What's on this week: quality racing in build up to Altior's Newbury return

Monday

Only two courses stage racing on Monday after Fontwell's card was abandoned due to a waterlogged track.

The pick of the action is at Wolverhampton where the improving Another Touch takes on established milers Oh This Is Us, Via Serendipity and Salateen in an interesting conditions event (7.00).

Carlisle stages jumping action where the novice handicap chase (3.25) features four decent young prospects.

Tuesday

Champion trainer Nicky Henderson has an eyecatching 29 per cent strike-rate with his runners at Market Rasen and has a number of decent runners entered for their meeting on Tuesday.

Nicky Henderson: has a number of interesting entries at Market RasenCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

Champagne Mystery looked a serious talent when winning at the start of the season and he could feature in the opening novice chase (1.40), while last-time-out winners Hijack, Global Society and Staithes are entered over hurdles (3.15).

There is also a jumps meeting at Sedgefield and a decent all-weather card at Kempton to look forward to.

Wednesday

There could be some Cheltenham clues on show at Ludlow on Wednesday with the eye immediately drawn to Gelboe De Chanay in the fillies' juvenile hurdle (3.45).

Before joining Philip Hobbs she won a Listed event in France by 14 lengths, and was primed to follow up at Fontwell before falling at the last on her British debut.

Gelboe De Chanay: an interesting prospect for the Philip Hobbs teamCredit: Alan Crowhurst / Getty Images

It is interesting that Barry Geraghty is already booked to ride, perhaps connections are expecting a big future for Gelboe De Chanay. Only three years ago Hobbs, Geraghty and JP McManus dominated the juvenile division with Defi Du Seuil.

Wednesday's racing is completed by cards at Southwell and Wolverhampton.

Thursday

Supreme Novices' Hurdle favourite Shishkin is likely to make his final preparation for the festival in Huntingdon's Sidney Banks Memorial. Nicky Henderson's star novice was an eyecatching winner at Newbury last time out and is worth watching on Thursday.

Irish racing takes a short break after two electric days at the Dublin Racing Festival but it returns with an interesting card at Thurles.

Max Dynamite: going over fencesCredit: Alan Crowhurst

High-class Flat performer Max Dynamite is the big name among the entries. He was placed twice in the Melbourne Cup and seeks a first success over fences (1.15).

Supplementing those quality cards are meetings at Doncaster, Newcastle and Chelmsford.

Friday

Bangor's opening mares' novice chase (1.40) is shaping up to be ferociously competitive with the high-class Annie Mc, If You Say Run and Midnight Tune featuring among the entries. Meanwhile, Olly Murphy's unbeaten Monbeg Zena is another interesting type.

Annie Mc: could be going to BangorCredit: Getty Images

Kempton also stages jumping action, while a number of leading Flat trainers are well represented at the entries stage at Chelmsford. Dundalk and Southwell also stage meetings.

Saturday

Get ready for an action-packed Saturday from Newbury, where all eyes will be on Altior looking to restart his winning run in the Game Spirit Chase.

Since Cyrname ended his record-breaking unbeaten run in November, Chacun Pour Soi and Defi Du Seuil have emerged as key threats for the Champion Chase. But on Saturday Altior will look to warn off those rivals in his quest for a fifth Cheltenham Festival win.

Altior: a general 3-1 chance for the Queen Mother Champion ChaseCredit: Edward Whitaker

Another former hero is in action at Newbury with 2018 Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Native River the star name heading to the Denman Chase. If those two contests were not riveting enough, Newbury also stages the illustrious Betfair Hurdle.

More top jumpers feature at Warwick, with the Grade 2 Kingmaker Novices' Chase the noteworthy race on the card, while last year's card at Naas featured subsequent Cheltenham winners Band Of Outlaws and City Island.

Elsewhere, Uttoxeter, Lingfield and Wolverhampton stage meetings in Britain.

Sunday

Exeter's Listed 2m1f novice hurdle has been won by Finian's Oscar, Politologue and Native River in recent years, so it could pay to watch Sunday's race with the future in mind.

Finian's Oscar: one of several future stars to win Exeter's Listed novice hurdleCredit: Edward Whitaker

Punchestown stages a quality card with the competitive BoyleSports Grand National Trial Handicap Chase the big race of the meeting.

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