Five Horses To Follow This Weekend - 05/02/2019

The 2018 King George winner Clan Des Obeaux looks set for a run in this Saturday's Denman Chase at Newbury, ahead of his pursuit of the third and final leg of the Jumps Triple Crown - the Magners Gold Cup at the Cheltenham Festival.

Despite several claiming that Native River's profile still sits perfectly for a stamina test around the Cheltenham contours, it is Clan Des Obeaux who holds the best form in England after his sensational success gave Paul Nicholls a record tenth win in the Kempton showpiece over Christmas.

Clan Des Obeaux who has improved leaps and bounds in the last twelve months, deserves his place amongst the market principles for next month's feature, and can do his backers no harm with a strongly run race in this contest this weekend.

Paul Nicholls also has a strong selection in the Grade Three Betfair Hurdle later in the day at Newbury, in the shape of Getaway Trump.

After his debut fourth at Chepstow, he was two on the bounce after wins at both Plumpton and Exeter caught the eye, before his presidency came to an end to the hands of Nicky Henderson's Champ here over Christmas - favourite for next month's Ballymore.

However, that was the 6yo's first throw at the dice at Grade One level, and he finished a very creditable second, just two lengths down on the classy winner.

Dropping to a handicap and to a Grade Three, he can pick up the pieces from a reasonable weight to consolidate his claims for what will look to be a shot at the opening race of the Festival - his preferred distance of two miles in the Supreme.

You do not get many runners for Simon Munir and Isaac Souede trained by Gordon Elliott at all these days if ever, but Missy Tata could make her long awaited return from injury at Warwick this weekend in the Mares Listed Hurdle.

Off the track for 773 days, she somehow rests as a 10/1 shot for the Mares Hurdle at this year's Festival. She was last seen winning a similar contest at Limerick over the Christmas of 2016, dislodging small runner fields in her wake.

She has got experience at Cheltenham - the only one British course she has set foot on, when she finished fourth in the Fred Winter nearly three years ago.

Clearly held in high regard, it seems such a long time since we saw her ability grace the race track, and hopefully that long wait will come to end this weekend - and who knows, Elliott may have a strong chance in the Mares with this 7yo with Apples Jade heading to the Champion.

With options at both Newbury and Warwick this weekend, it appears as though we will see Amy Murphy's Kalashnikov one more time before next month's crack at the Arkle at Cheltenham.

Last seen finishing second to Dynamite Dollars at Kempton in the Wayward Lad, this 6yo gelding clearly prefers a left handed track - a type of circuit he has only been seen losing once in six attempts, with that coming in last year's Supreme at the hands of Summerville Boy.

Sparkled here at Warwick on chasing debut back in November, but also at Newbury in last season's Betfair Hurdle when winning in heavy conditions.

Two tracks he has a great record at, he is entered in the Kingmaker in the East Midlands along with the Exchange Chase in Berkshire to consolidate his claims for a first Grade One in just under five weeks time.

Anthony Honeyball - known for his fine team of Mares, could send out Ms Parfois for only the second time this season in the Listed Exeter Racecourse Mares Chase on Sunday.

Tailing off when sixth in the Ladbrokes Chase back in December, that run was surely used to brush away the cobwebs after over six months off the course.

She had a fine campaign last year, proving stamina is one of her highest qualities when only finding Rathvinden just too good in the Cheltenham four-miler.

Pipped on the line for victory, it was to be the second of three efforts she finished second in by a narrow margin, including a great performance behind Terrefort in the Mildmay Novices Chase at Aintree.

Won plenty of races earlier last season and has a lot of quality in her demeanour. Perhaps a Grand National swerve beckons in the weeks to come.