Preview and tips ahead of Friday’s action at Newbury Racecourse

One of the highlights of Newbury’s Jumps season arrives this weekend with a two-day meeting at the track, starting off with the Long Walk Hurdle card on Friday.

The action kicks off on Friday at 12.15pm with a class three maiden hurdle before the action comes to a close on day one at 3.40pm with a class three handicap hurdle.

Read below to discover the latest tips and a full preview of Newbury’s card on Friday courtesy of BoyleSports, who will be offering the latest Leopardstown betting next month.

The opening contest on Friday’s card is a traditionally competitive maiden hurdle (12.15) and sees a return to the track with his new yard for £660,000 purchase Regent’s Stroll, now in the hands of Paul Nicholls having been purchased by Sir Alex Ferguson and his business partners.

The second-most expensive Jumps horse of all time saw off 19 rivals in a valuable event here in March and gets the nod to start his hurdle career with a victory.

Lambourn trainer Nicky Henderson usually holds a strong hand here in this race, including last year with winner Jeriko Du Reponet, and has Ferando as his strongest suit this time around.

Paul Nicholls could bring up a double to open the card as he saddles the very exciting Kalif Du Berlais in race two on the card (12.45), a winner of three of four starts last term including the Grade 2 Adonis Hurdle.

Kalif Du Berlais was traveling well before falling four out at Carlisle on chase debut three weeks ago but is taken to continue with his promising jumping and score on his second attempt.

Powerful trainer Dan Skelton has the main threat here with Asta La Pasta, a three-time winner last term and was encouraging enough when landing a three-runner handicap chase at Carlisle.

The Listed Fillies’ Juvenile Hurdle marks the third race of the day (1.20) over the two-mile trip, where Miss Altea Blue boasts the best form on offer for the Nicholls team so could be the way to go here, making her debut for her new trainer off the back of a second of ten in a juvenile contest at Auteuil when last seen and makes a UK debut at Newbury.

James Owen’s Opec is likely to pose the biggest threat, scoring twice in a row this season at Wetherby and Fakenham and holds plenty of claims here, though this is a big step up in class.

The Grade 2 John Francome Novices’ Chase is race four on the card (1.55) with a handy £42,712 heading the way of the winner.

That could well land in the pocket of Nicholls once again, who won this race last year with Hermes Allen, and this time around has Captain Teague, a winner of the Challow Hurdle at this track last season and makes a debut of sorts over bigger fences here, having been handed a walkover win in on his first chase “start” at Exeter three weeks ago owing to his rivals pulling out.

Jonnywho for the Fergal O’Brien team however could be the way to go, a winner with little fuss at Carlisle last month and has bags of potential in this sphere.

Galop De Chasse looks the one to beat in race five (2.30) having made a good return this season when runner-up at Wetherby earlier this month for trainer Venetia Williams and also has form here, a previous course and distance scorer when landing a class three handicap chase this time last year.

The feature of the day is the penultimate race on the card and is the Grade 2 Long Walk Hurdle (3.05), held over the three-mile trip around Newbury.

A small field of four will tackle it this year and of the runners, Strong Leader looks to be the player for trainer Olly Murphy, who made a big career-breakthrough when landing the Grade 1 Liverpool Hurdle at Aintree back in April.

Cheltenham Festival plot job Langer Dan for the Skelton teams is the next best, going beyond two miles and five furlongs for the first time here so has stamina to prove but cannot be discounted having been twice a winner of the Coral Cup at the Festival.

The belting day one card comes to a close with a class three handicap hurdle at 3.40, with preference in the finale heading the way of Woodie Flash for the Murphy team to bring up a card-closing double, a winner of a nine-runner contest at Ffos Las 19 days and the runner-up that day has gone on to win since so the six-year-old has to be of interest here despite a 7lb rise in the weights.

Newbury selections - Friday

12.15 - Regent’s Stroll

12.45 - Kalif Du Berlais

1.20 - Miss Altea Blue

1.55 - Captain Teague

2.30 - Galop De Chasse

3.05 - Strong Leader

3.40 - Woodie Flash