Our tipster has three selections for Saturday's racing from Newbury and Warwick including in the feature William Hill Hurdle.
The Verdict: Saturday February 7
1pt win Kyntara in 13:35 Newbury at 8/1 (Sky Bet, Paddy Power, Betfred)
1pt win Park Princess in 15:00 Warwick at 10/1 (William Hill, 9/1 bet365, 17/2 General)
1pt e.w. Milldam in 15:20 Newbury at 16/1 (General 1/5 1,2,3,4,5)
Go to the Mill once more…
It’s wet and getting wetter at Newbury where the William Hill Hurdle is going to be run on really testing conditions with the ground already heavy on the hurdles track and more rain forecast ahead of ‘Super Saturday’.
It could be ‘Saturated Saturday’ more like and conditions are going to be alien to a lot of these including the likes of Let It Rain, Un Sens A La Vie and Tutti Quanti who are amongst the more unexposed contingent towards the top of the market.
Any of them could handle it just fine and win, but I would rather have my cash carried by an out and out mudlark like MILLDAM who will relish the ground in a race where plenty of them will cry off early.
He was a crazy price earlier in the week, but as it has become clear he’s getting his optimum conditions those odds have come in and he still rates a decent each-way bet at 16/1 getting the five places.
By Martaline, whose progeny have an excellent record in handicap hurdles over this sort of trip in heavy ground, Milldam’s last four form figures on ground officially heavy are 1-1-1-1 for the in-form Jamie Snowden and he’s dropped back to a competitive mark.
A winner in Haydock heavy off 125, he races off just a 2lb higher rating on Saturday and, after a couple of below-par runs on quicker ground earlier in the season, he bounced back to form at Windsor last time with a good fifth in the Fitzdares Sovereign Handicap Hurdle won by Hot Fuss.
Still, he was off the bridle early and shoved along by Gavin Sheehan to maintain his position, but that was a consequence of the soft ground still not being testing enough for him as he’s at his best when it’s barely raceable.
That’s likely what he’ll encounter on Saturday and while he probably wouldn’t have been classy enough to win this race in the past it’s a pale imitation of its former glories these days and he might just grind away and win it.
Isabelle Ryder takes 5lb off to further help him at the weights and she’s seven from 35 at 20% for Jamie Snowden, finishing second eight times for him, too, and I quite like the hood off angle with this horse.
Granted, Snowden hasn’t used this tactic much as far as I can see, but the last time he whipped the hood off one of his horses, Obsessedwithyou, she won three of her next five races.
The Verdict: Back MILLDAM e.w in the 15.20 Newbury
Kyntara all set to bounce back
Earlier on at Newbury Mel Rowley’s KYNTARA makes plenty of appeal in the William Hill Each Way Extra Handicap Hurdle over three miles and a bit.
The 10-year-old has struggled since trying fences again, while going back over hurdles this season has so far yielded no success and he was pulled up at Haydock last time.
So far, no good, but conditions have been too quick for him all season and his hurdles mark has now at least dropped back into the 120s which gives him a chance.
His runs at Aintree and Cheltenham in November and December suggested the ability is still there and he can show it now the ground has finally turned in his favour.
With career form figures of 1-1-2 on heavy, with that second coming in this very race behind Emitom two years ago (when sent off the 3/1 favourite off a rating of 128), he could leave his recent efforts well behind.
Tactically, he might just get the run of the race out in front under Charlie Deutsch, as well, and he’s worth chancing against likely short-priced favourite A Pai De Nom who is unproven both over three miles and in heavy ground.
The Verdict: Back KYNTARA in the 13.35 Newbury
Princess can be Queen in Jane Seymour
Finally, there’s a good card at Warwick including an intriguing three-runner Kingmaker, but the best bet could be after ITV have packed up their cameras as I like the look of PARK PRINCESS in the Grade 2 Weatherbys Cheltenham Festival Betting Guide Jane Seymour Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle over 2m3f.
Anthony Honeyball is in terrific form and he has a super record with his mares, while this one looks underestimated by the market.
She has improved significantly for seeing a hurdle, as seen when finishing a nose second to the reopposing Supreme Malinas off level weights in Listed company on her second start over timber at Haydock in December - when she would’ve won with a better jump at the last.
With a 5lb pull at the weights she is fancied to reverse that form, while she’s clearly got plenty of fight as she showed when rallying for the win at Fontwell last time after Onefournine headed her after the final flight.
That also suggests she wants more of a test of stamina than 2m1f and the extra two furlongs in heavy ground on Saturday could bring out the best in her.
Her dam was a heavy ground winner and I think she’ll relish conditions, while her best run came over this trip in that aforementioned Haydock race that looks a key piece of form in the context of this contest.
The Verdict: Back PARK PRINCESS in the 15.00 Warwick
Preview posted at 16:00 GMT on 06/02/26
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