General / Andrew Hughes / 14 November 2009 / Leave a comment Free £25 Bet View Market

It's another week packed with great racing on both sides of the Irish Sea. Andrew Hughes brings us the best of the action including a showpiece event at Haydock

Sunday November 15

Cheltenham

1:10 Independent Newspaper Novices' Chase
One of the key novice events of the season, this is a two-mile Grade Two event that usually features a small field. Paul Nicholls has two of the four entries, including Tataniano, an easy winner on his chasing debut last month.

1:45 Connaught Chase
A two-mile conditions chase, this race has attracted some classy veterans including Newmill and Well Chief but is all about the autumn return of super horse Master Minded who is sure to be a very short price.

2:20 Greatwood Handicap Hurdle
A Grade Three event run over two-miles-and-half-a-furlong that is one of the most keenly fought such contests you are likely to see. Some fine horses have won this event, including Rooster Booster, Detroit City and Sizing Europe.

3:30 Cleanevent Novices' Hurdle
A Grade Two event for staying novice hurdlers and there are some interesting horses lining up, including a couple who raced on the same card at Chepstow last month: the four-year-old Reve De Sivola, impressive winner of the Persian War Novices Hurdle and Tell Massini who demonstrated ample stamina in winning a maiden hurdle.

4:00 Griffins Richard Davis Awards Standard Open NHF
Bumpers are usually worth steering clear of from a betting perspective, but this is often a competitive and informative event, well worth watching.

Cork

2:30 EBF Novice Hurdle
A three-mile slog through the mud for some stamina-laden novices, this Grade Three event features some promising young hurdlers, with the best of them probably the progressive Warne.

Punchestown

12:35 Florida Pearl Novice Chase
The going is likely to be heavy for a decent card that opens with this Grade Three for staying novices. Pick of the entries is probably Clan Tara, who finished a close second in a decent beginners chase at this course last month.

1:05 Craddockstown Novice Chase
A Grade Two event that is likely to be all about former top class hurdler Sizing Europe, an impressive winner of both his chases to date.

2:40 Dobbins & Madigans at Punchestown Hurdle
Only four entries for this Grade One run over two miles that should be a fascinating clash featuring Irish Champion Hurdler Solwhit, decent Graded hurdler Muirhead and the reappearance of the high class Hurricane Fly, one time favourite for the Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival last year.

Wednesday November 18

Clonmel

2:05 Clonmel Oil Chase
A valuable prize on offer for this Graded two-and-a-half-mile chase and though there are no superstars entered, there is an intriguing blend of unexposed and progressive chasers, from amongst which a Ryanair or even Gold Cup candidate may emerge.

2:35 EBF T.A.Morris Memorial Mares Chase
A Grade Three event that may not feature any outstanding horses but is sure to be competitive with a sizeable field of lightly raced and progressive mares going to post.

Saturday November 21

Haydock

12:25 Newton Novices' Hurdle
A highly competitive Listed event run over two-miles-and-half-a-furlong that is worth studying for potential future stars.

2:25 Timeform Betfair 'Racing Club' Fixed Brush Handicap Hurdle
A valuable Listed handicap over three-miles-and-one-furlong, this is a great betting event offering a big field of decent staying hurdlers for punters to peruse.

3:00 Betfair Chase
A three mile Grade One that is a chance for us to assess the Gold Cup credentials of some established and up and coming chasers and is a great spectacle in its own right. The potential clash between Kauto Star and the winner of the Punchestown Gold Cup, Notre Pere, will be worth the entrance money alone and the entry list includes pretty much every top staying chaser in Britain and Ireland.

Ascot

2:40 Coral Ascot Hurdle
A Grade Two run over a touch shorter than two-and-a-half miles that is traditionally a high class event and is likely to attract some of the very best hurdlers around.

3:15 Amlin 1965 Chase
Another Graded event that takes place over two-miles-and-three-furlongs although the steep gradients of the Berkshire course, combined with the likely soggy going are sure to suit those horses that stay a little further.

Tags: clonmel oil chase, haydock races, horseracing betting briefing, kauto star, master minded