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Grade 2 winner Hermes Allen easy to back in feature Challow Hurdle at Newbury

Hermes Allen: could deliver Paul Nicholls a record fifth success in Saturday's Challow Hurdle
Hermes Allen: could deliver Paul Nicholls a record fifth success in Saturday's Challow HurdleCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

The showpiece of the day is the Challow Novices' Hurdle (3.00) at Newbury where Hermes Allen has been a warm order since declarations, but his support seems to have dried up and he is now easy to back.

The Paul Nicholls-trained five-year-old, who is bidding to give his trainer a hat-trick of wins in as many years in the Grade 1 event, is now as big as 6-4, having been a general 11-10 (as short as even-money with some firms) this morning.

Hermes Allen is the only runner to have been tested at Graded level, and rewarded that faith with an easy nine-length victory in the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham's November meeting.

His two wins under rules, as well as his point-to-point victory, have been achieved on good ground, so with the ground now soft, he now has more to prove than he did at the start of the day.

His chief market threat is the Irish raider, Joyeux Machin, who won a maiden hurdle on his last start for Paul Nolan and was thought good enough by his trainer to tackle the Champion Bumper at the festival last season.

At bigger prices, the one who has come for the most support is Thomas Mor (14-1 from 20-1), who arrives seeking a hat-trick having won a Wincanton novice by 57 lengths on his last start.

Updated at 2pm


Spate of non-runners at Newbury as ground goes soft

Clerk of the course Keith Ottesen warned of the ground going soft as Newbury were expecting rain for most of the morning, and that is exactly what they have now got.

Speaking at around 8am this morning, Ottesen had declared the going description to be good to soft, soft in places but after 12mm of rainfall by midday, the ground is now soft all over.

This has caused a spate of non-runners on the card with 12 declared no longer taking their chances, seven since the change in going, including the Nicky Henderson-trained Bold Endeavour, who headed the market in the finale.

Updated at 2pm


Daly runner who was entered for the Challow halves in price for handicap hurdle

Henry Daly had entered Blenkinsop for the Grade 1 Challow Novices' Hurdle on Saturday's Newbury card but instead redirected his five-year-old to the Coral Bet Bundles Handicap Hurdle (1.50), a race for which he has been well supported.

Blenkinsop was a top-priced 13-2 for the 2m4½f event on Saturday morning but can now be backed at half those odds at a general 7-2 as he bids for a four-timer.

Trainer Henry Daly in the grounds at Downton Hall Stables in Ludlow 11.1.22 Pic: Edward Whitaker
Trainer Henry Daly in the grounds at Downton Hall Stables in Ludlow 11.1.22 Pic: Edward WhitakerCredit: Edward Whitaker

Daly's charge has rapidly improved since stepping up in trip, winning his last three in handicaps at trips around 2m5f, the last of which resulted in him being heavily eased towards the finish.

That race suggested he still has mileage in his mark, despite being given an 8lb rise in the weights, and Tom O'Brien takes over in the saddle from capable 3lb claimer Hugh Nugent.

Pikar still heads the market at a general 9-4 having won by five lengths in a novice on his reappearance at Chepstow and is somewhat of an unknown quantity now tackling a handicap for the first time.

Posted at 11.45am


Grumpy Charley supported in bid to enhance strong Newbury record

On Boxing Day we saw Bravemasgame land a 13th King George VI Chase for trainer Paul Nicholls and Grumpy Charley, who finished third behind him last season, is being supported in the Coral Racing Club Mandarin Handicap Chase (2.25) at Newbury.

The seven-year-old, trained by Chris Honour, was six lengths behind the King George winner in a novice handicap chase at this course in February but has disappointed in three runs since, including twice being pulled up.

Grumpy Charley is now 6-1 generally, having been around 8-1 on Saturday – and 10-1 with Paddy Power – with his course record seemingly playing its part.

In three starts at the track he has recorded a comfortable win, which was almost a year ago to the day, a third and close fifth (beaten three and a quarter lengths).

Heavy ground was blamed for pulling up at Bangor on reappearance behind Le Milos, who went on to win the Coral Gold Cup, and Honour said "I think he'll be competitive" when asked about his chances on Friday.

