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(%,' Newbury – It will be a great training performance from Ben Pauling if he has BARTERS HILL ready after his long absence. He was a class act in bumpers – beat Buveur D’Air and Altior when winning a Listed affair here in 2015 – and carried that on to his hurdling career before sustaining an injury on his chasing bow. He is reportedly in fine fettle and is well treated on his best form on his return to hurdles. Lough Derg Farmer is on a recovery mission and also reverts to hurdles after running dismally at Ascot. He is better than that and is now tried in cheekpieces. Bastien would have been placed but for falling at the final flight last time and may prove best of the Alan King pair. )%', Warwick – MIDNIGHT
JAZZ is suggested but you would not call most of these consistent. The selection ran Vroum Vroum Mag close at Doncaster last year and returned to something like her best when a close second at Sandown. Midnight
Tour never got competitive at Kempton and the drop back in distance may help. She wasn’t beaten far behind an in-form rival the time before and does look the main threat despite conceding weight. )%), Newbury – NATIVE
RIVER beat two rivals when winning this race 12 months ago and faces the same task today. He had won the Welsh Grand National before taking this last year and then went on to finish third in the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Saphir Du Rheu was three lengths behind him in the Gold Cup and is closely matched at the weights. Both lack a recent outing but the selection may prove the stronger. The consistent
Cloudy Dream has never finished out of the first three and, over fences, the first two. The form of his Aintree second was given a boost when the winner scored again at Cheltenham. )%+' Warwick – It is difficult to look past SAINT CALVADOS, who has impressed in winning a couple of handicaps at Newbury. His jumping has been fast and accurate and he makes plenty of appeal in receipt of weight from his rivals. North
Hill Harvey won twice at Cheltenham before his second in a Grade One at Sandown. *%'' Newbury – This sees the eagerly-awaited return of ALTIOR, who has a perfect six from six record over fences. He has had a wind operation since last seen and is a short-priced favourite to take the Queen Mother Champion Chase next month. If he returns in the same shape as last season then he will be difficult to beat. The main threat is Politologue. *%(, Warwick – Top weight
Kylemore Lough should welcome the slight drop in grade. However, he does face a tough task and it may pay to look to the other end of the handicap. VALUE AT RISK has never really delivered the promise he showed when bursting on the scene in 2014 but won well at Doncaster over hurdles and returns to fences on an 8lb lower mark. *%*, Newbury – Nicky Henderson has won this five times and has that number running for him. In fact he could dominate the finish.
KAYF GRACE was a Grade Two bumper winner and has had just three starts over hurdles. The way she travelled and jumped at Kempton suggests there is plenty more to come. She may prove the strongest of the Henderson quintet but
Verdana Blue is also a possible after her third in a valuable Ascot event where she had Bleu Et Rouge just behind. The best handicapped in the race is Irish
Roe, who is due to go up 11lb in future after her second in a Grade Two Doncaster contest, though that run may have flattered her.