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12.05 - Watch Racing Free Online At Ladbrokes Juvenile Hurdle (2m)
Bannister sets a good barometer for this Juvenile Hurdle having won as he pleased at Southwell (2m, good) in September on this third start over timber. He has twice run with credit since in France and returns to these shores with leading claims, despite conceding a penalty.
Kentucky Hardboot is just about next best on form over sticks and should go well, while Tinnahalla is one of two in the race for Olly Murphy and may build on his recent Newbury fourth. He looks ahead of stablemate and hurdling debutant More Than A Prince.
There a few more with genuine promise going over flights for the first time and they include Ray's The One, Sage Advice and TABLE MOUNTAIN.
The filly Table Mountain was useful on the level for Andrew Balding (rated 91) and should know the drill now starting out for in-form trainer Tom Symonds. She may well have the ability to land this.
Any strong vibes in the betting for Sage Advice, a soft-ground winner on the level in Ireland, would need to be heeded as he's undergone a wind op and is now in the capable hands of Dr Richard Newland.
12.35 - Play Ladbrokes 1-2-Free On Football Novices' Hurdle (3m½f)
This could be a warm race of its type and the top trio on the racecard all bring valid claims to the table.
Kim Bailey fires Bobhopeornohope and he's unbeaten in two starts over timber having scored at Exeter and Doncaster in November. The point-to-point winner should have no worries going up in distance now.
Also unbowed is Nigel Twiston-Davies' runner Undersupervision, winner of an Irish point in October and then successful for his new connections over this sort of trip at Hereford on heavy ground in December. This looks a tougher assignment for him.
The one with most appeal though is BARBADOS BUCK'S for Paul Nicholls and Harry Cobden in the Stewart Family colours.
He didn't do much in two bumpers in 2019 but after a break is going the right way over timber. He was defeated by Kim Bailey's The Bull McCabe on debut at Stratford in October (2m6f, good), a race in which the winner dictated matter from the front, but he well and truly reversed that form at Southwell on their next start, ridden with real confidence by Bryony Frost to score cosily.
If that win was cosy then Barbados Buck's showed his game side when repelling the strong challenge of Fantastikas back at Southwell over 3m last month, really sticking his neck out after being headed jumping the last. It's unlikely we've seen the best of him just yet.
It Sure Is has been disappointing thus far for Nicky Henderson and comes back over hurdles after an attempt at chasing last time at Newbury, while The Domino Effect found only one too good over C&D in November and should give another solid showing for Emma Lavelle.
1.10 - Ladbrokes Where The Nation Plays Handicap Chase (2m4½f)
He's often been campaigned over staying trips in the past but, of his nine wins under rules, A TOI PHIL has yet to score beyond 2m6½f. Indeed, the majority of his successes for powerhouse trainers Willie Mullins and Gordon Elliott came over exactly this sort of middle distance.
He joined Gary Moore in the autumn of 2019 and was spotted just once last season, running a very fair fourth of six in the Grade 2 Denman Chase at Newbury in February won by Native River.
He is now 11-years-old and is hard to quantify but a mark of 140 certainly gives reason for optimism, with Niall Houlihan's 7lb claim further increasing the chance he can go well. He has gone well fresh before and might be worth taking a chance on at a solid each-way price.
Espoir De Romay has impressed in both starts over fences, winning at Huntingdon then finding just one too strong at Haydock, and has scope for better things while Evander was a comfortable winner at Doncaster last month on his third chase start and should have more to offer for the Oliver Greenall team.
Smarty Wild is learning with each start over fences and just missed out on second spot at Ascot (2m3f, heavy) last month. Philip Hobbs' charge should appreciate the extra yardage here and has scope to go well from near the foot of the weights off a mark of 130.
1.45 - Ladbrokes Committed To Safer Gambling Handicap Chase (3m)
He unseated early on in last month's Becher Chase at Aintree but Coo Star Sivola started as short as 8/1 for the Grade 3 contest. He's been lightly-raced in recent times but is still just nine-years-old and is on a very workable mark if putting things together back over conventional fences.
The market is likely to reveal this is an entirely open contest, with few of the 15 runners ruled out in any degree of certainty.
Old favourites Double Shuffle and Guitar Pete should give their running but there are reasons to doubt. The former ran a cracker here over Christmas and must prove he can do it again quickly, while Nicky Richards' runner won't want a thorough stamina test ensuing in all probability over this trip.
Glen Forsa makes some appeal at this distance. He won at Chepstow on chasing bow in November 2018 over just shy of three-miles, the only time he has encountered this sort of distance. He's very much kept to graded company since and has run some excellent races in defeat.
A faller on his comeback in the Haldon Gold Cup, he was well beaten in a strong Peterborough Chase (Grade 2) at Cheltenham last month but might have something more to offer back handicapping with an emphasis on stamina.
TWO FOR GOLD gets the nod. Progressive last season with three wins in four starts over fences, he made a solid comeback when second at Wetherby (2m3½f, good to soft) in October and can be forgiven for failing to build on that since in the Ladbrokes Trophy at Newbury (pulled up).
