One trainer, one jockey, one horse and one race to watch on Friday

Trainer

Paul Nicholls has some short-priced favourites at Newbury, including Stage Star, who returns to the scene of his Challow Hurdle success in the Grade 2 Coral Racing Club Novices' Chase (1.55).

Stage Star is 2-2 at the Berkshire track including that Grade 1 win over hurdles and made the perfect start to his chasing career when beating West Cork by 13 lengths at Warwick. Given that Arkle favourite Jonbon beat the same rival by a similar margin, it bodes well for Stage Star as he steps into Graded company for the first time over fences.

Nicholls also has Irish point-to-point winner Stay Away Fay making his rules debut (1.20) for owner Chris Giles, and Shearer, who hopes to make amends for the champion trainer in the 3m handicap hurdle (3.40) after an unfortunate unseat of Adrian Heskin at Cheltenham last time.

Jockey

Harry Skelton has a near full book of rides at Newbury, with Beakstown a lively contender in the Coral Bet Bundles Handicap Chase (2.40). The form of the consistent nine-year-old handicapper's comeback fourth in the Old Roan has been significantly boosted by the third Ga Law and second Hitman, winning the Paddy Power Gold Cup and a valuable graduation chase respectively.

Skelton also rides Proschema in the the Coral Long Distance Hurdle (3.05), with the impressive West Yorkshire Hurdle winner bidding for back-to-back Grade 2 wins.

Proschema: one of six decent rides for Harry Skelton at Newbury on FridayCredit: Steve Davies

Ittack Blue (12.10) is an exciting prospect for the same owners as the yard's Betfair Chase winner Protektorat, with Skelton's other mounts Frere D’Armes (12.45), Heezer Geezer (1.20) and Padleyourowncanoe (3.40) all single-figure odds in the betting.

Horse

Nicky Henderson has been responsible for five of the last eight winners of the 2m½f maiden hurdle (12.10) which kicks off Newbury's card, including dual Champion Hurdle winner Buveur D’Air and last year's winner Jonbon.

Other subsequent Grade 1 winners Lostintranslation and My Drogo have also triumphed in the race, so it clearly throws up talented performers and it will be fascinating to see how Jet Powered fares on his stable debut for Henderson.

Snapped up by Anthony Bromley for 350,000gns to run in the Shishkin silks of Joe Donnelly, the five-year-old son of Jet Away has had wind surgery since an impressive eight-length winner of a Borris House point-to-point in December which resulted in the hefty price tag.

Race

There a few candidates on a fascinating Newbury card, including the novice handicap chase (12.45) starring the Jonjo O'Neill-trained Soaring Glory, Balco Coastal, Frere D'Armes and Aucunrisque.

However, the race of the day must be the Coral Long Distance Hurdle (3.05). Won by the great Big Buck's on four occasions, the Grade 2 prize will be won by one of Champ, Proschema, Paisley Park, Dashel Drasher, Thomas Darby and Tea Clipper.

Champ and Paisley Park fought out a stirring finish of the Cleeve Hurdle in January and renew their rivalry, but up-and-coming stayer Proschema is likely to prove a big threat.

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