Newbury Race Tips: Three horses to watch on Friday March 22

 

It has been a very wet start to spring and that is further emphasised by the heavy ground at Hexham on Friday. 

 

Conditions at Newbury are set to be slightly better with the going good to soft (soft in places) which could provide some opportunities for horses who enjoy quicker conditions underfoot.

 

We’ve sifted through Friday’s cards and have picked out three strong fancies at the Berkshire track for our Newbury racing tip, including a horse with form in graded races who drops back into handicap company.

 

2.30 Newbury Race Tips – Get Best Odds Guaranteed At BetVictor Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase

 

It’s a shame this race couldn’t attract just one more runner for each-way betting purposes but it is a competitive seven-runner affair nonetheless. 

 

Abuffalosoldier and Are U Wise To That were both winners last time out and will understandably be popular in the market, while champion trainer Paul Nicholls runs Mofasa, who is of interest after having had wind surgery since his last run. 

 

However, it’s Nicholls’ protege Harry Fry’s runner Deeper Blue who really draws the eye. Connections have clearly been avoiding slow ground so they will be eager for the rain to stay away.

 

Deeper Blue was last seen finishing second to Ben Pauling’s Henry’s Friend at Hereford in January and that horse went on to win the Grade 2 Reynoldstown at Ascot next time out. A similar effort off just a 1lb higher mark should put him bang in contention.

 

3.33 Newbury Race Tips – Daily Racing Specials At BetVictor Handicap Hurdle 

 

The £15,650 prize pot has drawn a substantial 14-runner field for this intriguing handicap hurdle over an extended two miles. 

 

Dan Skelton has been in red-hot form, advertised by four winners at the Cheltenham Festival last week, and his runner Doyen Quest will likely be a popular pick for punters.

 

Steel Ally is a handicap debutant for Sam Thomas, though, and the Doctor Dino gelding is thoroughly unexposed over hurdles having made just three starts in that sphere. 

 

The six-year-old produced a fair effort on his debut over obstacles to finish second at Ffos Las in November, but he was too keen at the same track next time so it’s no surprise that he was pulled up on dreadful ground. 

 

He put that effort far behind him when getting off the mark in good style on better ground at Wincanton at the beginning of February and the runner-up has since boosted the form by finishing fourth in the National Hunt Novices’ Handicap Hurdle Final at Sandown.

 

An opening handicap mark of 124 is by no means a freebie but Steel Ally is clearly progressive and there should be more to come.

 

4.08 Newbury Race Tips – Steve Jobar MND Handicap Hurdle

 

Kim Bailey’s Destroytheevidence has made the frame in all bar one of his seven hurdles starts and was far from disgraced when fourth in a Grade 2 novice hurdle at Doncaster last time out. 

 

He was a close second to Shanagh Bob in a Cheltenham Grade 2 before that and he has to have every chance on his return to handicap company.

 

Destroytheevidence was an easy winner on his sole handicap start over an extended three miles at Kempton in November. And the form of the victory has worked out particularly well, with the second and third recording three subsequent wins between them.

 

There should be plenty of room for manoeuvre off a handicap mark of 130 and Destroytheevidence’s profile at this stage of his career is not too dissimilar to that of his Cheltenham Festival-winning stablemate Chianti Classico.

 

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