Mail Sport’s racing expert Robin Goodfellow delivers his tips for Saturday’s meetings at Newbury, Newcastle, and Wolverhampton.
Robin Goodfellow has delivered his best tips for Monday’s meetings, including at Newcastle
NEWBURY
ROBIN GOODFELLOW
12.55 Making Headway
1.30 ON THE BLIND SIDE (nap)
2.05 Protektorat
2.40 Funambule Sivola (nb)
3.15 Faivoir
3.50 Inch House
4.25 Union Avenue
GIMCRACK
12.55 Jack Black
1.30 Kyntara
2.05 SHISHKIN (nap)
2.40 Boothill
3.15 Aurigny Mill (nb)
3.50 Makin’yourmindup
4.25 Roman Roy
NEWCASTLE
ROBIN GOODFELLOW
3.35 Explorers Way
4.10 Sea Girt
4.45 Beneficiary
5.15 Ribal
5.45 Duke Wellington
6.15 Mereside Madness
6.45 Pepsi Cat
7.15 Pallas Lord
7.45 Pop Favourite
GIMCRACK
3.35 Explorers Way
4.10 Sea Girt
4.45 Flash The Dash
5.15 Jungle Charm
5.45 Havana Force
6.15 Chapman
6.45 Pepsi Cat
7.15 Pallas Lord
7.45 Pop Favourite
Northerner – 4.45 FLASH THE DASH (nap); 6.15 Mereside Madness (nb).
WOLVERHAMPTON
ROBIN GOODFELLOW
5:30 English Spirit
6.00 Vitesse Du Son
6.30 King’s Reign
7.00 Intervention
7.30 He’s A Gentleman
8.00 Charlie’s Choice
8.30 Pink Jazz
GIMCRACK
5:30 Phantasy Mac
6.00 Vitesse Du Son
6.30 King’s Reign
7.00 One Night Stand
7.30 Algheed
8.00 Heathen
8.30 Isle of Wolves
Newmarket – 6.00 CHARLATAN (nap); 8.00 Charlie’s Choice (nb)
Databank – your guide to Saturday’s action
WATCH OUT FOR…
Spirit D’Aunou (Newbury, 3.15)
Gary Moore has enjoyed a magnificent season, the highlight so far being the 70 golden minutes he had on December 27 when winning the Welsh Grand National, the Finale Hurdle and the Desert Orchid Chase.
He really knows what it takes to win competitive handicaps and the more you look at Spirit D’Aunou’s profile, the more you can see the gelding throwing down a huge challenge. Jockey Caoilin Quinn is good value for his three-pound claim and he won’t be far away.
King’s Reign (Wolverhampton, 6.30)
You won’t see a better bred horse in action anywhere in the country than this Godolphin three-year-old, who is making his debut. A son of outstanding sire Dubawi, he cost £1.5million when he went through the sales ring in 2022 but has been given time to mature. His trainer, Charlie Appleby, likes to use Wolverhampton for gentle introductions and Tom Marquand’s mount should be followed.
JOCKEY TO FOLLOW
JONJO O’NEILL JNR is doing his best to keep up the family name and a measure of his talent is how much he is trusted to wear the green and gold silks of JP McManus. He will don them twice on Saturday at Newbury when riding HASTHING (12.55) and UNDER CONTROL (3.15). He should have a decent spin on JUDICIAL LAW (1.30) but his best chance of a winner is on board the progressive chaser INCH HOUSE (3.50), who finished second at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day.
Jonjo O’Neill Jnr (with Mister Malarkey) is doing his best to keep up the famous family name
WHAT’S IN A NAME?
DODDIETHEGREAT (Newbury, 3.15)
There would be no more popular winner of the Betfair Hurdle should this fellow come home first. Owned by Kenny Alexander, whose colours are best known for wonder mare Honeysuckle, Doddiethegreat was named in honour of the giant of Scottish rugby union, Doddie Weir.
It is 15 months since Doddie succumbed to motor neurone disease but his legacy lives on through the Doddie Weir foundation. Alexander agreed when this gelding started running to donate all prize money to the charity. He’s earned just over £30,000 so far.
BIG DAY FOR…
Perhaps it’s not the biggest race of the day but HENRY de BROMHEAD will be eager to see how MASKADA (Naas, 3.40) runs as he prepares the mare for a return to Cheltenham. She was a shock winner of the mares chase at the Festival last March but De Bromhead is a master of getting horses to peak for a certain target and she has improved in each of her two runs so far this winter. De Bromhead’s stable is ticking along nicely and she will run well.
DEJA VU
Funambule Sivola (Newbury, 2.40) upset the favourite to win the Game Spirit Chase last year and will try to do the same on Saturday.
Robin Goodfellow Best Bets by Steve Ryder
The 1.30 at Newbury was won by the top weight last year and I am hoping ON THE BLIND SIDE (NAP) can do the same. The veteran defied odds of 50-1 to win over this course and distance on soft ground in March off a mark of 137 and he has now dropped back down to the same mark. The gelding trained by Nicky Henderson has won on heavy ground and also three times on soft ground, so he will be well suited to the testing conditions on Saturday and he should outrun his odds.
Later, in the Game Spirit Chase (Newbury, 2.40) FUNAMBULE SIVOLA (NB) bids for a hat-trick of wins in the contest. Although his victory last season came on good ground, the best performance of his career came when second to Energumene in the 2022 Champion Chase on soft ground, so he should handle conditions. He has to reverse form with Boothill from earlier this season but that rival has shown his best form on right-handed courses and arrives here following a fall.
The Wizard of Odds by Chris Baker
3.15 NEWBURY
LOOKAWAY (nap) has demonstrated an impressive level of form this season with second-place finishes in both the Greatwood handicap hurdle at Cheltenham and the Grade One Challow Novices’ Hurdle at Newbury.
10-1
Lookaway (pictured with Jack Quinlan) has enjoyed an impressive level of form this season
7.00 WOLVERHAMPTON
SILKY WILKIE was placed twice in Listed company last year. He was sent off as joint favourite when beaten at Lingfield three weeks ago but may have needed that run.
9-2
7.30 WOLVERHAMPTON
The consistent HE’S A GENTLEMAN has secured top-three finishes in each of his last seven races. Two of those have been wins, including over on Saturday’s course and distance in November.
5-1
