What's on this week: festival clues aplenty before Cheltenham heads a super Saturday not to be missed
Monday
Warwick hosts an intriguing jumps card to start the week where Tea Clipper, a horse who has featured regularly in valuable handicap chases, is tried in a 3m hunter chase (4.15). The Tom Lacey-trained nine-year-old is as short as 9-1 for the Cheltenham Festival's hunter chase in March and will look to advance his credentials.
At the same meeting Break My Soul, who cost £290,000 at the Cheltenham sales last March, looks to secure her first success under rules for Nicky Henderson and Olly Harris in the 2m3f mares' novice hurdle (2.05).
The Grade 2-placed Idy Wood is the main attraction at Plumpton. He was beaten at odds of 1-6 at Hexham last time and aims to bounce back to form in the 2m4½f novice hurdle (2.15).
All-weather cards at Newcastle and Kempton complete the day's action.
Entries are revealed for Saturday's Trials day at Cheltenham, with the rearranged Clarence House Chase the star attraction as we learn who could take on Champion Chase second favourite Jonbon.
Tuesday
Newbury makes its Sky Sports Racing debut with a card brimming with young talent. Paul Nicholls unleashes a fascinating hurdling newcomer at 12.50 in Fasol, a Group 3-placed son of Galileo whose dam won at Group 1 level. Nicholls also runs Chepstow winner Kap Boy in the bumper (4.20) that was won by Lookaway in 2022 before he went on to win a Grade 2 at Aintree's Grand National meeting.
Mt Fugi Park bids to extend his unbeaten record to three at Leicester, with the Jonjo O'Neill-trained £290,000 purchase set to attempt to defy a penalty in the 2m4½f novice hurdle (2.10). There is also action at Down Royal and Southwell.
Tuesday also marks a big afternoon for entries, with the latest batch of Cheltenham Festival hopefuls revealed including the three Grade 1 novice hurdles – the Supreme, Baring Bingham and Albert Bartlett – as well as the Triumph Hurdle.
Alongside the novice contenders are the entries for Haydock's Grand National Trial next month, while those longing for the start of Flat season can look forward to entries being revealed for the Lincoln Handicap, which is staged at Doncaster on March 23.
The 2023 Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings and top Group 1 races are revealed as well as the European two-year-old ratings.
Wednesday
Fairyhouse could hold potential Cheltenham pointers as Ferny Hollow's younger brother Mirazur West looks to slim his odds of 20-1 for the Supreme in the 2m maiden hurdle (2.05). The JP McManus-owned six-year-old was beaten at odds-on over Christmas and is potentially set for a clash with Gordon Elliott's D B Cooper.
His Willie Mullins-trained stablemate Dancing City is a 33-1 chance for the Albert Bartlett and could establish his chances in Fairyhouse's 2m4f novice hurdle (1.35), in which Binge Worthy and Spread Boss Ted are among the potential opposition.
There is domestic action over jumps at Chepstow and Catterick and on the all-weather at Lingfield and Kempton.
Thursday
The Goffs Thyestes Handicap Chase (2.50) is one of Ireland's trickiest races to solve and looks poised to be feverishly competitive again with Angels Dawn, last season's Kim Muir winner, topping the betting at around 7-1.
High-class talent Monkfish could make his seasonal debut at Gowran in the John Mulhern Galmoy Hurdle (2.15), with Thedevilscoachman and Farouk D'alene potentially taking him on.
The Listed Pertemps Network Lady Protectress Mares' Chase (3.10) is the highlight at Huntingdon where the consistent Pink Legend looks to bag the £50,000 prize for a second time. The 2022 winner could finish only fourth last season behind the Gavin Cromwell-trained Jeremys Flame and that stable could be represented again by Brides Hill.
There is also a Pertemps qualifier on the card (3.45) where the consistent White Rhino, Angels Breath and Minella Crooner are among those looking to get a spot in the final at the Cheltenham Festival.
Southwell, Wetherby and Newcastle also host meetings.
Friday
Sandown's card centres around the Grand Military Gold Cup (3.00), in which only military amateur jockeys can ride. Jody Sole and Broken Halo won the race last season and could bid to repeat that feat. The riders also get their chance in the 2m handicap hurdle (1.50).
Earlier on the card, the 2m novice hurdle (1.15) looks a good contest with Persian War third Rock House and the talented Southoftheborder among the entries.
Racing also comes from Lingfield, Sedgefield and Wolverhampton.
Saturday
It is a huge day of racing at Cheltenham for its Trials day fixture, which now includes eight races after the rescheduling of the Clarence House Chase (2.25) from Ascot's abandoned card on Saturday. Jonbon is poised to feature in that Grade 1 and will join a plethora of big names at jump racing's HQ.
The Paddy Power Cotswold Chase (1.50) is a likely race for Coral Gold Cup winner Datsalrightgino, Betfair Chase winner Royale Pagaille, top novice Stay Away Fay and last season's Brown Advisory winner The Real Whacker.
Constitution Hill will not participate in the Unibet Hurdle (3.00), which has been moved from the December meeting, but Harry Fry has already revealed plans to run Love Envoi in the Grade 2 more commonly known as the International Hurdle. Elsewhere Burdett Road and Sir Gino could feature in the entries for the Triumph Trial (12.05) and three-time Cleeve Hurdle (3.35) winner Paisley Park should return to Cheltenham.
There is also a Premier raceday at Doncaster, where the £100,000 Great Yorkshire Handicap Chase (3.15) is the focal point. Victtorino and Yeah Man, who fought out a finish at Ascot last time, head the early betting. A high-class card also features three Grade 2 contests over hurdles, the Yorkshire Rose (2.05), Albert Bartlett (2.40) and the Rossington Main (1.30), which has been moved to this card after Haydock was abandoned last week.
A Grade 3 mares novice hurdle (2.15) headlines Fairyhouse's seven-race card. Jumps action also takes place on Saturday afternoon at Uttoxeter, with Newcastle and Kempton stage action in the evening.
Sunday
The week finishes with what is usually a day of excellent racing at Naas. Anibale Fly, Carefully Selected and Stattler are among recent winners of the Grade 3 3m1f novice chase (1.20) while the Limestone Lad Hurdle (2.50) is typically informative.
There is Grade 2 action at Doncaster after the Warfield Mares' Hurdle (2.40) was moved from the cancelled Ascot fixture. Racing also takes place at Fontwell.
This week's premier meetings:
Cheltenham - Saturday, January 27
Doncaster - Saturday, January 27
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