/ Editor / 02 March 2007 / Leave a Comment

Newbury, Saturday 14:10 (2m 2f 110yd Handicap Chase)

Officier De Reserve was earmarked for the Jewson Novices' Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival after winning on his British debut at Hereford on Monday, and he looks like being a short price under his penalty in the 14:10 at Newbury.

Apart from a 'Kauto Star moment' when he tried to ignore the last fence and ploughed straight through it, this ex-French horse had jumped well and simply sauntered to victory.

Trouncing an out-of-sorts Lunar Crystal probably didn't amount to much, but his style through the race was eye-catching and he looks hard to beat.

He'll get a nice lead from the free-running Northern raider Some Touch, who goes a good gallop but is prone to the odd vital mistake. He received a canny ride from Paddy Brennan to win at Wetherby last time, having looked an unsavoury tail-swisher previously at Musselburgh and his stomach for a fight still has to be questioned.

Majlimar is an improved horse for Nick Williams, having been bought cheaply out of Henrietta Knight's yard and he is the obvious danger on paper to the favourite.

But he's another who leaves the impression that he is still not the heartiest battler and he could be worth opposing in-play, even if he is travelling well starting up the final straight.

There was nothing wrong with the finishing effort of Glimmer Of Light when he gained a hard-fought victory at Ludlow last time.

He was understandably a 40-1 chance having been tailed off in his three previous outings over fences. Go back a few months though, and evidence entitling him to win that day was there for all to see - he finished a very respectable 6th of 21 in the Swinton Hurdle at Haydock behind Acambo, ahead of such talented horses as Caracciola, Blazing Bailey and United.

Offemont's preferred engagement on Saturday is Kempton's 15:30, but Noel Chance's chaser looked woefully short of finishing speed even in winning at Warwick.

Handicapper has shackled Nozic

Newbury, Saturday 15:15 (2m 4f Handicap Chase)

Nozic has been ante-post favourite for this competitive chase since the books opened, but the handicapper has done his best to stop this progressive horse's winning run and even the trainer is not exuding confidence ahead of the Newbury feature at 15:15.

Nozic has been raised 21lb for his last two wins and surely there is something in this field that can take advantage.

The consistent Kalca Mome could be the one as he is 21lb better off for a 12-length beating by the favourite at Chepstow two runs ago. With the Hobbs stable now back in form, he should prove popular in both the win and place markets.

Stable jockey Richard Johnson opts to ride Supreme Prince, the winner of this race in 2005, rather than Kalca Mome. That doesn't necessarily indicate that he is thought of as the first string, as Supreme Prince was beaten 57 lengths in this race last year and has been out of form.

The handicapper may now have got hold of Madison du Berlais after his two wins earlier in the season, but stablemate Marcel appears still to be on an upward curve. His two latest wins make him a credible alternative to the favourite in win and place markets.

The winner of nine races in his novice season over hurdles, Marcel took seven races before gaining winning brackets over fences, but the fluent jumping that was a feature of his hurdling career is now coming to the fore again.

It is perhaps harder to see Flying Enterprise winning after his reassessment by the handicapper, but this tough nut remains a strong place candidate.

Grand National regular It Takes Time, Fundamentalist, Bold Bishop and No Full would all have excellent chances on the pick of their form, but all appear to have gone off the boil.

However, it is not hard to envisage at least one of them getting it right on Saturday and the pick of the quartet may be Bold Bishop, who would have been placed in the Sun Alliance Chase last season behind Star de Mohaison but for unluckily unseating his rider at the second last.

Nine face stiff Kelso test

Kelso, Saturday 16:25 (2m 2f Grade 2 Novice Hurdle)

Kelso is a great course for in-play punters because its long, stiff run-in often has a major influence on the outcome of races. That could again be the case in the Grade 2 novices' hurdle (16:25) on Saturday.

Perhaps the easiest thing to predict is that Bywell Beau will attempt to make all of the running and try to grind his rivals into submission. Under aggressive rides from Jan Faltejsek, it has worked on his last two visits to Kelso resulting in victories by an aggregate of 42 lengths.

However, Naiad Du Misselot reeled him in at Wetherby and a lot of punting action at Kelso will reflect how the favourite is going inside the last mile and whether he should be laid.

Even if Bywell Beau is looking good at that point, two to bear in mind are Sir Boreas Hawk and Malakiya, who are both stepping up in class.

Sir Boreas Hawk has had a successful bumper career with Alan Swinbank, but the way he trounced three previous winners at Catterick on his hurdles debut suggests he might be even better over hurdles.

Malakiya has done all that has been asked of him to win his last two races and Jonjo O'Neill knows what is needed to win this race having taken the prize in 2000 with Master Tern, who used this race as a warm-up before winning the County Hurdle.

The trainer with the best previous record in the race is Howard Johnson, who has won two of the last three runnings, the latest back in 2005 with Ebor winner Mephisto.

It is highly significant that from his strong team of novices, Johnson relies on the maiden Balyan - runner-up in two races at Musselburgh on much faster ground than he will face on Saturday.

The keen-going four-year-old Marodima should attract place punters as long as he doesn't get involved in a war up front with Bywell Beau. He finished strongly in winning at Towcester last time.

The reverse was the case with Mohayer, who forfeited a three-length lead at the last flight when beaten on his latest start. That has to be a worry at this severe track, while the consistent Nevertika looks as if he wants a step up to three miles rather than going back in trip.

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