Preview and tips ahead of Newbury’s Jumps opener
The colder weather and those shorter days signify the return of the Jumps to the racing fans lives and Newbury gets underway over the obstacles for the winter this week with its Jumps season opener on Thursday.
The new campaign kicks off at 12.30pm with an eight-runner handicap hurdle in class three before the card comes to a close at 4.02pm with a bumper - a Flat race ran over Jumps rules - in class four.
Read below to discover the latest tips and a full preview of Newbury’s card on Thursday courtesy of Racing TV.
The opening contest on the card sees a field of eight head to the start for the class three handicap hurdle for conditional jockeys over the two-mile trip (12.30). The Gary and Jamie Moore team could have a strong hand here with Junkanoo at a good price, a useful handicapper on the Flat that got off the mark over hurdles at Plumpton in January but did tail off after that However, a good third at Fontwell a fortnight ago on return and an easing mark means he is of interest back at the two-mile trip.
Seven runners will head to the start to take on the class three novices’ hurdle, marking race two on the Newbury card (1.05). Pure Carbon, trained in Lambourn by Harry Derham ran into a useful type when second on hurdles debut at Warwick and can make a bold bid to go one better here having progressed throughout each of his starts. One name to note here though is a new recruit for the James Owen yard in L’Astronome, a winner of a Group 2 contest in France on the Flat and decent on debut at Chester for Hugo Palmer, but is now with the burgeoning Owen yard and has top jockey Harry Cobden booked for the ride switching to hurdles.
Destroytheevidence looks the one to beat in race three on Thursday’s card (1.40) for trainer Kim Bailey, a three-time winner over hurdles that justified strong support when sent chasing following seven months away when winning a Chepstow novices’ handicap four weeks ago so can make it two from two. Collectors Item, who scored at Uttoxeter in May for trainer Jonjo O’Neill, looks to be the chief threat here but will have to defy a 7lb hike in the weights for that previous success.
The powerful Dan Skelton team send Listentoyourheart to Newbury for race five on the card, a small field of four taking on the two mile novices hurdle in class two (2.17). The five-year-old got off the mark in a Sedgeflled bumper last term and after a couple of seconds in Listed company, absolutely hacked up on this season’s return and a hurdles debut at Market Rasen in September so is very much the one to beat. Roaring Home can give her the most to think about off the back of a win at Exeter last time out a month ago.
The class two Pertemps Handicap Hurdle is the feature race on the card at 2.52 that can go the way of Major Fortune for the Skelton team, a big improver when stepped up in trip last season who won five on the spin and returned this season in similar form when landing a Newton Abbot contest last week. This is a big step up in class but has by the far the best form on offer so is taken to go in again under a 7lb penalty, while the penultimate race on the card (3.27) is a good chance for Thelasthighking to get back on track for the in-form Nigel Twiston-Davies yard having failed to kick on from a positive start to last season.
Finally, the card comes to a close with the bumper contest at 4.02, held over the two-mile trip and it represents another winning chance for the Skelton yard, who have been on fire with their bumper runners so far this season and Brookside La could be the one to side with in the finale, a €100,000 Shantou gelding that is a brother to the fairly useful hurdler Hands Of Gold.
Newbury selections - Thursday
12.30 - Junkanoo
1.05 - Pure Carbon
1.40 - Destroytheevidence
2.17 - Listentoyourheart
2.52 - Major Fortune
3.27 - Thelasthighking
4.02 - Brookside La
