Horse Racing tips: 5 big players for Saturday’s Betfair Hurdle at Newbury

The mega-bucks handicap is up for grabs on Saturday (3.35pm) if Jack Frost stays away as an inspections has been called on Friday.

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*Odds quoted on the widget are Future Racing / Antepost prices which means that if your selection does not run in the race for whatever reason – you will lose your stake under traditional Antepost rules.

METIER – HARRY FRY

METIER comes into the Betfair Hurdle unbeaten over hurdles having improved since joining Harry Fry in early 2020. The son of Mastercraftsman reached a rating of 90 on the Flat for Andrew Slattery having won a Gowran Park maiden and ending his time in Ireland when fifth in the October handicap at Leopardstown. A wind operation last summer has clearly helped with success at Newton Abbot, Ascot and the Tolworth Hurdle at Sandown.

The five-year-old has been ante-post favourite for this race since that Grade 1 victory and is currently second-favourite behind Appreciate It for the Supreme at Cheltenham next month. It didn’t look the strongest renewals of the Tolworth with the form knocked recently with the third-placed Tile Tapper’s (who he also beat at Ascot) defeat at Taunton. The likely strong pace should suit his stamina but there’s perhaps better value to be found elsewhere among this competitive field.

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SKY PIRATE – JONJO O’NEILL

SKY PIRATE is the most interesting runner remaining in the line-up at this stage but will Jonjo O’Neill be tempted by the excellent prize-money to return to hurdles ahead of the Cheltenham Festival. The eight-year-old hasn’t been seen over hurdles since July 2018 having finally managed to get his act together over fences in recent months. His victory at Cheltenham in December was impressive before following up in good fashion at Warwick last month. He’s Paddy Power’s current non runner money back favourite for the Grand Annual at Cheltenham with the Country Hurdle on the final day another possibility for a horse with plenty of options for a very shrewd stable.

Nicky-Henderson-at-Cheltenham

MISTER COFFEY – NICKY HENDERSON

Nicky Henderson last won this race with My Tent Or Yours in 2013 with Sharpical the first of his five overall winners under Mick Fitzgerald in 1998. The seven barrows team have both Buzz and MISTER COFFEY remaining at the five-day stage with the son of Authorized looking an intriguing contender. The five-year-old is lightly raced with just five-career starts, including victory over Shakem Up’Arry and On To Victory at this venue over the Christmas period of 2019.

He got the better of Faivoir on his handicap debut at Sandown last November before returning to that venue when third behind Benson in early December. The six-year-old is running of the same rating of 138 and has a nice profile and the scope for further improvement and should go close to victory after a break.

CADZAND – DAN SKELTON

CADZAND has been on an upward curve in recent months having landed back-to-back wins at Warwick and Kempton at the backend of last year. His novice success at Warwick put him on the radar for a decent handicap and his opening rating of 129 wasn’t enough to stop him winning impressively at Kempton over Christmas. The form of that race was enhanced last weekend with Christopher Wood winning at Musselburgh for Paul Nicholls. However, the son of Stowaway has been raised 11lbs for that win and is unlikely to have the services of Harry Skelton who’ll be at Warwick, weather permitting for Allmankind in the Kingmaker Chase.

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Jonjo-O'Neill

SOARING GLORY – JONJO O’NEILL

SOARING GLORY is another lightly-raced novice with a serious chance for Jonjo O’Neill following several smart runs this season. The son of Fame And Glory got the better of subsequent Grade 1 winner Bravemansgame at Chepstow last November, before given weight away to Dusart at this track in novice company later that month. He travelled well down to the second-last hurdle in the Kennel Gate at Ascot before staying on for third-place behind My Drogo. He’s rated only 2lbs lower than Get Me Out Of Here who won this race for the stable in 2010 off a winning mark of 135.

BETFAIR HURDLE SELECTION:

In summary, Metier is worth siding against with the Tolworth Hurdle looking an average renewal and the form knocked since by Tile Tapper at Taunton. There has been some recent support for Cadzand while the inclusion of Sky Pirate would make this race more intriguing for sure. It’s a competitive contest as always with an overall prize-pot of £125,000 which could be fought out by Mister Coffey and SOARING GLORY. The Jonjo O’Neill trained six-year-old just gets preference off his 133 rating to a hand the stable a second victory in this race following Get Me Out Of Here’s victory 11 years ago.

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