Newbury Placepot picks: Paul Kealy chases the £250k guaranteed pool

Only seven go in Newbury's opening 2m½f Mares' Novices' Hurdle (12.15), but we can probably get away with banking on Nicky Henderson's Luccia for Placepot purposes.

Her bumper form would be a good deal better than her rivals, and Henderson, well known for introducing his stars here, described her as special in his Racing Post Stable Tour and said her schooling had been superb.

I'll be sticking in the two with a chance in the 2m7½f novice chase (12.45) as it's not that easy to pick between Thyme Hill and McFabulous, and you need the winner.

Zanza is too well handicapped to ignore in the 2m6½f chase (1.20), while I thought Killer Kane found three miles at Exeter's stiff track just a little too much on his return (looked like winner early in straight) and he'll do better dropped slightly in trip around here.

Imphal is an outsider with a chance in the 2m4½f handicap hurdle (1.55), but the race needs coverage, so I'll add West Balboa, of whom Dan Skelton seems to think a lot, and Peking Rose, who ran well here twice last season.

First Street is giving chunks of weight away in the fifth, the 2m½f handicap hurdle (2.30), but his close second to State Man in the County Hurdle tells you he's the class act and, given the winner is now rated 23lb higher, he could still be thrown in off his revised mark.

I'll bank on him too, as the featured 3m2f Coral Gold Cup (3.05) will need a few. Threeunderthrufive and Lostintranslation are joined by Oscar Elite and Remastered.

Newbury Placepot perm

12.15
4 Luccia

12.45
1 Thyme Hill
3 McFabulous

1.20
6 Zanza
13 Killer Kane

1.55
6 Peking Rose
8 West Balboa
12 Imphal

2.30
1 First Street

3.05
3 Threeunderthrufive
4 Lostintranslation
9 Remastered
12 Oscar Elite

1x2x2x3x1x4 = 48 lines

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