BetVictor sponsor an excellent six-race card this afternoon at Ayr, where Nicky Richards’ Duke of Navan (2.50) is undoubtedly the star attraction, running in the Back of the Net at BetVictor.com Novices’ Chase.
A bumper four National Hunt cards this afternoon in the UK and Ireland with action from Clonmel across the Irish Sea and domestic jump racing from Huntingdon, Musselburgh and Sedgefield.
Today’s Chepstow meeting will be run on perfect jumping ground and the AP McCoy roadshow moves to south Wales where I expect to see him land the opener aboard Jonjo O’Neill’s Sebastian Beach (1.50) who will certainly appreciate the drying ground.
Some competitive racing at Lingfield to start the week and Gimme Five (2.15) beat Deadline Day, indeed it is, at Wolverhampton off a 7lbs lower mark when last seen back in October and might be up to defying the rise.
Leicester and Wetherby both need to pass morning inspections before racing this afternoon and fingers crossed they do with an excellent card at the latter and thirteen runners declared for the feature handicap chase over an extended three miles.
The curtain was brought down on the flat season just ten days ago at Doncaster’s November Handicap meeting and the South Yorkshire track have wasted little time preparing for the start of the NH season, starting with a seven-race card this afternoon.