ITV Racing Saturday Newbury And Warwick Preview

The first race of the afternoon sees the Class 3 Handicap Novices' Limited Handicap Chase over 2m7f and Bravemansgame is the standout selection.

The Grade One winning hurdler took to chasing in impressive fashion at Newton Abbot on seasonal debut, jumping a near perfect round whilst making all from the front.

He then went to Haydock and against another experienced field went on to win easily, being eased down towards the end.

Looking to land a hat-trick over the bigger obstacles in the Grade One Kauto Star Novices' Chase at Kempton over Christmas, he outjumped and saw off the challenge of Ahoy Senor to land the spoils.

He drops into a handicap for this event and if anywhere near his best should win and then head onto the spring festivals.

The first big race of the day at Warwick is the Listed Mares' Hurdle over 2m5f and the Cheltenham festival winner Indefatigable should get back to winning ways.

A very consistent type for the Paul Webber yard that has given this trainer some of his best days in the sport and this event gives her a big chance to get back in the winners enclosure.

Landing the Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle at huge odds back in 2020, she has since gone on to perform well in same sex races but also against the boys.

This term she made her seasonal debut on the flat at Pontefract over 12f when winning a Maiden Stakes ahead of the talented juvenile Doctor Parnassus.

That run set her up perfectly for the Grade Two bet365 Hurdle at Wetherby when seeing off Proschema, Paisley Park and Thomas Darby with ease.

Looking to land the hat-trick she ran no sort of race in the Grade Two Long Distance Hurdle, but bounced back to form last time out at Cheltenham when a nose second to Martello Sky in a same sex handicap.

She is by far the best horse in this race on ratings and being a course and distance winner, she looks a good bet.

Next up is the three mile Handicap Hurdle and we are siding with last year's winner Polish for Fergal O'Brien to go close again off the same mark as last season.

Being a very up and down horse throughout his career, he seems to peak around the mark of 130 and also around February, with him being primed for this race now two years in a row.

In this event last term he stayed on best of the rest and cleaned up on his jumping to get to the front at the last and stayed on best of the rest to take the event.

This term he was a winner on the flat at Goodwood in October and has then been seen three times over hurdles getting his mark down from 137 to 130 and he now looks on a mark to strike again.

One to watch.

The feature race of the afternoon is the Grade Two Kingmaker Novices' Chase over two miles and Edwardstone for Alan King looks the bet.

The gelding has been exceptional since going over fences this term, having a slight hiccup on debut when being bought down at Warwick when travelling well, but next time out put things right over the same C&D when taking a decent two mile Novices' Chase.

Stepped up to Grade One company next time out he went on to improve once more to land the Henry VIII Novices' Chase at Sandown, seeing off his closes rivals War Lord and Third Time Lucki by 16 lengths.

With the second and third since franking that form line, Edwardstone went to Kempton and also boosted it by making it a hat-trick of wins when landing the Grade Two Wayward Lad Novices' Chase.

Now he takes on Third Time Luck for a second time and although they will be a lot closer together come the finish.

One of the feature races of the afternoon at Newbury is the Grade Two Denman Chase over 2m7f and we can't look past last year's second in the race Clan Des Obeaux.

The Paul Nicholls trained gelding has been a superstar for the yard over the years, winning numerous big races both in England and Ireland and at a track he likes he should be tough to beat.

The two time King George winner ran away with the Betway Bowl at Aintree in April last season, winning by 26 lengths to re-assert himself as Britain’s leading staying chaser after having lost his King George crown last season.

However, arguably his best career performance to date came in the Punchestown Gold Cup at the back end of last season, beating a two-time Gold Cup winner, and other multiple graded winning horses back in behind him.

He won by just under two lengths and asserted himself once again to be one of the best staying chasers in the game.

This season he has only been seen once to date, primed for a run in his fourth King George, looking to retain his title, he could only run on into second behind Tornado Flyer.

That is some strong form, but he will have to be near his best facing a younger rival in Royal Pagaille who is a very talented stayer on his day.

Another smart race at Newbury is the Grade Two Game Spirit Chase over two miles and we are going for the youngest horse in the race, Hitman.

Having ran respectably over hurdles in France the son of Falco made his British/chase debut at Ffos Las in November in very tricky conditions.

The six year old took every fence in his stride, getting better as the race went on and went on to win the event by an eased down 30 lengths.

That performance was highly impressive and he looked to prove he was a Grade One horse in the making next time out at Sandown when being entered into the Henry VIII Novices' Chase.

Having a big reputation the yard thought he had a big chance but on the day he had to settle for second behind the impressive Allmankind, who landed the event in good style.

With that run under his belt in Grade One company he headed into the Scilly Isles Novices' Chase on Saturday, looking for the step up in trip to really bring him along but unfortunately he fell.

He got back to winning ways at Newbury before heading to Aintree in the Grade One Manifesto Novices' Chase where he looked the winner jumping the last but was outstayed close home and finished a narrow third.

This season he has been twice, starting the Grade Two Haldon Gold Cup where getting tired after jumping the last and was chinned close home by Eldorado Allen.

Looking to go one better in the Grade One Tingle Creek, he again had to settle for second behind stablemate Greaneteen and having now not been seen since then he should be primed for this event.

A very interesting runner comes in the 2m4f Handicap Chase with Robbie Power coming over to Warwick for one ride on Dinny Lacey and we are siding with him.

The eight year old gelding had not shown much form before bouncing back last time out when third at Limerick on heavy ground behind two smart horses at Christmas in a good handicap chase.

Up 6lb for this race he looks to still have enough in hand and if improving for the better ground could be a contender at an each way price.

Trainer J Motherway has only ever had three runners in England since 2003, with two coming at Cheltenham and one at Aintree, so now having a runner at Warwick really makes things interesting.

One to watch.

The feature race of the afternoon is the Grade Three Betfair Hurdle and Jpr One for Colin Tizzard looks exceptionally well handicapped off 130.

The exciting five year old has been seen three times in his career, all over hurdles, making his debut in November at Exeter when seeing off the likeable I Am Maximus and Luttrell Lad in an 18 runner Novices' Hurdle.

Looking to back that up he went to Cheltenham in a smaller fielded event that still held some good talent and he was an ulnucky loser back in second.

In January when last seen he got back to winning ways in taking style at Taunton in a Novices' Hurdle over 2m3f, staying out the further trip well.

Having that stamina coming back to Two miles is a positive in a race like this and stepping into his first handicap off only a a mark of 130 is another bonus.

Should have a big chance if running his race and with only 14 entries at this stage he looks a big player.