Gold Cup winner Coneygree is out of the Hennessy Gold Cup at the weekend and the weights for the Newbury showpiece have risen by 9lbs as a result. Recent Carlisle winner Saphir Du Rheu is the 3/1 favourite at BetVictor but the defection of the top-weight brings more into the handicap proper and it looks like another terrific renewal of one of the biggest handicaps of the jumps season.
Only four to post for the Beginners' Chase at Wetherby but three of them have every chance but I have been waiting for the reappearance of Kaki De La Pree (1.20) whose main early season objective is reported to be a crack at the Welsh National next month. He is currently 12/1 for the Chepstow showpiece at BetVictor and, although still a maiden over the larger obstacles, ran three good races over fences last season suggesting a thorough test would suit.
One slight cause for concern would be the fact that he came on for his reappearance last season when third at Exeter having travelled like much the best horse in the race. He will need to be fit with Milansbar and Run Runctions Run in the field and the former is another dour progressive stayer over timber whose connections believe he could go a long way over the larger obstacles. This is a contest worth the admission money alone!
Philip Hobbs almost invariably has his strong in top form and Draytonian (12.50) is taken to land the opener having finished third at the Charlie Hall meeting over C&D last month on his hurdles debut. The selection will get further in time but he looks to have found a decent opportunity and the hope is that champion jockey-elect Richard Johnson makes plenty of use of his 5-y-old.
Indian Voyage bounced back to form at Kelso last time but has been raised 8lbs as a result, Forward Flight ran a cracker when runner up at Hexham on his reappearance but is 4lbs higher and might need further and a chance is taken on top-weight Yorkist (2.25) for Micky Hammond with Sam Twiston-Davies taking over in the saddle. The jockey was on board the yard's Jumpandtravel when it landed a seller at Fakenham last week and the young jockey is a rare and exciting talent.
The ground is likely to be extremely testing at Fontwell and Matrow's Lady (2.45) came back to something like her best for today's conditional when third at Chepstow on soft ground last time. The selection can run from a mark 19lbs lower than her mark over hurdles but she jumped well enough last time and did win a handicap hurdle here, albeit two years ago, from a 24lbs high mark.
There is plenty of stamina in the pedigree of both Wildehearted Woman and Sporting Milan (3.20) but preference is for the latter who cost connections £50,000 at the sales having finished runner up in an Irish p-t-p on his sole start. Trainer Oliver Sherwood has his string in cracking form and he really ought to go close on debut.
A good twilight card at Kempton and The Commendatore (5.45) can land the 6f juvenile maiden having been well supported on debut when third over C&D and he is entitled to come on for the experience. Jimmy Fortune keeps the ride and he must go close for trainer John Gosden.
The classic generation have won the listed Wild Flower Stakes over 12f three times and the hope is that the lightly-raced Spanish Squeeze (6.45), despite concerns about his stamina and the draw, can take this for Hugo Palmer and Martin Harley. The selection was returning from a long break, having been gelded in the interim period, when second over 10f at Chelmsford. If he settles he must go close in what is unlikely to be the strongest listed contest of the winter.
