth style and has gone up six pounds and has a lot of weight to carry here.

He is a proven stayer and the stable and jockey are in top form. Hyland has already qualified for the Pertemps at Cheltenham, so he can go all out for this and should be among the first few home. There’s more to come from this Henderson inmate.

Others to consider include Gentleman At Arms, who has gone up five pounds in the weights after winning a decent Class 2 hurdle at Aintree last time and that was an improved performance.

He is an out-and-out stayer and finished second in the Grade 2 Sefton Novices Hurdle at Aintree in 2022, which is strong form.

Gentleman At Arms is more exposed than most of these, so it will be interesting to see how he goes with the extra weight.

Ramo comes from the in-form Venetia Williams stable (29% win strike rate in last fortnight) and won nicely last time out at Ludlow, albeit in a lower-grade Class 4 race.

But a five-pound jump in the weights coupled with two high-class rivals is probably not the best combination for his chances here.