Bank on Harry to crack Thistle

Last year’s King George hero is up against it at Newbury

Newbury kicks off two days of top action, with UNOWHATIMEANHARRY taken to best the returning Thistlecrack in the Ladbrokes Long Distance Hurdle.

Last year’s King George hero will be getting 6lb from Unowhatimeanharry and, if he runs up to his mark of 170, really should not be beaten.

However, he is coming back from the best part of a year off and this is very much a prep for Kempton at Christmas, making Unowhatimeanharry the much more obvious choice.

He only slipped up once last year, unfortunately coming unstuck on the biggest day of all in the Stayers’ Hurdle at Cheltenham, but he bounced back with victory at Punchestown and already has a win under his belt this term at Aintree.

The nine-year-old was not visually impressive in beating Value At Risk on Merseyside, but the small field and slow early gallop were against him and he really asserted his authority after the last despite giving away lumps of weight.

Harry Fry has made no secret of his charge’s good health this term and he can continue to capitalise on that.

Meanwhile, DANDY DAN looks good for the Sunbets.co.uk Novices’ Hurdle at Doncaster. PEARL ACCLAIM should shine in

the Betway Sprint Handicap at Southwell.

SELECTIONS

DONCASTER: 12.00 Dandy Dan, 12.30 No Ceiling, 1.00 Barton Knoll, 1.30 Gibbes Bay, 2.00 Monbeg River, 2.35 Lough Salt, 3.10 Net De Treve.

NEWBURY: 12.20 Present Ranger, 12.50 Bigmartre, 1.20 Robin Waters, 1.50 Willoughby Court, 2.25 Ridgeway Flyer, 3.00 Unowhatimeanharry, 3.35 Hello George.

SOUTHWELL: 12.10 Coroberee, 12.40 Captain Bob, 1.10 Flying Raconteur, 1.40 Zaeem, 2.10 Swot, 2.45 Pearl Acclaim, 3.20 Topmeup.

DOUBLE: Unowhatimeanharry and Dandy Dan.