What's on this week: £150,000 handicap chase and three Grade 2s at Kempton, plus the Bobbyjo Chase and Fontwell's biggest day

Monday

Nicky Henderson's Cheltenham Festival stable tour is in Monday's Racing Post as the Seven Barrows maestro runs through the squad aiming to banish memories of last year's meeting, where the trainer drew a rare blank.

On the track, Hello Judge bids to repeat last season's win in Carlisle's 2m4f handicap chase (4.30). Owl Of Athens runs for the first time since landing a gamble for Evan Williams last month at Uttoxeter, where he obliged at odds of 85-40 having been available at 80-1 in the morning. The six-year-old will again be ridden by Conor Ring in Southwell's 2m4½f handicap hurdle (3.40).

All-weather racing in Britain this week features races restricted to riders who have ridden fewer than 30 winners during the last year. The first meeting takes place at Wolverhampton, where Tea Sea (5.00) seeks a fourth win on the spin under William Carson.

Tuesday

In Tuesday's Racing Post, Lewis Porteous goes behind the scenes at Dan Skelton's yard to bring the character of Protektorat to life, including insight from groom Izzy Algieri as the ten-year-old prepares to defend his Ryanair Chase crown next month.

Shearer, winner of a Cheltenham novice hurdle in October 2022, made the perfect start to his hunter chase career at Ffos Las and bids to follow up that 37-length victory in Taunton's finale (4.45) for Paul Nicholls and his daughter Olive.

Bluey chased home Nicholls' Mares' Novices' Hurdle hope Jubilee Alpha at the Berkshire Winter Million meeting and the Windsor runner-up takes on Listed Cheltenham bumper second Siog Geal in an intriguing clash at Market Rasen (2.20).

Bluey (right): runs at Market RasenCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

Group 1-winning trainer Rae Guest will seek one last hurrah at Wolverhampton, where Inlet contests the 1m6f handicap (6.00). Guest announced in December that he would retire early in 2025 having sold his yard to fellow trainer Jack Jones.

Wednesday

Kingston Pride was pulled up by Nico de Boinville when sent off the 6-4 favourite for a Grade 2 at Sandown when last seen in December and the six-year-old could have his sights lowered by trainer Nicky Henderson at Doncaster (2.20), a fixture switched to Town Moor due to maintenance work being undertaken on the Sedgefield turf.

Venetia Williams won Ludlow's feature amateur jockeys' handicap chase (4.10) in 2020 and 2021 and could be represented in the 3m contest by Ffos Las winner Alcedo.

Lemos De Souza saddled his first winner at Kempton last week and the trainer could return to the course, with Emerald Downs (7.00) a potential runner in the 7f maiden (7.00).

Thursday

The meeting at Thurles has been cancelled as a mark of respect to Michael O'Sullivan, who died aged 24 on Sunday as a result of head injuries sustained in a fall at the track on February 6. Punchestown's fixture from last Sunday, which was postponed for the same reason, has been moved to Thursday and will be the first meeting in Ireland since the death of the Cheltenham Festival-winning jockey.

The BetVictor Quevega Mares Hurdle, which was due to be run on Wednesday, has been added to this rearranged fixture to form an eight-race card. Annie Power's victory 2016 began a run of six winners in the last nine runnings of the Grade 3 for Willie Mullins, who could run Jade De Grugy for the first time since she landed a Fairyhouse Grade 1 last March. The card also includes the Grand National Trial and another Listed race in the form of a 2m novice hurdle.

It will be the first of two days of action at Punchestown, as Wednesday's meeting at the same track has been moved to Friday.

Cluain Aodha and Just Aidan could bid to back up course-and-distance victories at Huntingdon (2.45) and Lingfield (5.05) respectively while Paddy's Day would be going for hat-trick at the track and trip in Newcastle's feature 5f handicap (6.30).

Friday

Harry Cobden has already been booked to ride Don't Rightly Know in Exeter's Listed mares' chase (3.00). The champion jockey was successful on the Polly Gundry-trained ten-year-old in the same grade at Newbury last month.

Don't Rightly Know (right): Harry Cobden already bookedCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

Hillsin, the seven-year-old who Dylan Kitts gave a controversial ride to at Worcester in July 2023 which led to his suspension from the saddle, could make his first start for Richard Hawker later on the card (4.35). Hawker would be the fifth different trainer Hillsin – who was previously in the care of Alan Jones – has raced for, although the three-time winner did spend time in Brian Barr's yard before Barr quit training.

Lowry's Bar was meant to participate in last Saturday's Reynoldstown Chase but was a non-runner in that Ascot Grade 2 on a vet's certificate and Philip Hobbs and Johnson White may utilise Warwick's 3m novice chase (1.15) as an alternative option for their consistent seven-year-old.

Few horses have had as successful a 2025 as High Court Judge, who has won five times since January 6. Trained by James Owen, High Court Judge is declared to run on Tuesday at Wolverhampton and is also entered to run at Southwell in the 1m4f handicap (8.15). Depending on how Tuesday goes, High Court Judge could be in line to try to win for a seventh time before the end of February. 

Dundalk also takes place.

Saturday

The £150,000 Ladbrokes Trophy (3.35) is the highlight of Kempton's seven-race card, preceded by three Grade 2 races in a row, all sponsored by Ladbrokes. The Pendil Novices' Chase (2.25) and Adonis Hurdle (1.50) could be important fact-finding races for Nicky Henderson, who may run Jingko Blue in the former after he unseated Nico de Boinville at an early stage in the Reynoldstown. German Derby winner and €1.4 million buy Palladium is likely to attempt to follow up his successful hurdling debut at Huntingdon in the Adonis.

Palladium (left): likely to run in the Adonis HurdleCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

The Dovecote Novices' Hurdle (3.00) is the other Kempton Graded race to be shown on ITV and the channel will also broadcast the Virgin Bet Eider Handicap Chase (2.10) at Newcastle.

I Am Maximus used the Bobbyjo Chase to prep for his Grand National win last year so the Fairyhouse Grade 3 is one to keep an eye on, as is Chepstow's Pertemps qualifier (2.32), the race Monmiral finished fourth in to qualify last season before winning the main event at the Cheltenham Festival.

Southwell stages the BetUK Winter Derby (3.15) for the second time with the £100,000 Group 3 preceded by the Listed BetUK Hever Sprint (2.40).

Chelmsford's evening all-weather meeting completes the day's action.

Sunday

The Grade 2 National Spirit Hurdle (3.00) headlines Fontwell's biggest fixture of the season. There is also Graded action at Naas, with the other meeting in Britain coming from Hereford.

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