The latest news and best bets in our daily horse racing blog, plus our weekly tipping competition
Today's best bets, by Will Hayler
It is looking bleak for Newcastle's big meeting on Saturday after snow hit the north-east overnight. Even the ever-upbeat clerk of the course James Armstrong sounds like he has almost admitted defeat. "It's very hard to be optimistic when you're walking around in ankle-deep snow," he said wehn asked about the prospects this morning.
The forecast blizzards and freezing temperatures have proved a little more localised than expected though and racing at all four meetings today goes ahead as planned, with Uttoxeter passing an inspection despite temperatures dropping to -3C overnight.
The opening contest at Newbury is a particularly interesting affair, as it features at least a couple of horses who look potentially very well handicapped and who would be worth backing at very short odds in a run-of-the-mill conditional jockeys' race.
Sure Josie Sure's victory over Nearby on her final start last season is working out well and she shaped with considerable promise until running out of steam in the Greatwood Hurdle on her reappearance. Fancied runner Pennellis has gone up a stone in the weights since winning at Taunton earlier this month but may well be up to defying that mark and ones even higher now that he has learned to settle better.
However both may have to give best to Super Kenny (12.30), a one-time Triumph Hurdle fancy last season who was sent off at just 13-2 to win a Grade One at Aintree in April, but who starts the new campaign with a mark of just 113, potentially a long way short of reflecting his true ability.
One of very few National Hunt horses among the Highclere ranks, he hasn't always looked a natural jumper but the talent is undoubtedly there and Nicky Henderson could well coax it out of him this season.
It's quality rather than quantity in the novice chase, in which Finian's Rainbow (1.35) is a short enough price giving 7lb to Sang Bleu, but despite the fact that I can't recall ever having backed a winner trained by Warren Greatrex before, I am keen on Rajamand (2.45) at a best-priced 100-30 with Coral.
Unlike in his previous starts where his efforts had petered out in the closing stages, Rajamand was staying on strongly at Cheltenham last time when getting caught up in some scrimmaging on the stands' rail. Having had to be switched there wasn't enough time to regain equilibrium and he crashed out at the last flight when looking sure to be involved.
Off the same handicap mark, I hope he will take some beating today under a jockey who knows him well.
Tipping competition, day four
No one found All The Winds (20-1) but Rivercity and Chanleyman paired yesterday's other winners at 8-1 and 4-1. DrSativa got the 8-1 winner, despite the best efforts of his partner to keep him offline. Zizkov, you are quite welcome to change your selection before the race starts, though we reserve the right to delete your profile if you do it every single day.
Today, we'd like your tips, please, for these races: 2.45 Newbury, 3.30 Taunton, 5.40 Wolves.
This week's prize is a copy of The Art of Race, an exceptionally beautiful collection of horse racing photographs by Amanda Lockhart. You can see samples and buy copies here.
As ever, our champion will be the tipster who returns the best profit to notional level stakes of �1 at starting price on our nominated races, of which there will be three each day up until Friday. Non-runners count as losers. If you have not joined in so far this week, you are welcome to do so today, but you will start on -9.
In the event of a tie at the end of the week, the winner will be the tipster who, from among those tied on the highest score, posted their tips earliest on the final day.
For terms and conditions click here.
Good luck!
Standings after day three
Sportingchad +12
Brochdoll +11
TheVic +9
Rivercity +9
MISTERCHESTER +6
DrSativa +6
15244 +5
chanleyman +5
xwireman +2
RacingFromMarple +2
waltersobchak +2
JahLion +2
Ellandback +1
factormax +1
melonk +0
graftonway +0
Cairo +0
FinsburyPark -3
TheSquire86 -3
MauriceNL -4
Ormrod76 -4
chris1623 -4
goofs -4
zizkov123 -4
diegoisgod -4
Harrytheactor -4
orso -4
sandiuk -4
Esherhammer -4
BearRides -4
Saloneboy ?4
tom1977 -5
snowy81 -5
Smidster -5
23skidoo -5
SmokingGun1 -9
twig28 -9
millreef -9
Lameduck -9
Mai11 -9
erifder -9
socialwanderer -9
shears39 -9
Mulldog -9
simmorrissey -9
peterpickum -9
William36 -9
slackdad38 -9
chrishol -9
WalthamstowLad -9
StableLad -9
StevenIrelandsGranny -9
pops2 -9
superscouser -9
carl31 -9
suckzinclee -9
Shrewdette ?9
TL127 ?9
Copshaw ?9
coma88 ?9
SussexRH ?9
sangfroid ?9
Click here for all the day's racecards, form, stats and results.
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