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The Famous Five is handicapped to go well
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Hoe Joly Smoke can make light work of a seven-pound rise
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Regent can stroll to victory in Challow Hurdle challenge
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This race can go to the upwardly mobile, The Famous Five, who was much improved for a switch to fences at Windsor last time and finished with running left.
The youngster is improving with every start, and he looks well handicapped, based on the 118 rating. He recently chased home Vincenzo, who is highly regarded by Sam Thomas, and finally put it all together. Still, it was clear that the race for Venetia Williams' horse was one in which education came before the victory. His jumping took him to the front after three fences, and he was assured on the round, but he became outpaced as the race turned into a dash over the final three fences. He could have done with a sterner test of stamina and today's long home straight at Newbury should see him in a good light.
With that recent run under his belt, I expect him to improve, and this young progressive horse is open to significantly more improvement than most in this field.
He should take a bit of stopping under Charlie Deutsch for connections with an excellent record in this race in recent years, with form figures since 2020 reading 112. He ticks plenty of boxes and can get the better of The Good Doctor.
He rates one of the day's better bets around the 3/14.00 or bigger, but use BSP here.
13:12 Newbury - Back The Famous Five
It might be worth taking a punt with Gary Moore's Spirit Daunou - 12/113.00 on the Betfair Sportsbook - who, on his best form, would be in with a right chance from this reduced handicap rating.
There are a couple of angles to consider with this unexposed five-year-old. He tends to need his seasonal return, and it's wise to consider his latest run at Sandown just that, having departed early at Ascot on his first run of the year. He has scored second time out in 2022 and 2023, and today, he has plenty in his favour to do it again for a third consecutive year.
Thanks to Freddie Mitchell's claim, he is ten pounds lower than in his Sandown victory last year and down in grade into a Class 3 contest. He also gets first-time cheekpieces, which may help him travel much easier than in the past.
He ran well at this venue in the Betfair Hurdle without having the pace to challenge, and today, he is effectively 14lb lower in a much more winnable race. He looks worth chancing to bounce back at double-figure odds, considering he was well-supported for a stronger race than this at Sandown last time.
Back the selection at 7/18.00 or bigger.
13:45 Newbury - Back Spirit Daunou
Hoe Joly Smoke - 7/24.50 on the Betfair Sportsbook - won with plenty in hand at Sandown 22 days ago for this column, and there is no reason to abandon him, having shown a liking for this venue over hurdles last December.
The progressive six-year-old perhaps should have won on his debut over fences, but he put that right when crossing the line, pulling a cart at Sandown last time on his first crack over fences at his optimum distance. The Dan Skelton runner is very unexposed over three miles, but his two best efforts, which include over hurdles here at Newbury, suggest this distance and beyond will prove his forte.
Harry Skelton is in the saddle, and his form is rock solid. A seven-pound rise will not be enough to stop him. This is an excellent spot for him to land back-to-back races.
The selection is the best-handicapped horse in the field, entirely unexposed and on the upgrade. He is also entitled to improve on more fronts than one to get the better of Paul Nicholls' Brave Kingdom, last year's winner Surrey Quest, and recent Newbury Gold Cup fifth Henry's Friend.
Back the selection at 11/43.75 or bigger.
14:20 Newbury - Back Hoe Joly Smoke
On the figures, Regent's Stroll - 13/82.63 on the Betfair Sportsbook - has a bit to find, but he left a lasting impression when running out an easy winner of his Maiden Hurdle here 29 days ago, and the circuit was very fair considering the blunder he made at two out.
He left a positive impact in how he responded to Harry Cobden following that mistake with only a nudge or two down the neck, seeing him glide away and quicken clear on the run in underhand and heels. It bodes well that the runner-up has since finished third, beaten seven lengths by Potters Charm in the Aintree Grade 1 Hurdle over the Christmas period, and the fourth was only narrowly touched off at Exeter next time.
He surely has plenty more to offer, particularly now that he has stepped up in distance to a more adequate 2m4f for the first time. His jumping was mostly electric, and he could easily be the best of the Paul Nicholls horses to have taken in this race in recent times.
It's no coincidence that his owners sent their other horse, Potters Charm, to the race at Aintree; this is probably their best horse.
Back the selection at 13/82.63 or bigger.
14:55 Newbury - Back Regents Stroll
Podcast selections
13:45 Newbury - Spirit Daunou / Mr Hope Street
14:00 Leopardstown - Hewick
14:20 Newbury - Hoe Joly Smoke
14:35 Leopardstown - No Bet
14:55 Newbury - Regents Stroll
15:10 Leicester - Hunter Legend
15:35 Newbury - Theformismighty