What's On This Week In Racing 04/02/19

With Carlisle already abandoned, another week of racing in the UK could be hit yet again by the recent bitter conditions.
After Sandown’s incredible effort to get Saturday’s card to go ahead, many racecourses will hope the worst of the weather is now behind them, and thus fancy their chances of getting the green light for this week’s action.

Taunton currently holds the key to jumps racing on Monday afternoon, featuring a couple of Class Three events – one hurdle contest, and one chase.

The Mares Novice Hurdle is of good interest, as Anthony Honeyball – known to have several good mares in his yard, sends Dulhallow Gesture to Somerset looking to get off the mark at the third attempt.

Chelmsford have six races on the All-weather commencing at 2:00pm, before the Monday Night Club once again heads to Wolverhampton, where Richard Kingscote has a couple of chances which could lead him closer to 1,000 overall winners.

Market Rasen and Sedgefield are the locations for the hurdles and steeplechases contests on Tuesday afternoon. The opener from Market Rasen features several top juveniles for a Class Four contest.

Capone and Lisheen Castle arrive off recent wins, whilst Liva – in the colours of Simon Munir and Isaac Souede, travelled like a dream at Musselburgh prior to Christmas, before finding one too good at the same venue on New Years Day.

He will look to make amends for connections, who also have Muratello in the day’s feature – the Sherwoods Marquees NH Novices Hurdle Qualifier over two-and-a-half miles.

Sedgefield host six races from the North East, where Gordon Elliott could send the unbeaten Galvin for a Northern Staying Hurdle Series Qualfiier, but will need to manage a mouth-watering weight.

Newcastle – who were forced to abandon an all-weather card last week, attempt to host seven more races, beginning at ten past four.

Midweek we head to Ayr, Kempton and Ludlow for the afternoons spectacles. Ayr and Ludlow both host jumps meetings, with the latter showcasing the return of Philip Hobbs’ 10yo Brother Tedd, who has been off for exactly six hundred days.

Brother Tedd was last seen finishing second to the Paul Nicholls-trained Alcala at Newton Abbot in the summer of 2017, and has some solid form in the book; most notably beating dual King George winner Silviniaco Conti – also trained by Nicholls, in a Class Two hurdle contest back in 2017.

Nicholls also holds a strong hand in the headline act at Kempton on the All-weather – a Class Four London Middle Distance Qualifier, with Red Force One looking to get back into winning ways after failing to land a four-time at Sandown back in September.

The 4yo could clash with Amy Murphy’s Thaqaffa, who was a dual course and distance winner around this time twelve months ago. Seven more races sponsored by Betway are scheduled to take place at Wolverhampton, kicking off at 5:10.

Providing the weather does not have an impact in proceedings, Thursday looks set to be the busiest day of the week. Jumping is the topic of conversation at both Doncaster, Ffos Las and Huntingdon in the UK in the afternoon. Court Liability who disappointed at Huntingdon last time heads to Doncaster, looking to make amends for his recent upset in a Class Two hurdle, by dropping back down in Grade.

The commentator has his work cut out in the Laugharne Corportation Chase at 3:00 pm at Ffos Las, with the likes of Brynmawr, Joueur Bresilien and Againn Dul Aghaidh all currently entered.

Huntingdon’s seven races sponsored by Mansion Bet is headlined by a Listed Novice Hurdle over just short of two-and-a-half miles, where many of the horses due to run at Musselburgh’s trials day on Saturday may get the run they need here.

That includes current Supreme favourite Angels Breath. Thurles host their first seven races since Irish Gold Cup day, whilst the day closes with another seven races on the artificial surface at Chelmsford.

Grech and Parkin have enjoyed a successful season to date, and could be in with a chance should Gallahers Cross fulfil his entry at Bangor-on-dee on Friday.

Two runs since making the move to Nicky Henderson’s yard, he has finished fourth on both occasions, but is very highly thought of at home and perhaps we have not seen the best of him yet.

In England, Kempton showcase six races over obstacles commencing at ten-to-two. Again Grech & Parkin are well represented in the most valuable race of the day – with Cracking Destiny in the Matchbook VIP Chase, this time trained by Ian Williams.

Southwell could see the return of Space Bandit in the Class 5 six furlong handicap – who was a winner at the venue just a few days ago, whilst Archimedes, who one of our followers needed for a massive payout last Friday night, will get a chance at retribution in the Betway Sprint Handicap.

Saturday: Newbury takes centre stage on another Super Saturday afternoon in front of the ITV cameras, with the Betfair Hurdle just one of the major ingredients involved on a great day’s racing.

Won last year by Kalashnikov – who went onto finish second in the Supreme, the likes of Al Dancer and Getaway Trump could clash in what looks a pre-Supreme if you like – the latter who has already been the subject of some considerable market support.

Elsewhere, the Kingmaker Novices Chase takes place at Warwick – won last year by Saint Calvados. The entries for the contest have not been released at the time of writing, but could be the last chance for any horses with Arkle credentials to state their claims.

Lingfield continue their build up to All-weather finals day with six races beginning at 1:45, whilst Uttoxeter gets underway twenty-five minutes before that.

Wolverhampton has seven more races at Twilight, kicking off just after five o’clock, which includes a decent looking seller.