Newbury’s Hennessy Meeting begins on perfect jumping ground just on the slow side of good predicts clerk of the course Richard Osgood.
Nicky Henderson has saddled the winner of the opening Maiden Hurdle four times in the last seven years and it is always a race won by a quality novice. The Lambourn handler is represented by Jenkins (12.30) who won a Bumper here back in April before finishing runner up in a valuable contest in Ireland when he ran with the choke out for much of the contest.
There are plenty of races to be won with Harry Fry‘s Bags Grove this season and this promises, as ever, to be a most informative contest which is likely to produce a host of winners in the weeks and months to come.
The Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase is a quality renewal and this is the acid test of Malcolm Jefferson’s Double W’s who has been so impressive in two starts since switching his attentions to fences.
This represents a big step up in grade for Valseur Du Granval and an 8lbs rise for scoring at Chepstow in a weak race might bring his recent winning run to an end and the vote goes to Knockgraffon (1.05) who I felt ran a cracker at Carlisle on his chase debut from this mark when looking to be in need of the race. He certainly has the scope to jump a fence and he gets the vote in a fascinating contest.
All eyes on the Grade 2 Novices’ Chase are likely to be on the Grade 1 winning Hurdler One Track Mind, but he has never jumped a fence in public and might need both further and softer ground. Virgilio disappointed at Wincanton last time and is penalised for a Newton Abbott win.
Clan Des Obeaux looks a chaser and ran a satisfactory race at Chepstow at a time when some of the Paul Nicholls-trained runners were in need of a run. He will improve and the weight he receives from his elders is a massive help but I am going to give another chance to Our Kaempfer (1.35) despite the fact that he was beaten in a match here earlier in the month.
The selection had previously finished in front of Clan Des Obeaux at Chepstow and needs a true run race to be seen at his best; Virgilio and One Track Mind should ensure there is no hanging about. Charlie Longsdon has not had as many winners as I am sure he would want of late but he had a couple of horses run really well in defeat earlier in the week.
The Long Distance Hurdle is a cracker and preference for Ballyoptic (2.10) is marginal; the selection was coming back at the principles when coming down at the last in the West Yorkshire Hurdle at Wetherby last time and I hope he has a strong pace to aim at. The selection is 2/1 at BetVictor although I can see him drifting out given the quality of the opposition.
Irish raider Snow Falcon will love the ground but carries a 4lbs penalty and Albert Bartlett winner Unowhatimeanharry could be the biggest danger although that form is not working out too well.
The ground has come right for Stilletto in the two-and-a-half-mile handicap but I must give Three Musketeers (2.45) another chance having jumped and travelled like the best horse for much of the Old Roan Chase at Aintree last month. The selection has been a bit of a “talking horse” and, one could argue, this is last chance saloon but he certainly has the scope and raw ability.
In the finale Alan King‘s Chocala (3.50) has his first start over jumps since finishing down the field on heavy ground at Exeter back in February 2014. The gelding came back from serious injury to win at Chester on the level back in August and he showed enough over timber as a juvenile to suggest he could take to the winter game.
For all your racing odds check out BetVictor.com.
