There is the potential for £100,000 to be won in the ITV7 on Saturday if Constitution Hill wins the Grade 1 Fighting Fifth Hurdle. There is still £50,000 to be won even if he does not, as GG tipster Joe Napier guides you through Saturday’s competition with his selections.
Race 1 – 2.00pm Newcastle – BetMGM Fighting Fifth Hurdle (Grade 1)
A rejuvenated Constitution Hill is a fearsome prospect for all, while Anzadam remains an intriguing State Man understudy. However, The New Lion promises to be just as well-suited by 2m as he was 2m4f in the Turners Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, which he won so impressively from some serious rivals. He had also bolted up in the Challow Novices’ Hurdle prior to that when simply having too much acceleration for his rivals and he looks a genuine future star for Dan Skelton, who may just have too much ability at this particular moment.
Race 2 – 2.15pm Newbury – Coral Racing Club Intermediate Handicap Hurdle
Although his winning run was ended last time, Indemnity emerged with just as much, if not more, credit than for any of his prior victories when second at Ascot four weeks ago. The winner subsequently hacked up in the Greatwood at Cheltenham, but Emma Lavelle’s charge had looked like beating him in Berkshire at the beginning of November only to get outpaced, but he continued to look progressive that day. Up just 1lb in the handicap for that result, he should still have wins in him before the handicapper gets to grips with him.
Race 3 – 2.35pm Newcastle – BetMGM Handicap Hurdle
The four-year-old Brace For Landing joins The New Lion on the truck to Newcastle and boasts a profile that could easily be substantially improved upon. The four-year-old was given a very quiet introduction to racing on these shores when third in a Stratford novice event a little over four weeks ago, but he had looked promising in a pair of age-only events in France before joining the Skelton team. A mark of 120 is steep on the value of his form so far, but he could well have significantly more to offer with attentions turned to handicaps.
Race 4 – 2.42pm Doncaster – Dransfields CIU National Charity Handicap Hurdle
Charging Thunder remains well-treated on his flat form, but has not cut it over hurdles and the ground could have too much cut in it for him here. One horse who that will suit is Aviemore, who has been found what looks to be a much easier opportunity than on his return at Chepstow. That contest on good ground suggested he needed the run, but he won on his second and third starts of last season, definitively improving form race to race until outclassed in Grade 1 company, but he remains plausibly handicapped for the right race and this might be it.
Race 5 – 2.55pm Newbury – Coral Gold Cup Handicap Chase
Top-weight Monty’s Star may well prove classy enough to concede weight all-round in this historic handicap. Though he is not the choice of Henry De Bromhead’s stable jockey Darragh O’Keeffe, he is only conceding 8lb to shorter-priced stablemate Gorgeous Tom despite surely possessing enough ability to make light of that concession, as well as to plenty of others in this field. But for one bad mistake down the back straight he would have placed in the Gold Cup at Cheltenham, showing his hardiness and stamina to still finish fourth and he also was not beaten far in the Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown. Anything akin to those efforts, minus any serious jumping errors, give him a chance here.
Race 6 – 3.15pm Newcastle – BetMGM Rehearsal Handicap Chase
Two runs over fences last winter provided a close second and a win in the Grade 3 Great Yorkshire Handicap Chase for Docpickedme who may well bounce right back to form here at Newcastle. The nine-year-old will have 5lb taken off by Charlie Maggs, who rode him to victory in that Doncaster race, and was a promising fifth on return over hurdles at Newbury. He is less effective over the smaller obstacles, while he usually takes a blow on his reappearance, so that run was especially promising and he is only 2lb above his last winning mark here.
Race 7 – 3.35pm Newbury – Coral “Pipped-At-The-Post” Payouts Handicap Chase
Ready preference is for Javert Allen, whose form on return at Aintree was given a big boost at Newbury on Friday. Jane Williams’ charge was fourth that day having made plenty of the running, but was only beaten five lengths by Mambonumberfive, a promising four-year-old who won again on the aforementioned Friday at Newbury. The handicapper has seen fit to drop him a further 1lb, but that looks generous, leaving him just 1lb above the rating off which he was a short-head second at Chepstow in February on ground that would have been soft enough. This track and trip has proven suitable in the past and he should be right in the mix.
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