Tony Calvin: An antepost look at the weekend's racing

It's one of the more low-key racing weekends coming up, but I was taken aback to see that there are 10 live Exchange markets, and at least seven on the Betfair Sportsbook, so I thought we better take a look.

Some of the races on the Exchange will take a while to beef up as running plans filter through during the week - some horses, such as Project Bluebook up at Musselburgh, are triple-entered - but let's start with the main Saturday meeting at Sandown.

All change in the Contenders Hurdle

Up until an hour ago, potentially the most important race of the week, the Contenders Hurdle, wasn't on ITV's schedule. But that has now changed and no surprise at all as the Champion Hurdle second-favourite Yanworth could line up against Brain Power and surprise entry Buveur D'Air.

Buveur D'Air was actually the 5/4 favourite with the Sportsbook for the Grade 1 Scilly Isles novice chase later in the card after two wins over fences - all change on that market this afternoon, read on - but it is really no surprise to see him given an entry over the smaller obstacles in the face of a constantly-changing Champion Hurdle picture.

Indeed, Nicky Henderson has just this afternoon announced that Buveur D'Air's chasing plans have been shelved and last year's Grade 1 Aintree novice hurdle winner, from no less than Petit Mouchoir, is now being aimed at the Champion Hurdle.

With doubts about the make-up of those two races - Betfair ambassador Paul Nicholls has four of the 12 entries in the novice chase - it is easy to keep a watching and listening brief there as the week progresses.

Bright New Dawn worth a look for Betfred Handicap

The three other handicaps put up on the Exchange are predictably more interesting, as running plans are a little easier to gauge.

I am surprised no-one has priced up the 1m7f119ys handicap chase on the fixed-odds front - which is a pain - but there is an Exchange market just up on the 13:50 and the one that really interests me at this stage is Bright New Dawn.

Firstly, this race is his only weekend entry and Aidan Coleman is already jocked up, which helps. And if he does line up then I give him a far better chance than his current odds of 9.08/1 suggest.

He travelled well for a long way on his debut for Venetia Williams over course and distance last month, in what was his first run since August.

I thought he shaped like a winner waiting to happen on his last start, which isn't surprising considering he is racing off the same mark as when victorious for Gordon Elliott at Punchestown last April.

Look to back him at odds of 7/1 or bigger when the markets appear and hot up.

The handicap hurdle at 15:00 has been priced up across the board but the one I fancy isn't any price at the moment, so I will leave this race until Friday...

The Crafty Butcher is a good price, for now...

Willie Mullins has a pretty awful record with his handicap chasers in the UK but if The Crafty Butcher comes over on Saturday then expect him to be at least half the 8/1 price that he is available in some quarters for the 3m handicap at 15:35.

He would have gone off favourite for the Thyestes Chase at Gowran Park last week had he not been balloted out and is only 5lb higher than when a good second in the Paddy Power Chase at Leopardstown over Christmas.

The problem for would-be backers is that he also has a Saturday entry at Warwick and two at Punchestown on Sunday.

The Towton at Wetherby on Saturday doesn't hold any appeal at this stage - Calett Mad and Missed Approach deserve to dispute favouritism so no angle there - and if only we knew what was going to rock up where at Musselburgh on Saturday and Sunday.

Charli Parcs looked a very pacey tool when winning at Kempton over Christmas and has been installed as 4/9 for the Scottish Triumph Hurdle Trial by the Sportsbook and you can see why. However, he probably doesn't deserve to be as short as that given the five-day entries.

Cliffs Of Dover is no mug (indeed, he is rated 145) and it is interesting that JP McManus has bought Project Bluebook since his recent impressive course and distance (albeit off a mark of just 127) win in a handicap here.

But Project Bluebook also has entries in the handicap hurdle on the card - JP also has the favourite Drumcliff in here - and the Supreme Hurdle Trial on Sunday so it is anyone's guess where he ends up and he is prominent in the betting for all three races.

The one remaining race put on the Exchange is the Edinburgh National Chase at 14:05 and the one I like at a price at the moment is Beeves at around 20/1.

However, this is another market best left alone until we get a better idea of the shape of the race later on in the week.