ITV Racing Newbury And Newcastle Preview - 28/11/20

Champagne Platinum reverts to hurdles after a disappointing effort in the Kim Muir where he evidently didn’t enjoy fences or see out the 3m2f.

If ready to roll, or not seeking a lower handicap mark for the festival, he is massively over priced at 7/1.He finished fifth in the Herald Champion Novice Hurdle when rated 140 and he slips in off just 137.

Admittedly he is untried on ground this quick, though he has winning form at this track on good-to-soft and this looks his optimum trip. 

The Grade One Fighting Fifth is the highlight of the card at Newcastle on Saturday and we believe there can only be one winner.

The JP McManus owned Epatante has been seen six times since coming to England under Nicky Henderson and has gone on to land five of her six races, including to Grade One events

Last season she started off in the Gerry Feilden Intermediate Hurdle at Newbury and then on her final start before Cheltenham landing the Grade One Christmas Hurdle at Kempton on Boxing Day.

This set her up perfectly for the Champion Hurdle when going off favourite and under a cool ride by Barry Geraghty went on to land the prestigious event with ease.

She is the mare to beat in the two mile hurdling division again this season and getting 7lb off the boys in this event makes her the one to beat.

Marie’s Rock may prove too good for these, but she is short enough at 11/8, which makes Neil Mulholland’s Milkwood our bet each-way at 13/2.

This 6-y-o comes straight from the Welsh Champion Hurdle which has turned out to be very strong form for an early season race.

First, third and fifth have all won next time out and Ballyandy ran a massive race when second off top weight at Cheltenham.

He is a strong-travelling type who will relish this surface. If he can settle early it is hard to see him finishing outside the frame. 

The Grade Three Ladbrokes Trophy on Saturday is one of the hotly contested handicaps of the season and in the feature event at Newbury we have a strong selection.

Ben Pauling has had a tough time of things over the last few years, but he has started to land some nice winners and on Saturday he fields Kildisart, who looks to have a superb chance.

The eight year old gave one of his best performances of his career at the Cheltenham festival last term in the Grade Three Ultima Handicap, when finishing second in a photo-finish behind The Conditional.

Although he will need to reverse that form in this race with the David Bridgwater trained runner, this time around he seems much better off at the weights.

He was being aimed at the Grand National after that superb run over a staying trip meaning that his trainer knows how good a stayer he is and in this event you need to be just that.

He enters the race off the back of a solid prep run over hurdles when finishing third at Wetherby in the Grade Two bet365 Hurdle behind Cheltenham festival Mares Hurdle winner Roksana and Next Destination for Paul Nicholls.

The contest over three miles also saw him beat the Stayers Hurdle winner Lisnagar Oscar and it looks solid form ahead of him stepping back over fences.

Another that will thrive on this quick surface is Secret Investor. This gelding has mixed it with some of the best throughout his career over fences with his second in the Denham chase looking a nice piece of form.

Wind-surgery seemed to bring out some improvement when he hammered Potterman on return at Chepstow and he arrives here as an officially well-handicapped animal. 

The second race on ITV from Newcastle is the last event on the card and it sees the Listed Handicap Chase over 2 miles 7 furlongs and Pym for Nicky Henderson will be tough to beat.

The seven year old gelding in the colours of Altior has always had big potential and showed glimpses off it last season when winning at Ascot last November and then backed that up at Cheltenham in a Novices' Chase.

After that he was tried in graded races like the Reynoldstown Chase and the RSA Novices' Chase and was outclassed and now he looks to be going down the handicapping route having found his level.

He made his seasonal debut at Sandown at the start of November in a Listed Intermediate Chase and dominated in a smart field which should set him up perfectly for this race.

The reputation of Greaneteen is likely to have played a part in the pricing of favourite Moonlighter in the finale, but the strength of this year’s Haldon Gold Cup is questionable, therefore we would prefer to oppose with an each-way price.

Despite having a good record in the race, Paul Nicholls is empty handed this season, which has left Harry Cobden free to ride The Russian Doyen for Colin Tizzard.

This 7-y-o gets 12lb from the market leader which makes his 12/1 price tag look very generous. He is stepping down from the Grade 3 Paddy Power Gold Cup plus he is 2/4 on good ground and 1/1 at Newbury.

With two runs under his belt he should now be fighting fit which would make him dangerous off a career low mark of 135.