The Challow Hurdle card is the last meeting of Newbury races in 2024, bringing to an end another fabulous calendar year of action at the Berkshire track. It’s fitting that the course’s only Grade 1 event in the National Hunt code takes place on the last Saturday before New Year, which falls on 28 December this year.
A field of seven exciting novices go for the Challow this season. There are big money horses in the field, unbeaten runners and progressive types. The chief supporting race is the upgraded Mandarin Handicap Chase over the Coral Gold Cup course and distance, which is now a Class 2 event again.
On top of these, traders on horse racing betting sites have the usual mix of other hurdle races and steeplechases to price up. Despite a packed festive period for the sport, we aren’t letting our experts rest on their laurels, so they’re back with detailed race by race analysis.
Newbury Races 2024 Challow Hurdle Day Preview
12:05 – 2m 69y Class 3 Mares’ Handicap Hurdle (0-125)
Even taking Gordon’s claim into account, Spring Note is still 12lb higher than when bolting up here 12 months ago. Stable companion BREAK MY SOUL has two placed efforts at the track and dropping back in trip, coupled with a first-time hood, might be a combination that works. She is also the choice of Nico de Boinville.
If Henderson pair Spring Note and Break My Soul don’t do the business, then Panic Attack returns to the race she won as a four-year-old. Now with the Dan Skelton yard, she clearly needed the run after 649 days off the track when fading into third behind Tour Ovalie around Ludlow. Evan Williams and daughter Isabel seek a hat-trick with her off 6lb higher.
Handicapping debutante Sunset Marquesa starts life off on a mark of 114 following a ready Wincanton win for the Joe Tizzard stable last time out. That could be workable. Plantaroma also runs in a handicap for the first time here with Tom Symonds’ charge still a maiden, but off 109 after chasing home useful types.
Asian Spice also looks for hat-trick and Jimmy Frost’s daughter Bryony is back in the UK for the ride. Bottom weight Strong Belle ran on into second around Hereford last time, and could be well-treated for Nigel and Sam Twiston-Davies.
12:37 – 2m 69y Class 3 Introductory Hurdle
🏇 Sign of a good horse is winning when doing everything wrong and that’s exactly what LA MARQUISE did at Ludlow today.
👍 Her jumping will (hopefully) improve as she gains more experience and lines up in better races.pic.twitter.com/S57by4VQGp
— Road To Cheltenham (@RoadCheltenham) October 24, 2024
Jamie Snowden filly LA MARQUISE can follow-up under a penalty at the final Newbury races of 2024 on her Ludlow success with the form franked. The runner-up, Kalium, has come out and won twice since including on Boxing Day, so that looks good. La Marquise also brings good bumper form to the table.
Of the others with hurdling experience, Koapey can build on his Ffos Las second for Warren Greatrex. Henderson runs two, meanwhile, but little about the breeding of the unraced Akimos or form of Noble Park suggests this trip is much use to them. Chepstow fourth Peso for the O’Neill family and Wotter Trotter for the Skelton brothers, who filled the same spot around Huntingdon, are both capable of better.
Paul Nicholls has given Kap Boy time since pulling-up in October and that may help him. Flat convert Star Time has a pedigree to match, but Alan King does well with recruits from that sphere and the three-year-old is one to note with just 10st 6lb on his back.
1:12 – 2m 92y Class 3 Hallowe’en Trophy Handicap Chase (0-125)
Strange prize to be running for at the last meeting of Chepstow races of 2024, rather than in October, but it may boil down to rematch between SKYCUTTER and The Good Doctor from Warwick earlier this month. The former, trained by Skelton jumped well and made all there from the Ben Pauling runner.
Skycutter is now 3lb worse off with The Good Doctor from that run 16 days ago, but pulled out enough to win when ridden out to victory. Pauling enjoyed a King George day double at Kempton, so his inmate has to be a big danger to the topweight, especially off more favourable terms and not with a whole lot to find.
Venetia Williams may provide an improver in The Famous Five after his rallying third around Windsor earlier this month. He was home in front of the useful Helnwein there; so, off an unchanged mark of 118, could be dangerous. If able to reproduce his Huntingdon form here, then No Risk With Lou also has a shout for Alex Hales.
