Wetherby Saturday Preview

With No Bet in the first race of the day we move straight on to the second and we fancy the Dan Skelton trained West To the Bridge in the Handicap Chase over 2 miles 3 furlongs.

This gelding made his chase debut at Carlisle half way through October and took to the bigger obstacles nicely with a respectable fourth that he will be sure to build on in this.

He was a useful hurdles horse before turning to fences but has always been said to be a better chaser than a hurdler and could have an interesting season.

The Listed Mares Hurdles over two miles sees some smart horses go to post and we are siding with a horse we have been fond of for a long time with Lady Buttons.

The Philip Kirby trained nine year old has been a model professional throughout her career running in better races than this during her life as a racehorse.

She took this race last year in good style on her seasonal debut and she has everything in her favour to go and win it again with freshness being a big thing for her.

The Class 3 Novices Hurdle over two miles sees plenty of classy bumper horses go to post for their new campaign over hurdles and we like the look of Proschema.

This Dan Skelton trained gelding was a very smart horse on the flat that made his hurdles debut last time out at Chepstow in a decent race finishing third.

He looked like he was going to break his maiden that day but a bad jump at the last cost him dearly but he stayed on well to grab a place and if improving his jumping will not be far away.

The Grade Two West Yorkshire Hurdle over three miles sees some very familiar faces from the last few seasons go to post for their seasonal debuts.

Nigel Twiston-Davies has Ballyandy who will go off favourite for the trainer and holds leading claims for how he raced last season and ran to a fair level on his seasonal debut at Chepstow in October.

He should be much fitter and stronger for that run with the step up to three miles looking to suit his running and jumping style much better than the shorter trips he has been at.

La Bague Au Roi goes for us in the feature contest on the Saturday at Wetherby in the Grade Two Charlie Hall Chase over three miles.

She was one of the leading novice chasers last season landing her first four starts over fences before finishing her career in a tough Grade One at Aintree finishing second.

She got off the mark in a beginners chase at Newbury and then just weeks later followed that up in superb style at the same track over course and distance in a Grade Two.

Boxing Day was calling and at odds 8/1 she went on to surprise many by landing the Grade One Kauto Star Novices Chase seeing off some superb competition in Topofthegame and Santini.

Strangely Warren Greatrex took her over to Ireland at Leopardstown and entered her in the Grade One Flogas Novices Chase which again she prevailed nicely and looked a serious chaser to be respected.

She finished her season off at Aintree in the Manifesto Novices Chase where she was outshined by Kalashnikov but still ran nicely and will be stronger this year.

She goes well early on in the season and that could play to her strength massively in this one.

The final runner of the meeting that we like is Romeo Brown for trainer Philip Kirby in the Class 3 Handicap hurdle and this five year old looks a highly progressive five year old.

The gelding was consistent for the most part of last season over hurdles with two wins and two places in his four runs and he made a superb seasonal debut at Carlisle last month.

He finished a bright second in a lesser event but he will come on for that run and handles these conditions brilliantly which puts him in the frame.