3 minute read
Top Jumps action from Warwick and Kempton are the key meetings on GBI Racing this weekend.
Grand National hope Neptune Equester could take his chance in the Betfred Classic Chase (3.40pm GMT), the big race at Warwick on Saturday.
The nine-year-old showed he has stamina in abundance when winning an attritional contest at Haydock on his penultimate start and he was not disgraced when fifth in the Rowland Meyrick Chase at Wetherby on Boxing Day.
Ellison said: "He ran well enough at Wetherby. They just went too slow for him and all he does is stay. Ideally he could do with a bit further as well.
"He's won over three and a half miles at Haydock, so you'd think the trip on Saturday would suit him well.
"He's rated 136 at the moment and we'd like him to go up a bit as the race we really want to go for is the Grand National."
Neptune Equester is one of 17 entries for this weekend's Grade 3 handicap, run over three miles and five furlongs race (5800m).
David Pipe has Faasel, Shaking Hands and Sona Sasta all engaged, while other interesting contenders include potential top-weight Hey Big Spender, Key Cutter, Blazing Bailey and Hello Bud.
The 14-year-old Hello Bud, winner of the 2010 Becher Chase at Aintree, was last seen finishing sixth in a handicap chase at Cheltenham on New Year's Day.
Owner Seamus Murphy said: "It's a prestigious race and it would be nice to involved in it - especially as he'd have a good chance.
"They went a bit quick for him on his last start and he couldn't really get involved as much as we'd have liked. It should be different at Warwick. The first half a mile he needs to settle, get into a rhythm, then bowl along up front."
Th big race at Kempton Park is the William Hill Lanzarote Hurdle at 2.50pm (GMT). A total of 35 entries have been received for the two-mile-five-furlong (4200m) contest, with classy mare Alasi an interesting contender for Paul Webber.
Paul Nicholls has American Trilogy and Domtaline entered, while other possibles include the Philip Hobbs-trained Featherbed Lane, Colin Tizzard's Ohio Gold and Tim Vaughan's Grade 1 winner Spirit Of Adjisa.
Brendan Powell feels Shoreacres can make his presence felt in the race. Switched back to the smaller obstacles, the gelding ran a blinder to finish second at Ascot and he followed that up by filling the runner-up spot again at Wincanton on Boxing Day.
Powell said: "We stuck him back over hurdles just to give him a confidence booster more than anything, but he enjoyed it so much, we decided to go to Wincanton.
"He ran another good race and was just touched off by a horse of Paul Nicholls' (Deireadh Re) who I think is pretty smart. It would be nice to get his head in front again and I think he's good enough to run very well."
Emma Lavelle is praying for a dry week so Well Regarded can take his chance. The seven-year-old has shown some smart form since arriving from Ireland, winning on his hurdling debut at Fontwell before running with credit in races claimed by smart types Jump City and Fingal Bay.
Lavelle said: "I think the step up in trip on Saturday and, more importantly, how the race will be run will really play to his strengths."
