Five Horses Returning this Weekend

Returning Stars

The jump season kicks into another gear this weekend as lots more stars make their much anticipated returns.

The Charlie Hall at Wetherby looks set for a good renewal while the first Grade One of the season takes place in Ireland.

Here's five horses we can't wait to see this weekend.

La Bague Au Roi

One of the first horses making a return this weekend is Warren Greatrex's mare La Bague Au Roi. She will be looking to continue her 100% record both at Wetherby and on her seasonal debut in Saturday's Charlie Hall chase.

The eight year old is Greatex's stable star and will look to make a winning return before going onto next months Betfair Chase, which Greatex has suggested is the plan.

She made a great start to her chasing career, showing top form to beat Lostintranslation on two occasions before winning the Kauto Star Novices' Chase on Boxing day, with RSA front two Topofthegame and Santini behind her.

She won her second Grade One at Leopardstown in February and perhaps her busy season caught up with her when second behind Kalashnikov in the Manifesto Chase at Aintree in April.

Providing the ground isn't too bad, Saturday looks an ideal chance for her to make yet another winning return.

Lostintranslation

Another second season chaser due to make his return this weekend is Colin Tizzard's Lostintranslation, who is being aimed at the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

His chasing career began with a second and then third to La Bague Au Roi before finally breaking his duck in the Dipper at Cheltenham on New Years Day, behind Defi Du Seuil, who then subsequently overturned the form in both the Scilly Isles Chase at Sandown and the JLT at the festival.

He was finally stepped up to three miles at the end of last season, winning his first Grade One in the Mildmay at Aintree, beating RSA winner Topofthegame and he looks set for a big season this term.

He starts off at Carlisle on Sunday, back to two and a half miles, which may catch him out again and he should come on for the run before next months Betfair Chase, however his class may be good enough to help him get his nose in front.

Delta Work

Next is second season chaser Delta Work, who looks to have a huge season ahead for Gordon Elliott and is also being aimed at the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

He is due to return at Down Royal on Saturday in the Grade One Ladbrokes Champion Chase and looks to have all the tools to be one of the best chasers of the season.

He won four of his five chase starts last season, including some smart form beating Le Richebourg and was third in the RSA at the festival where he travelled strongly before a mistake at the last cost him but he then stayed on strongly again at the end.

He was an emphatic 12 length winner of the Champion Novice Chase at Punchestown in April, which confirmed his class at the top level and has another good season ahead of him.

Clan Des Obeaux

Another exciting horse this season is Clan Des Obeaux, who improved no end for Paul Nicholls last season.

He was fourth of five in the Betfair Chase at Haydock on his first start of last season before leaving that form behind him as he won the King George VI at Kempton at odds of 12/1, announcing himself amongst the best 3 mile chasers around.

That will no doubt be his main target again, Kempton is a track that seems to suit him and he should be fine tuned for it, if he takes up his engagement in the Champion Chase in Ireland on Saturday, with a potential clash against Delta Work.

He also won the Denman chase last season on route to the Gold Cup where he finished fifth on testing ground and it remains to be seen whether he has the tools to be a proper Gold Cup horse, with the King George more likely to be his main season target.

Unowhatimeanharry

Last of our five to watch this weekend is the now 11 year old Unowhatimeanharry, who ended last season returning to winning ways, winning the Grade One Ladbrokes Champion Stayers Hurdle at Punchestown, a race he also won in 2017.

Before that victory, the last two seasons haven't went exactly to plan for him and it's fair to say he's probably been overtaken by the likes of Sam Spinner and If The Cap Fits as the better staying hurdlers in Britain.

That being said, he for the minute is avoiding them and the Bet365 Hurdle at Wetherby on Saturday looks another good chance for him to register a victory.

He will be 12 come the Cheltenham festival and may have one more crack at the Stayers Hurdle which he has been beaten in over the last three years at Prestbury Park.