There are two televised British jumps fixtures to choose from this Saturday; Kempton and Warwick.
At Kempton, it’s the intercasino.co.uk Lanzarote Hurdle that occupies centre stage and it should prove profitable to row in behind Hills Of Aran.
This Keith Goldsworthy-trained six-year-old won his most recent start, a hurdle race at Cheltenham, and this son of Sadler’s Wells can continue his Pembrokeshire-based handler’s rapid rise up through the ranks by disposing of Nycteos in this two mile five furlong handicap hurdle.
Presenting Copper may well have taken a while to get her act over fences, but Philip Hobbs’ mare can record her second consecutive success over the larger obstacles by getting the better of Fleet Street in the intercasino.co.uk Novices’ Chase whilst Brooklyn Brownie should have most to fear from Ever Present in the intercasino.co.uk Handicap Chase.
Warwick
At Warwick meanwhile, Leading Authority appears quite well treated in the featured Grade 3 totesport.com Classic Chase.
This son of Leading Counsel has scored on his two most recent starts for Joe Lively’s handler Colin Tizzard and he should continue on his merry way here at the expense of High Chimes.
Competition will be particularly intense in the Grade 2 Ballymore Properties Leamington Novices’ Hurdle and Cryptic looks the part here. Cryptic has won his two most recent hurdle starts for Philip Hobbs and the son of Kayf Tara can make the most of his two lb. weight concession from Crocodiles Rock by defeating Jonjo O’Neill’s former top bumper performer.
Prince de Bersy, trained by David Pipe, is marginally preferred to The Very Man in the Pertemps Handicap Hurdle and Ormello looks likely to excel from Helen Wood in the tote scoop 6 Handicap Chase. Phoudamour meanwhile may be good enough to win the closing totesport 0800 221 221 Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race.
Punchestown
It’s to be hoped that conditions improve sufficiently for Punchestown’s Saturday meeting to go ahead. If that indeed does prove to be the case, then Beau Michael will surely go close in the featured Grade 3 Punchestown Juvenile Hurdle. On his most recent start, Beau Michael quite simply destroyed the opposition when making all the running to oblige by some three and a half lengths with Davy Russell in a Leopardstown juvenile hurdle with Davy Russell on December 27th. Beau Michael looks good to dispose of Personal Column here.
Here Comes Sally may be good enough to provide the solution to the Comhairle Laighean C.L.G. Handicap Hurdle.
This Paul Pierce-trained mare has finished second on her two most recent starts and indeed she lost little in defeat when going down to the progressive Kasimali at Limerick over Christmas. Ultimately beaten two and a half lengths on that occasion, Here Comes Sally is likely to prove superior to Duers here.
Once a class horse, always a class horse and Ebaziyan is taken to win the Punchestown Five Day Festival Hurdle for that very reason.
Willie Mullins’ Ebaziyan caused a major surprise by landing the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle with Davy Condon at the 2007 Cheltenham festival. Ebaziyan more than acquitted himself when finishing fourth to Al Eile in the Grade 1 Bewleyshotels.com December Festival Hurdle at Leopardstown on December 29th. This event reflects a mammoth drop down in class and Ebaziyan is taken to regain the winning thread at the expense of Oscar Lyons.
Limerick
A planned six-race jumps card takes place at Limerick this Saturday and it appears that Shouldertoshoulder stands out in the featured www.hacketts.ie Novice Hurdle. This Tom Taaffe-trained son of Luso, whor runs in the familiar Gigginstown House Stud colourd made famous by 2006 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner War Of Attrition, made a hugely pleasing start to his track career by finishing second to the vastly-more experienced Taravada in a two and a quarter mile maiden hurdle at Leopardstown on December 26th. Ultimately beaten just a neck on that occasion, Shouldertoshoulder can make the most of his eight lb weight concession from Cooldine by beating Willie Mullins’ recent Thurles winner in this two-mile contest.
Orange Touch appears quite well-treated in the betnow@hacketts.ie Handicap Hurdle.
This Eric McNamara-trained German-bred already has experience of this course for he finished a fine second to the subsequent Punchestown winner Splurge in a two-mile handicap hurdle here on December 29th. Orange Touch is unlikely to meet an improver of the calibre of Splurge here and he’s therefore taken to oblige from veteran Alphazar.
Parknakyle can put her vast experience to good use by landing the Hacketts Aertel 278, 279, 689 European Breeders Fund Mares Maiden Hurdle.
Parknakyle, a former point-to-point winner, was only beaten one and a half lengths into second spot by Cara Mara in a two-mile maiden hurdle at Tramore on New Year’s Eve and Paul Nolan’s mare can attain a deserved turn by obliging from Oscar Rebel here.
Dani Califorania can continue trainer Willie Mullins’ excellent run by proving marginally superior to Eastern Path in the Hackett’s Bookmakers Maiden Hurdle and Takendo can beat the recent course winning veteran Golden Domer in the Hackett’s Freephone 1800-200-484 Handicap Hurde.
Proceedings conclude with the Hackett’s Bookmakers est. 1965 Flat Race and this event is likely to concern Lake Lodge and Young Milly with narrow preference being for the latter.
Leopardstown
The ultra-prestigious Pierse Hurdle will naturally enough prove to be the main focus of attention at Leopardstown on Sunday and it could well happen that Do The Trick will provide trainer Michael Halford with his initial success in this coveted two-mile handicap.
An Australian import, Do the Trick won on the flat at last summer’s Galway festival and on his most recent start, he gave ample indication that a handicap such as this should prove to be well within his capabilities by staying on for third spot behind the promoted Deutschland in a race over this same course and distance on December 29th. A particularly rugged individual, Do The Trick is likely to upstage the hat-trick seeking Barker.
Perce Rock can get resume winning service in the Grade 2 Paddy Fitzpatrick Memorial Novice Chase. The Tommy Stack-trained Perce Rock created a hugely favourable impression by effortlessly dispensing with Dark Artist in a two mile one furlong novice chase at Navan in early December. The ‘wheels came off the bike’ as such at Leopardstown over Christmas when Perce Rock fell at the third last when holding every chance in the Grade 1 novice chase eventually won by Sky’s The Limit. Perce Rock can atone here by showing a clean pair of heels to Glencove Marina.
Mister Top Notch looks sure to give his supporters a good run for their investment in the Pierse Leopardstown Handicap Chase.
Mister Top Notch, the undoubted stable star at Davy Fitzgerald’s medium-sized Askeaton establishment, indicated his current well-being with a facile success with Conor O’Dwyer in a two and a quarter mile conditions hurdle at Cork last Saturday – January 5th.
A Grade 1 winner over fences at Leopardstown last year, Mister Top Notch is recommended to return to the coveted number one spot from View Mount Prince.