What's On This Week In Racing - 18/01/2019

After a fairly insignificant Monday, Taunton and Wetherby are the locations for Tuesday's afternoon jumps meetings.

Arguably, the best race comes from Somerset and is Class Two Handicap Hurdle, where Warren Greatrex's Encore Champs could continue his fine progression from recent weeks.

Couple of wins with different jockeys aboard, this 5yo failed to handle the initial step-up to Graded company, when down the field in a supreme trial.

Got back to winning ways at Kelso a month ago in a lower rated field, so plenty of ability there and again faces stiff competition, most in particular with Harry Whittingdon's Anemoi.

Interesting clash, which is also the case in Yorkshire, where Movie Legend, Yorkist and the versatile Mixboy come together in a Class Three Handicap Chase.

Wolverhampton stage seven races sponsored by Betway, commencing at 5:30.

From here on in, the racing gets busier and busier after the BHA promised to include additional fixtures to cover the ones lost in last week's Equine Flu saga.

Jumping takes place at Doncaster and Ludlow in the UK in the afternoon, along with seven races headlined by the Quevega Listed Hurdle in Ireland.

Donny showcase the second leg of the Veterans Chase Series final, with Buywise heading the weights, who fell in the 2018 final at Sandown five days into the new year.

Magic Dancer - second in the Betfair Hurdle at Ascot on Saturday holds an entry at Ludlow, whilst all eyes will be on Punchestown, to see if Laurina - first and foremost takes her place in the field, and secondly, sets up her Champion Hurdle credentials with a smooth success.

Wolverhampton and Newcastle both host six races on the All-weather: Wolverhampton at twilight, and Newcastle commencing at 2:00pm.

Supreme Fancy Angels Breath - who was due to run at Huntingdon a couple of weeks ago, will be given a chance to sharpen is fitness in a MansionBet Novices Hurdle.

Champion Trainer Nicky Henderson spoke at his yard on Monday venting his frustration over new regulations ruling out some of his horses running in their preparation towards Cheltenham - including RSA favourite Santini.

Angels Breath made his British and stable debuts at Ascot, when skipping clear up the run-in, and could be a horse going places.

Martin Keighley's Solstice Star looks set to do battle in an interesting match-up at Sedgefield with seven races on ther card, with Keith Dalgleish's I'm To Blame, along with Crixus's Escape from Gillian Boanas' yard.

We have a Grade Three action from Thurles over the Ballymore distance, whilst Chelmsford, Southwell and once again Wolverhampton carry on the preparations for the All-weather finals in April.

Lil Rockerfeller and Minella Rocco both look the standout names with possible engagements at Exeter on Thursday.

Both of which will look to get their respective careers back on track by qualifying for the Pertemps Final next month at Cheltenham, whilst Morney Wing and Skipthescales could feature in the day's other star attraction - the Devon National over just shy of four miles.

Catterick showcase six races from the North which includes a couple of nice Class Three's to get stuck into, with in between those, Warwick holding a useful seven race card, including a smart Class Two Handicap Chase involving the likes of Rather Be and Doitforthevillage - both in with good chances.

Dundalk's usual card under lights on Friday nights kicks off at 5:30, with Chelmsford and Lingfield for company on the artificial surface.

Florencio - second at the Surrey track on Saturday, will look to go one better off a pound less.

Last Saturday's action looks hard to beat, but regardless the build-up towards Cheltenham continues with top notch cards in front of the ITV cameras at Kempton and Newcastle.

Four graded races in Sunbury - two over hurdles and two over fences, Bright Forecast and Rouge Vif look the standout names in the Dovecote Novices, both on route to the Supreme, whilst Glen Rocco has opened up as the favourite to land the 888Sport Handicap Chase over three miles.

Rocco - a winner here in January, was part of that 32Red Chase at Sunbury over Christmas - won by Glen Forsa, with the third, fourth and fifth winning since, including Carlos Du Fruitier, who successfully landed a second Royal Artillery Gold Cup for Brodie Hampson on Friday.

The Vertem Eider Handicap Chase looks a gruelling test of stamina in the Newcastle feature, and at the time of writing, there are still as many as twenty-four names in the hat for that.

The Winter Derby is also being televised on freeview screens, with Wissahickon a strong fancy to land this Group 3 for John Gosden, after his simple victory in the trial here last time.

Chepstow showcase seven races sponsored by Pertemps Network, with Wolverhampton keeping up the gallop with six more, beginning from 5:30pm.

Everything appears to calm down on Sunday, with two cards in the UK - Carlisle and Fontwell.

Grand Morning, who was prolific back in the day over hurdles for 2017 Grand National winning trainer Lucinda Russell, looks to get his last chance over fences after a couple of pull-ups.

Gordon Elliott also notably, has a couple in the final race - the Mares Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race, including Ayr scorer Arion Sky.

Fontwell meanwhile also have seven races, beginning twenty minutes before Carlisle, which looks to be one of their big race meetings of the year, as they host the Grade Two National Spirit Hurdle.

Brandon Castle, Ballymoy and If The Cap Fits, just some of the names with early entries.

Capeland will also look to get back to winning ways for man-of-the-moment Paul Nicholls earlier in the day, in the Josh Gifford Memorial Novices Chase.