Newbury and Newcastle serve up a right feast of top-class jumping action

The Day In A Nutshell

It really does feel like we’re in the core part of the jumps season now. All week the rain has lashed down, and the wind has howled. Proper winter jumping weather.

Cheltenham’s three-day November meeting set the tone, and was followed last weekend by top-class performances at Haydock and Ascot from Bristol De Mai and Politologue.

And now, as the mud really begins to fly, the spotlight falls on Newbury’s famous Ladbrokes Trophy Chase – the Hennessy Gold Cup for so many years – and a quite enthralling battle for the Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle, a race which also boasts a proud and illustrious history. All in all it's a sumptuous feast of top-class racing for everyone to enjoy.

There may be no superstar declared for the Ladbrokes Trophy Chase (3.00), but a clutch of young, unexposed, exciting staying chasers such as Elegant Escape, Thomas Patrick, Ms Parfois and Dingo Dollar have made the line-up.

Elegant Escape (left) and Thomas Patrick will face off again in the Ladbrokes TrophyCredit: Edward Whitaker

Throw in the admirably progressive Black Corton, who will once again be partnered by Bryony Frost, and there is obviously the makings of a great story to tell.

North-east racegoers of a certain age will remember being spellbound by the Fighting Fifth performances of Birds Nest and Comedy Of Errors – who each won the race three times – plus Sea Pigeon and Night Nurse during a period which is fondly remembered as the golden age of hurdling.

Dare we dream that we are about to enter a new one, with Buveur D’Air, Samcro and Summerville Boy going head to head in an absolute belter for this year’s BetVictor Fighting Fifth Hurdle (2.05).

Sit back and enjoy.

The challenge facing heavily backed Ms Parfois

The Ladbrokes Trophy challenge facing Ms Parfois can be put into context by the fact only two mares have managed to finish placed in this historic race since 1990.

Nicky Henderson’s Fiddling The Facts secured an honourable third place in both 1998 (behind Teeton Mill) and 1999 (behind Ever Blessed) while Martin Pipe’s Lady Cricket finished fourth in 2000 behind King’s Road.

The only other mares to tackle the race in that period were Dubacilla (seventh) and Martomick (pulled up) in 1994, Sail By The Stars (seventh) in 1998, Hati Roy (eighth) in 2001 and Be My Belle (pulled up) in 2003.

Ms Parfois, who is trained by Anthony Honeyball, has been heavily backed this week, and appears to have everything else firmly in her favour.

She relishes soft ground and looks the type to continue on the upgrade after an excellent campaign last season which culminated with a second to Terrefort in the Grade 1 Mildmay Novices’ Chase at Aintree.

Since then she has undergone a breathing operation, and Honeyball is full of hope she can progress into a mare capable of holding her own in a Cheltenham Gold Cup one day.

Aine O'Connor eyeing American dream in Trophy

Amateur rider Aine O'Connor admits sleep has been in short supply as she prepares for the biggest moment of her career on leading Ladbrokes Trophy contender American.

Not only will the 5lb claimer be aiming to become the first female jockey to win Newbury's prestigious handicap chase but also the first amateur to triumph since Lord Oaksey on Taxidermist in 1958.

With regular rider Noel Fehily on duty at Newcastle, O'Connor has got the call-up on the 11-1 chance following discussions between trainer Harry Fry and owner Paddy Jago.

"It's a huge thing, I couldn't believe it when Harry told me, I thought he was taking the mickey," said O'Connor. "Everyone has put a lot of faith in me and I can't imagine I'll be getting too much sleep ahead of the big day."

O'Connor, sister of Fry's wife Ciara and the partner of fellow rider Niall Madden, has been a key part of the Dorset trainer's set-up since moving over from Ireland 18 months ago.

The 27-year-old, who had spells with Dessie Hughes and Alan Fleming, has rewarded the trust shown in her by owner JP McManus, winning six times from 12 starts in his famous silks.

"I had a great summer when Noel was injured but since he's come back I've not had as many rides," said O'Connor, who has had 22 winners. "Hopefully, I can thrust myself into the spotlight and get a few more."

Regarding her prospects of a historic victory on American, she said: "I schooled him on Thursday morning and he jumped brilliantly and felt fantastic. We couldn't be happier with him and just want it to keep raining."

Horse to follow Santini makes chasing debut

Many people who compiled lists of horses to follow at the beginning of the season would have put Santini near the top.

Anything he achieved over hurdles was always going to be a bonus – and there were some pretty big bonuses in the form of the Grade 1 Sefton Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree plus the Grade 2 Ballymore Classic Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham.

Santini: a Grade 1 winner over hurdlesCredit: Grossick Racing 07710461723

Third behind Kilbricken Storm in the Grade 1 Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle in March, Santini will endeavour to turn the tables when he makes his eagerly awaited debut over fences in Newbury’s Ladbrokes John Francome Novices’ Chase (12.45).

According to Nicky Henderson, the opportunity to school over fences on grass for the first time on Thursday “really lit the spark”. We can hardly wait.

Pulsating Fighting Fifth clash could even put Newbury in shade

The Ladbrokes Trophy may be the biggest race of the day, but it’s long odds-on the race most people are looking forward to watching is the Fighting Fifth.

Buveur D’Air, the dual Champion Hurdle winner, is deservedly a short-priced favourite, but his trainer Nicky Henderson said this week: “This will be as big a test as he’s faced anywhere, and it’s first time out. It’s a tough starting place, but he’ll have his ground and we have to go.”

If Buveur D’Air, the best hurdler in Britain, is to stretch his winning run to 11 he will need to resist the twin threats posed by Samcro, the most exciting horse in Ireland in many people's eyes, and Summerville Boy, winner of the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle in the spring.

Samcro, tipped for super-stardom this season, has to put a disappointing reappearance run behind him, but connections seem confident he will do exactly that.

Three of the biggest hurdling guns on the planet going head to head. If that doesn’t make the hairs on the back of the neck stand up nothing will.

Baywing returns to scene of greatest success

The turn of foot which Baywing showed at the end of a stamina-sapping four miles in Newcastle’s Eider Chase in February will live long in the memory.

Nicky Richards has been thwarted by the weather in his attempt to get a prep run into his talented stayer ahead of the BetVictor Rehearsal Handicap Chase (3.20), but nonetheless expects a good run.

The prospect of further softening of the ground would obviously play to the nine-year-old’s strengths, but he might find the three mile trip a bare minimum for him nowadays in what looks a particularly competitive affair.

Rest assured, though, this is a horse capable of winning another valuable staying prize or two this season, and it would be no surprise to see him come back early next year to defend his Eider Chase crown.

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