This isn't as tough on paper and, given his profile, he's one of the contenders here that can prove he's still on the upgrade.
2.20 - Dornan Engineering Relkeel Hurdle (Grade 2, 2m5f)
The Relkeel Hurdle has been saved from Cheltenham's abandoned New Year's Day card and attracts a useful field of seven runners to Kempton.
Summerville Boy took this Grade 2 last year and was a winner at Aintree on his seasonal comeback with the re-opposing Call Me Lord behind in fourth. He has twice come up shy in this grade since at Newbury (3m) and Cheltenham (2m1f). The return to an intermediate trip is probably in his favour and he should go well on a flat track.
The aforementioned Call Me Lord carries no secrets and has been readily held in all three runs this term.
Thomas Darby was behind Summerville Boy at Aintree in November and must build on that comeback run but Younevercall is one to pay close attention to. He ran a cracker in a C&D handicap on his return in November, that nose defeat just preventing him from making it 3-3 over track and trip. He's since run a fine race in the Grade 1 Long Walk at Ascot over a three-mile trip on heavy ground that probably stretched him.
However it's tough to get away from the claims of MCFABULOUS for Paul Nicholls. He was an impressive C&D scorer last spring in a Grade 3 novice event and began this term with a convincing success in the Persian War at Chepstow (2m3½f, good) in October.
He tackled three-miles since at Newbury and just didn't seem to last out when third behind Thyme Hill and Paisley Park - the leading staying hurdlers in Britain right now. There was no shame in that defeat and, while he may well explore three-miles again in the future, this looks a solid stopping point for him in the interim.
2.55 - Ladbrokes Silviniaco Conti Chase (Grade 2, 2m4½f)
Kim Bailey's IMPERIAL AURA is quickly making a reputation for himself this season having ended last term with a novice chase win over Galvin at the Cheltenham Festival. He scored nicely at Carlisle (2m4f, heavy) on his return and has since landed an Ascot Grade 2 (2m5f, soft) in good style.
This is an interesting assignment for him and one he's fancied to pass.
Master Tommytucker's frailties were exposed in a big-field handicap at Cheltenham last month but this sort of small-field test is likely his optimum challenge and he cannot be afforded too much rope as the likely pacesetter.
Riders Onthe Storm was progressive last season and might have had a big say in the Ryanair at Cheltenham bar a fall three out. He was well beaten back there in November in the Shloer Chase however and must now bounce back.
With some doubts over that pair, the consistent Clondaw Castle - winner at Newbury in November and solid third behind Mister Fisher in the Peterborough Chase at Cheltenham since - isn't one to dismiss despite being the outsider of four in the betting. He's likely to give his running and can pick up any spare pieces going.
3.30 - Ladbrokes Lanzarote Handicap Hurdle (Listed, 2m5f)
A maximum field of 20 runners for the Lanzarote and it will prove a hot betting heat before things get underway.
Nicky Henderson and Paul Nicholls account for five of the previous eight winners and the powerhouse trainers have a pair of contenders each this time around. Solo was impressive in the Adonis here last spring and though disappointing since, the Ditcheat inmate isn't one to cross off now upped in trip with his handicap mark receding towards being workable.
The Cashel Man is exposed for Team Henderson, though not so Glynn who made an encouraging return at Doncaster last month and could do much better.
Everglow is an improving sort for the Philip Hobbs/Richard Johnson axis while One True King is similarly on the upgrade for the Twiston-Davies', both have their merits.
Fergal O'Brien once again has his horses in fine fettle and there may be some mileage in chancing POLISH to improve and have a say in this.
He hasn't been fluent enough in three starts this term to do himself real justice but he's got form over the C&D and, with Connor Brace taking 3lb off, he's on a perfectly workable mark if he gets his hurdling technique in order.
Warren Greatrex's Dhowin is another to consider at decent odds. He was keen enough at Ascot last time on his second outing for his new trainer but he stayed on well in the finish to be close enough in third behind a front-running winner. The handicapper nudged him up 3lb in defeat there but, off a featherweight, he's not discounted.
3.57 - Play Ladbrokes 5-A-Side On Football Handicap Hurdle (2m)
A quick turnaround for the finale and a tough puzzle for punters aiming to sign off with a winner.
Chti Balko made mincemeat of his rivals last time at Haydock on heavy ground and a 6lb rise is far from insurmountable if he turns up in the same mood here.
Former C&D winner Fransham arrives after successive wins at Wetherby and clearly must be shortlisted despite being hit with a 10lb rise for the most recent of those successes.
MANUCCI is one with scope for better. The Nathaniel gelding was a Flat winner in 2019 before he scored on his second hurdles start at Fontwell (2m1½f, soft) on Boxing Day last year. He also saw the back of Goshen (twice) and Grand Roi in what was a promising campaign. He may have an odd quirk but he won on the all-weather at Chelmsford in October and has potential for better than a mark of 124 now starting out for new trainer Tim Vaughan.
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ODDS ARE CORRECT AS OF 08/01/2021 HOWEVER ARE SUBJECT TO FLUCTUATIONS
