Newbury’s Winter Festival Report

The betting blog this week reviews Newbury’s Hennessy meeting, now known the Winter Festival, which brought us some thrilling high-class action as the National Hunt season really began to take shape.

Thursday Racing Recap

On Thursday Grands Crus topped the bill and continued his exciting switch to chasing. He didn’t disappoint with an impressive display of strong travelling and sound jumping in what was an absorbing four runner race where the whole field emerged with credit. The winner is a class act and will be difficult to beat in novice company. The runner up Sonofvic came close to given the winner a race and jumped beautifully on his debut. He was in receipt of 7lb but lost little in defeat. He stays particularly well and with this experience under his belt and if the RSA becomes the stamina sapping contest it often is, he could see some big bets and emerge as a big threat to the winner at the festival. The third Acertack will win a soft ground handicap chase before the season is over.

Friday Racing Recap

On day two Bobs Worth began his chase career with a battling victory over Cue Card. With the 2m4f trip suiting the runner up, Nicky Henderson’s Bob Back gelding showed many of the qualities that took him to the top of the Staying Novice Hurdlers last year. He will need to jump better to bustle up Grands Crus and company but this was a pleasing start and the fact that he had a proper race will stand him in good stead for the rest of the season.

Two of the most touted novice hurdlers turned up for the opening event and whilst they will both improve considerably for the experience, it was nonetheless disappointing that neither Ranjaan or Ardlui could beat Urban De Sivola. The winner has been brought along nicely by his talented trainer and was backed for this but I doubt he is top class and the 2nd and 3rd need to do better to appear at the festivals.

The Hennessey

The meeting’s flagship race, the Hennessey Gold Cup, was for me at least a major disappointment. Yes it was great to see Carruthers back to form for his loveable connections and you could make a strong case for him being very well-handicapped and a very credible winner.

The letdowns were the new kids on the block who again showed that they lack talent. By now, after the first two major handicap chases of the season we should have uncovered at least a couple of 2nd season chasers likely to go to or very close to the top. Alas where are they? Aiteen Thirtythree ran okay but looks slow with extreme trips surely now the target. Michel Le Bon showed his lack of experience and although this was no mean effort for one so lightly raced he hardly justified his trainer’s pre-race hype. Wymott put in a decent effort and is the one that I have the most hope for but this didn’t exactly scream horse to follow. The aptly-named Wayward Prince seems to have lost the plot and if Muirhead is one of the most promising young chasers in Ireland then I fear for the others.

Of the rest, Great Endeavour ran very well before his stamina gave way, Beshabar confirmed that he is one to have on side in staying events but lacks the gears for a test like this. Planet Of Sound is clearly in very good nick at present but will be hard to place and Fair Along remains an enigma.

Big Buck’s

The rest of Saturday’s card saw Big Bucks saunter home for yet another graded victory and all appears well for another unbeaten campaign. The handicap `good thing` Empire Levant failed to follow up on Thursday’s facile victory with stable mate Rock On Ruby able to give plenty of weight in eye-catching style. He is clearly pretty good and with his mark likely to go to the mid-150s he is going to have to be. His chasing career may be put on hold but that remains an exciting proposition. Prospect Wells took the novice hurdle under a penalty in very decent style and his slick jumping will attract some big bets as he goes up in class.