3 minute read
Stage Star looks set to have his name in lights and play a leading role in the Coral Racing Club Novices’ Chase at Newbury.
Paul Nicholls' son of Fame And Glory attained a high level as both a bumper horse and a hurdler and that trend has every chance of continuing now tackling the larger obstacles.
He had a pleasing start to life in his new discipline when making all for a facile 13-length success at Warwick earlier this month and the manner of victory makes it no surprise he is now contesting graded events over fences.
The six-year-old was a winner of the Challow Hurdle here over the same trip last year and with a wind operation seemingly rectified the issues that caused him to fail at both the Cheltenham Festival and Aintree in the spring, there is plenty in the favour of the smart Owners Group-owned gelding.
In the feature Coral Long Distance Hurdle, Proschema can keep Dan and Harry Skelton's fine spell going.
The trainer/jockey combination hit the headlines when Protektorat landed the Betfair Chase at the weekend and some of their brightest stars have also found the scoresheet in the days since, with Kateira scoring at Uttoxeter and Lac De Constance romping to victory at Kempton.
Proschema arrives on the back of an emphatic 10-length victory in the West Yorkshire Hurdle at Wetherby where he accounted for this race's defending champion Thomas Darby back in second.
He could be the chief danger to Proschema with a run under his belt, but the forecast good ground is set to play to the strengths of Skelton's seven-year-old and with question marks over plenty of the line-up under these conditions, it looks an ideal opportunity for Proschema to keep climbing the staying hurdling ladder.
Good ground could also bring out the best in Balco Coastal who makes his chasing bow in the Coral Racing Club Novices' Limited Handicap Chase.
Nicky Henderson is known for throwing plenty of darts at this meeting and this one could hit the bullseye on the back of a solid spell in the hurdling ranks last term.
He was second in a Grade Two at Cheltenham on good ground earlier this year and although pulled-up in a bog when sent off favourite for the Imperial Cup, he finished the 2021-22 campaign with a respectable third in a competitive heat at Aintree.
That leaves him tackling fences off a mark of 133 and he could rate a good deal higher in this sphere.
The Seven Barrows handler also looks to have a strong hand in the opening Coral Bet Bundles 'National Hunt' Maiden Hurdle where 350,000 guineas purchase Jet Powered makes his rules bow.
Henderson won the race with Jonbon last year, while he has also taken the first prize with the likes of Son Of Camas (2019), Jenkins (2016) and dual Champion Hurdle winner Buveur D'Air in 2015.
At Doncaster, Barton Knoll bids for a race hat-trick in the Kellys Soft Mix Handicap Chase.
The winner in both 2020 and 2021, John Mackie's track specialist is just 2lb higher than when scoring here 12 months ago and will be primed for battle following a pipe-opener at Newbury earlier this month.
Go Chique won with a bit to spare at Bangor in September and is just 4lb higher attempting to double up in the ICD UK Members 'H&H' Handicap Hurdle, while also on Town Moor, consider Wincanton winner Cornicello, who could quickly add to his tally in the concluding Leisure Combo Handicap Hurdle.
Moonlighter was well held on his debut for Kim Bailey at Stratford, but Ffos Las should prove a much more suitable venue for this strong galloper, who is some 21lb lower than his last winning mark now.
Intermediate trips look ideal for the nine-year-old these days and he could make a welcome return to the winner's enclosure in the Dragonbet Yma O Hyd Handicap Chase.
Fergal O'Brien is the man to follow in bumpers and having won the concluding Dragonbet Bucket Hat Full Of Specials Mares' NH Flat Race last year, can repeat the dose with Blue Clover, who bumped into a smart operator when second at Chepstow.
SELECTIONS:
DONCASTER: 12.00 Go Chique, 12.35 Coastguard Station, 1.10 Times Are Blue, 1.45 Barton Knoll, 2.20 Solomoon, 2.55 Immortal Fame, 3.30 Cornicello.
DUNDALK: 5.00 Pub Talk, 5.30 Maggie McGrath, 6.00 Lokada, 6.30 Early Strike, 7.00 Rockview Roman, 7.30 Echoing, 8.00 Hodd's Girl, 8.30 Lunar Power.
FFOS LAS: 12.20 L'Astroboy, 12.55 Haldon Hill, 1.30 Ed Keeper, 2.05 Moonlighter, 2.40 Franco d'Aunou, 3.15 Storm Force Ben, 3.50 Blue Clover.
NEWBURY: 12.10 Jet Powered, 12.45 Balco Coastal, 1.20 Stay Away Fay, 1.55 STAGE STAR (NAP), 2.30 Beakstown, 3.05 Proschema, 3.40 Steal A March.
DOUBLE: Stage Star and Barton Knoll.