Posted at 11am

Bravemansgame (Harry Cobden,right) jumps the final open ditch when landing the 2m 7.5f novices handicap chaseNewbury 12.2.22 Pic: Edward Whitaker
Grumpy Charley (left) gives chase to Bravemansgame at Newbury in FebruaryCredit: Edward Whitaker

We're in for a New Year's Eve cracker

Should auld acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind? Should auld acquaintance be forgot, and the days of auld lang syne? . . .

Here we are then – we have emerged from the post-Christmas fog and stand on the precipice of a brand new year.

But before welcoming in 2023, we still have some unfinished business to see to in 2022, with another cracking day's racing to enjoy.

Forget midnight, today's real fireworks will come on the track with Newbury providing perhaps the loudest and brightest of them all.

The Challow Novices' Hurdle (3.00) will be the star of the show, with Hermes Allen a warm favourite to land the final Grade 1 of the year and ensure Paul Nicholls ends a fine festive period in style.

Earlier on the Newbury card the Nicky Henderson-trained Jet Powered will be looking to show his Supreme Novices' Hurdle credentials after Facile Vega's latest victory at Leopardstown (12.40).

Elsewhere in Britain there is jumps action at Uttoxeter and Warwick with an all-weather card at Lingfield, while in Ireland Punchestown hosts its final meeting of the year.

All the best, everyone. Let's go out with a bang.

Posted at 8am


Going update: Newbury softens slightly

Following another 4mm of rain overnight, Newbury's clerk of the course Keith Ottesen has eased the going description to good to soft, soft in places (from good to soft) and further rain could soften conditions further by the afternoon.

"It is decent ground but we're in for a rainy day, it's on and off all day, so it's very much the perception that it is going to be soft ground," Ottesen said on Saturday morning.

"It is mainly good to soft, there is only a tiny bit of soft ground, so I tweaked the going description and added soft in places, just to pre-empt what is going to happen.

"It also helps the people wanting better ground to make their minds up as to whether or not they want to run. It's going to be a wet old day and it could well be soft by the afternoon, so we're just pointing everyone in that direction."

As well as five races from Newbury, the ITV cameras are also showing two from Warwick, where the going is soft, good to soft in places, and one from Lingfield which is standard.

Posted at 8.30am


Market movers

Newbury

12.10: Grivetana Evens (from 6-5)
1.50: Blenkinsop 7-2 (from 13-2)
2.25: Tallow For Coal 11-2 (from 13-2)

Warwick

2.10: Midnight Moss 11-4 (from 4-1)
2.45: Lounge Lizard 13-2 (from 10-1)

Updated at 9.30am


Non-runners

Newbury

1.15 Kauto The King (going)
1.50 Bothwell Bridge (going), Tamar Bridge (knocked joint), Martello Sky (not eaten up)
2.25 Certainly Red (going), Le Breuil (not eaten up), Pemberley
3.00 Accidental Rebel (going), Attacca (bad scope)
3.35 Rakhine State (going), Doctor Ken (going), Bold Endeavour (going)

Warwick

11.55 Lucky Bounce (abscess), Yellow Jacket (knocked joint)
12.25 Kateira (going), Drumlees Pet (knocked joint)
1.00 El Diablo (abscess)
2.45 Destin D'Ajonc (pricked foot)
3.20 Tullywest (cast in box)

Updated at 13.30pm


Read Saturday's previews:

1.50 Newbury: 'I toyed with the idea of the Challow' - who's hopeful of a big handicap run?

2.10 Warwick: a win for Wynne? Keith Melrose expects a bold show from Moss in veterans' chase

2.25 Newbury: who will add their name to the glittering honour roll in the Mandarin Chase?

2.32 Punchestown: 'I think he'll take some beating' - can in-form Barry Connell bag valuable pot?

3.00 Newbury: 'It's as good a Challow as I can recall' - but can anyone stop Hermes Allen?

3.35 Newbury: 'Natural' Nothin To Ask just one of host of progressive novices in hot handicap

Punchestown: Any Second Now starts out on road to Aintree return in quality conditions hurdle


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