1:45 – 2m 4f 118y Class 3 Handicap Hurdle (0-135)
🏇 Mr Bramley storms to victory, landing the Visit https://t.co/f4HpAgbrp4 Handicap Hurdle by a wide margin for Craig Nichol and Jedd O’Keeffe 👏@jeddokeeffe pic.twitter.com/OjXCfVQm3b
— Wetherby Racecourse (@WetherbyRaces) November 27, 2024
This could go to one of two last time out Wetherby winners with that track so similar in layout to Newbury races as 2024 comes to a close. Narrow preference is for MR BRAMLEY, nudged up just 3lb by the assessor for an empathic third win in his last four starts. Trainer Jedd O’Keeffe of Sam Spinner now turns his attentions south.
Like Mr Bramley, Welsh Charger arrives here in-form with as many successes from as many outings over the last 12 months. Alastair Ralph’s horse has a bigger hike of 6lb from the handicapper, however, in his bid to follow-up on West Yorkshire success down in Berkshire.
The Skeltons’ Mr Hope Street probably wants further, but it’s easy to see why he’s a contender with four wins from his last five. Henderson runs three with Go To War the clear pick of those, according to the market. Consecutive victories around Ludlow when in the care of Fergal O’Brien don’t make an obvious case for this step up in trip.
Rightsotom ran out a ready winner at Doncaster last time, meanwhile, with an 8lb rise for a seven-length defeat of subsequent Kempton Boxing Day third Samuel Spade. Team Tizzard have a potentially useful Irish import in the 2023 Triumph Hurdle sixth on their hands and he has often shaped like he’ll be effective at this trip.
2:20 – 3m 1f 214y Class 2 Mandarin Handicap Chase (0-145)
Despite the presence of last year’s winner Surrey Quest in the line-up, the way he shaped when just denied in the Scottish Grand National suggests Newbury races in 2024 can’t provide a sufficient stamina test for him now. This can instead go to the Coral Gold Cup fifth HENRY’S FRIEND for the Kauto Star winning team of Ben Jones and Pauling.
He won at this meeting 12 months ago and the assessor drops him 1lb for a solid effort in the big Premier Handicap chase last month. As the third home, Victtorino, has come out and landed the Silver Trophy at Ascot before Christmas, that bodes well. Henry’s Friend had enough class to just land the Grade 2 Reynoldstown there as a novice too.
Surrey Quest is 11lb than when successful in the Mandarin last year, and it’s a big ask to repeat the dose. Hoe Joly Smoke still has plenty of improvement in him despite a 7lb hike for his Sandown win on just his second start over fences for the Skeltons. Nicholls runs two, but neither Brave Kingdom nor Inch House is straightforward.
Both are course winners who pulled-up last time. Hymac could find this trip easier than three-and-a-half mile slogs around Cheltenham for Harry Fry, meanwhile. Don’t rule out Silver Buck winner Poppa Poutine building on Wincanton either. Cruz Control pulled up in the Rowland Meyrick on Boxing Day, so must be doubtful here.
2:55 – 2m 4f 119y Grade 1 Challow Novices’ Hurdle
The runner-up shaped nicely when third in the Grade 1 Formby at Aintree on Boxing Day, albeit like he wanted further too. Regent’s Stroll should be even better now stepped up in trip, given his bumper background two course victories. The New Lion is a top prospect for the Skelton stable, however, and defied a penalty here on Coral Gold Cup day.
Another of the unbeaten runners, two facile hurdle victories followed bumper success. Bill Joyce brings graded form to the table with his win in the Winter Novices’ Hurdle at Sandown, but has a lot more on his plate now for the O’Neills. Bill Joyce has the same 136 rating as The New Lion, for what the handicapper’s initial assessment is worth.
The third unbeaten horse in the Challow Hurdle, It’s Hard To Know, jumped right at Lingfield and then made small mistakes around Market Rasen. Going left-handed against big guns might be a worry, then. Ludlow scorer Wendigo and Tizzard’s First Confession, who came out and won at Ascot after running third to Formby hero Potters Charm also have to step up.
3:35 – 2m 6f 93y Class 3 Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase (0-140)
It might be worth chancing THEFORMISMIGHTY and Team Skelton here despite a 10lb rise for Southwell success. He has experience of fences, and his previous Chepstow fourth and back form in general isn’t too shabby. Theformismighty won an Irish Point, so could scale greater heights in this sphere than his hurdling career.
Of the others, Menaggio has back-to-back victories around Plumpton. This is a very different track, however. Exploring this intermediate trip with Moon D’Orange is an interesting move from John McConnell, especially as his charge hasn’t got home over 3m+ at Cheltenham. Rock My Way beat a next time out winner around Doncaster, meanwhile, but looks exposed.
