TODAY’s racing is not the most inspiring day of racing that we have had in, oh, in about four days, but then, what did you expect after the most enthralling week of the year which once again fully lived up to the lofty expectations that went with it? And then there is Aintree and Fairyhouse and Punchestown and Sandown on the horizon. Even Our Lord took a break for a day.

That said, there are seven races at Newbury and there will probably be seven winners.

One of them could be Theatre Territory in the EBF and TBA Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle Final. Nicky Henderson’s mare has plenty in her favour.

Winner of a point-to-point at Ballindenisk, the daughter of King’s Theatre was a good bumper mare last season, even though she didn’t win. Third behind Copper Kay in a good mares’ bumper at Cheltenham’s November meeting, she finished second in another decent mares’ bumper at Ascot in February, and she was considered good enough for connections to allow her contest the Grade 2 mares’ bumper at Aintree last April.

She got off the mark over hurdles on her first attempt at Uttoxeter in December, then stepped forward from that and ran a good race behind talented mares Coillte Lass and Dusky Legend at Taunton at the end of December, when she just kept on to finish third over that two-mile trip.

Stepped up to two and a half miles next time, racing over today’s course and distance, she was probably going to win an admittedly ordinary enough mares’ hurdle fairly easily when she came down at the second last flight.

She was a little disappointing last time in a Grade 2 contest at Sandown behind Colin’s Sister, but soft ground at Sandown can be tricky enough, and it is probable that today’s race was on her trainer’s radar by then anyway. Nicky Henderson has sent out the winner of this race four times in the last 10 years, and hopefully that Sandown run will have brought Theatre Territory on nicely for today.

She was Henderson’s only entry in the race at the five-day stage, the good to soft ground should be ideal, she is proven at the track, this is probably her optimum trip, and she has Sam Waley-Cohen for company, who takes off an always-valuable 3lb. A mark of 127 is more than fair for Robert Waley-Cohen’s mare for her handicap debut – she was dropped 1lb after her Sandown run – and she could run a big race. She is an each-way bet, as long as at least 16 of the 17 stand their ground.

Some 35 minutes earlier, Aqua Dude could run well in the two-and-a-half-mile handicap chase.

Evan Williams’ horse ran a big race last time to finish second to Captain Redbeard in a two-and-a-half-mile novices’ handicap chase at Haydock.

He travelled like the most likely winner from a long way out that day, but he just couldn’t get past the game winner. He didn’t lose much in going down by a short-head to Stuart Coltherd’s horse – whose run in the Close Brothers Chase at Cheltenham you can forgive – with the pair of them coming 20 lengths clear of their rivals and posting a good time.

The handicapper raised Aqua Dude 6lb for that run, but that was fair for the performance. Also, he is only seven and that was just his fifth run over fences, so he has plenty of scope for progression.

The form of the Evan Williams horses is a little bit of a worry, but the positives far outweigh that potential negative. Aqua Dude goes well on a flat track, two and a half miles looks like a good trip for him and, given how well he travels through his races, he should be able to go forward now. Also, he was running well on his only run at Newbury, in a good novices’ handicap chase on New Year’s Day – a race that was won by subsequent dual winner Belami Des Pictons – when he came down at the third last fence. He could make amends today.

Recommended

Theatre Territory, 1 point each-way, 16/1 (generally)

Aqua Dude, 1pt win, 7/1 (generally)