Events / Andrew Hughes / 26 November 2009 /

Andrew Hughes has been scrutinising Friday's card to bring us his recommendations for punting success on Day Two of Newbury's Winter Festival

Would Mille Chief have won at Market Rasen if he hadn't come a cropper after the second last? Probably. But we'll never know for sure. I certainly wouldn't be backing him at [13.0] for the Triumph hurdle or dabbling at likely odds of [1.8] or shorter in the opening race of Friday's card, the Q Associates Juvenile Novices Hurdle. The Paul Nicholls horse, Royal Mix will probably attract most of the money not been thrown at Mille Chief, but that one is likely to be too short as well, so I'll be backing Nick Williams's Me Voici at [25.0] or better. He was sketchy on his hurdling debut back in September, but is just the type that this trainer does well with (see Pistolet Noir) and has bags more scope for improvement than the rest of these.

The 1:30 is your typical Novice Handicap Chase: a liquorice allsorts of a race. Some of them can't jump and some of them aren't that good, so I don't have any problem in passing over the obvious candidates and plucking out a fencing debutant. Princeful is a hefty creature who showed up reasonably over hurdles, but was always going to be a chaser and if you listen to Venetia Williams (which you always should), he's going to be a different proposition over the bigger obstacles. He has apparently schooled like a stag and is an excellent betting vehicle at likely odds of [10.0]

Despite some sketchy hurdling, the five-year-old Baltazhar King thundered up the Cheltenham hill last time out and the step up to three miles for the 2:05 Pertemps Handicap Hurdle Qualifier will suit him admirably. Back him at [6.0] or better. I'd also have an interest in Trigger The Light. Admittedly, he was hopeless over fences last season, but in his brief hurdling career, he showed himself suited by a stamina test and plenty of cut in the turf, just the kind of conditions he'll encounter in this corner of Berkshire. Back over hurdles to recover his confidence, you'll have to take it on trust that he'll be ready first time out, but at likely odds of [20.0] or more, you'll get ample compensation for your risk.

The 2:40 Berkshire Novices Chase is a race out of the top drawer, won by Denman in 2006. This year, it's all about Punchestowns. He's a class act, no doubt, but I'm not that tempted by odds of [1.31] about a strong-travelling horse that has never jumped a fence under race conditions. Apparently he hadn't even faced the timber at home as late as the middle of November due to the unseasonable firm ground. If he's going to be vulnerable, it's most likely to be today, so I'll be backing Dee Ee Williams at [6.0] or so. He was not unduly exerted to finish second on his chase debut, in a strongly run heat from which the third and fourth have since won. The extra two furlongs here will be right up his street, as will the going.

I wasn't going to get involved in the 3:15 Sportingbet.com Handicap Chase but the form of Doctor David intrigued me. He was a progressive novice last year, winning twice and getting a creditable second at Doncaster in a similar race to this one. Clearly in need of his reappearance run, he is best suited by these flat, left-handed tracks and is worth an interest at around [7.0] or better.

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