Rory Delargy

NEWBURY SATURDAY

1.50 BE WISER INSURANCE HANDICAP CHASE 3M 1F 214Y

Dawson City has been frustrating on the whole since sent chasing, often looking better than the result, but struggling for the breakthrough he often hints at. He managed to end a barren run when scoring at Wincanton last time but even then needed a late faller to gift-wrap that success. In fairness to him, he did win by more than 30 lengths in the end, and the very fact that he’s put his head in front could well be the catalyst for an upturn in form. He remains feasibly handicapped despite a 7lb rise for Wincanton and makes most appeal in a tricky contest to assess.

Coolking arrives here seeking a four-timer, but his most recent win came in a modest event at Plumpton, and he’s in much deeper here. Shotavodka bounced back to form in a veterans’ race here three weeks ago, and would go close with a repeat, but isn’t certain to be in the same form given his in-and-out profile.

2.25 INSURE WITH BE WISER HANDICAP CHASE 2M 3F 187Y

He looks a very risky proposition given the number of letters in his form figures, but O’Maonlai almost always gives his running at Newbury and he was still going well when clouting one as the race was warming up here earlier in the month. At the point of that blunder, he was looking a threat to Thomas Crapper and Vic De Touzaine, who both went on to compete with distinction at Cheltenham. That’s form to mark up and O’Maonlai can be deemed in good form on the basis of what he did for most of that race, his fate quickly accepted when his momentum had gone. He’s now 9lb higher than when routing his field in the competitive Sir Peter O’Sullevan Handicap Chase here on Hennessy Day and that looks a very fair mark on balance.

Casino Markets is an interesting rival having his first outing since finishing third to Fox Norton at Cheltenham in October, and he can race off the same mark here. He’s a low-mileage chaser with age on his side, and while his fitness must be taken on trust, it’s encouraging that Emma Lavelle had a televised winner last weekend.

3.00 EBF & TBA MARES’ “NATIONAL HUNT” NOVICES’ HURDLE FINALE (Grade 2) 2M 4F 118Y

Ruby Yeats was attempting to concede weight to Verdana Blue at Hereford on her latest start, and that run looks increasingly solid given the winner’s subsequent exploits. Having followed up at Taunton, Nicky Henderson’s mare then took on the best in the Dawn Run at the Cheltenham Festival and finished a highly creditable fourth behind Let’s Dance. In light of that performance, Ruby Yeats appears to have been given a real chance by the handicapper on a mark of just 120 and she can prove too strong for her rivals in this valuable event.

Grand Turina won well at Warwick last time, but she raced very freely in front there, and is not at all sure to be suited by this more galloping track, while the step up in trip is another imponderable, with more speed than stamina on the dam’s side of her pedigree. Snow Leopardess strikes me as a bigger threat, and she should do better in this big field than she did of a pedestrian gallop at Doncaster on her latest outing.

3.35 OCSL JUVENILE HANDICAP HURDLE 2M 2F 183Y

Nick Williams saddled first and fifth in the Fred Winter at Cheltenham and it’s fair to say that he knows where he stands with the juvenile crop. Night Of Sinn looks a really promising sort, as you would expect as a half-brother to the yard’s former inmate and Champion Chase runner-up Fox Norton. He should be able to complete a hat-trick after wins at Bangor and Warwick, where he made all to beat Landin. That horse was far from disgraced in finishing eighth behind Defi Du Seuil in the Triumph itself and it’s form the assessor seems to have undervalued.

4.45 GOFFS UK SPRING SALES BUMPER 2M 69Y

Chez Castel Mail is more exposed than a few here after three runs, but he sets the standard on either his second to the promising Way Back Then at Ludlow or a facile win at Fontwell last month, on each occasion impressing with how smoothly he travelled through the race. There should be more to come from Ali Stronge’s five-year-old gelding and he can reward each-way support.

KELSO SATURDAY

2.40 EDINBURGH GIN HANDICAP HURDLE 3M 1F 170Y

Knockara Beau may be well into the veteran stage, and this may conceivably be his last race, but he retains nearly all of his old ability, and is capable of turning the clock back with conditions right up his street. He wasn’t beaten far despite the inadequate trip in the Morebattle Hurdle won by Cyrus Darius here and is overpriced in his bid to gain a sixth course win.

3.15 LIZ ADAM MEMORIAL HANDICAP CHASE 3M 2F 39Y

Seldom Inn has won both chase starts at this venue and did well to pull clear of Tenor Nivernais after a mistake at the third-last fence, and that performance suggests he will be suited by stepping up further in trip. It’s dangerous to take a wide-margin win at face value, with the placed horses not running to their best but even a conservative view of the form suggests that a mark of 145 is very fair indeed.

RECOMMENDED:

O’MAONLAI 2.25 Newbury –1pt win @ 7/1 (Hills)

RUBY YEATS 3.00 Newbury – 1pt e/w @ 10/1 (SkyBet)

NIGHT OF SINN 3.35 Newbury – 2pts win @ 3/1 (SkyBet)