Silver Forever out to strike gold on return to Newbury for mares' prize

Wednesday: 2.00 Newbury
Make Your Best Bet At BetVictor Mares' Chase (Listed) | 2m7½f | 4yo+ | RTV

Paul Nicholls produced one of the best training performances of this jumps season by readying grey Silver Forever to win on her first start since fracturing her pelvis at the beginning of last year.

Undoubtedly heading towards the top of the mares' hurdling division before her injury, as proved by a cosy six-and-a-half-length strike in Listed company at Sandown in January 2020, Silver Forever was off for 670 days before making a winning reappearance at this track last month.

An excellent piece of placing left her with just one opponent (Imperial Alcazar) to beat, but a below-par effort would have been excusable off such a long layoff. However, she returned as good as ever and achieved a joint career-high RPR of 145 after an excellent round of jumping.

Returning to Listed company will be the acid test for Silver Forever to see if she remains on an upward curve and given she's a two-time Newbury winner, there is no better race for her than this 2m7½f event.

Having said that, this is the most competitive running that punters have seen since it was first run in 2018. Magic Of Light has won all three runnings, but has only had a maximum of five rivals to beat. Silver Forever is part of a punter-friendly eight-strong field.

Her main danger is three-time Listed winner Chilli Filli, who has to give 4lb to the majority of her rivals. Her recent Market Rasen victory saw her defeat the reopposing Momella, Win My Wings and Casablanca Mix, who finished fourth, fifth and fell respectively. It's difficult to envisage that trio reversing the form off identical weights.

We know plenty about Irish challenger Bridge Native, who has won seven times from 56 races but may lack the class to win this.

The return to quicker ground should suit Legends Gold, who wasn't beaten far by another gallant grey in Snow Leopardess last time.
Race analysis by Tom Collins

What they say

Henry Daly, trainer of Chilli Filli
We’ve little choice in running in another one of these otherwise we would look at handicaps, but she ran a corker when winning under a penalty on her reappearance at Market Rasen. Silver Forever looks the one to beat on ratings but she goes there with a live chance on ground that should play to her strengths.

Harry Fry, trainer of Momella
Ideally, we would have appreciated a bit more rain for her but she wasn’t beaten far behind Chilli Filli on her return at Market Rasen and should give another good account. She has a bit to find on ratings with some, but deserves to take her chance and it could be that she goes back to the race at Exeter that she won last year in February.

Ciaran Murphy, trainer of Bridge Native
She's entitled to take her chance in a race like this as the plan is for her to be covered in the spring. She has options back on the Flat and over hurdles in the new year, but this is probably going to be her last hurrah in a race like this over fences.

Amy Murphy, trainer of Hawthorn Cottage
We ran her back a bit quick at Huntingdon last time when we wanted to get her qualified for the mares' series and she disappointed. She’s better than that and will jump and stay all day, but she’ll need to do as she has a bit to find on ratings. The plan would be to get some black type with her somewhere along the way.

Rebecca Curtis, trainer of Legends Gold
The form of her comeback third at Bangor couldn't have worked out any better with the winner Snow Leopardess going on to land the Becher Chase, so hopefully that will put her in the mix. She was found out at this level last year but is a stronger mare this season and hopefully she can bag some black type.

Paul Nicholls, trainer of Silver Forever
She won nicely on her chasing debut over course and distance in November and this looked the obvious next race for her. She may lack the experience of some of the opposition but she’s come out of that in good form and the track, trip and ground should suit.

Christian Williams, trainer of Win My Wings
She did well for us last year, but she disappointed a little on her return at Market Rasen behind a few of these, so hopefully she can step up on that. It’s a tough ask but we just hope she can be competitive.
Reporting by David Milnes

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