Neptune Investment Novices Hurdle 1.30pm
Alan King’s Yanworth looks very good having won well at Ascot and was eye-catching at this track when beating a fair horse in Shantou Village in January.
He sets the standard but Willie Mullins has good types too in Yorkhill or A Toi Phil. An outsider who could go well at a prices is John Ferguson’s Pingali Pavillon.
He’s a high class Flat horse but definitely needs good ground to show his best. If the ground dries up he could be a bit of value to fill the places behind Yanworth.
RSA Chase, 2.10pm
This is a very good race for the novices that looks a match between the market leaders No More Heroes and More of That.
Jonjo O’Neill’s More of That is a former World Hurdle winner and is four wins from four starts at the track which is a big plus.
I love the way No More Heroes jumps – he reminds me of triple Gold Cup winner Best Mate. That may just shade it for him in the end. It should be a great race.
Champion Chase, 3.30pm
This should be some spectacle as there’s going to be a lot of speed on early. I ride Special Tiara for Henry De Bromhead who was third in the race last year.
One thing’s for sure with him and Un De Sceaux in the field there’ll be plenty of speed but if the favourite was to hit one hard as he’s done in the past, the complexion of this race could change very quickly.
I think Special Tiara would have won the Tingle Creek Chase last December had he not been bumped at the last by Sire De Grugy, who has the blinkers on, so he also could be ‘lit up’ early.
There’s plenty of good reports in Lambourn about former champion Sprinter Sacre showing his old sparkle.
Cross Country, 4.10pm
If you back one of Enda Bolger’s in these ‘banks races, you’ll never go too far wrong and Josies Orders looks the stable pick. England’s best hope would be Balthazar King who was broad-sided in the Aintree Grand National last year and is running for the first time this season here.
The important thing to remember that this race isn’t a handicap this year and that will play into Blathazar King’s hands – if you can get past this being his seasonal debut.
Fred Winter Juvenile Hurdle, 4:50pm
I ride Messire Des Obeaux who was third to Frodon and Fixe Le Kap at Haydock on his UK debut. He should definitely come on for the run and looks to have a reasonable mark in this contest.
There’s a lot of chat for Paul Nicholls’ Diego Du Charmil but it looks a big ask to win a competitive race like this on your first start in the UK. But remember the stable did do it with Aux Ptits Soins last year in the Coral Cup.
Champion Bumper, 5:30pm
Willie Mullins usually has a strong crop of bumper horses but I’m not so sure there’s as good this year. Avenir D’Une Vie was beaten in January but bounced back a month ago with a 14-length win at Naas.
There’s been a lot of talk for Jessica Harrington’s New to this Town who has changed ownership and beat Avenir D’Une Vie at Gowran Park before that one franked the form in no uncertain manner last time.
Of the English challenge, Nigel Twiston-Davies’ Ballyandy looks to be the best of the English runners on recent form. But he was beaten by Sue Gardiner’s Coeur Blimey at Ascot and yet is almost double the price.
Some of the odds in the bumper could be on the trainer’s – rather than the horse’s ability – I’d give Coeur Blimey a good shout.