With Christmas on the horizon and the jumps season really in full flow, Newbury hosts a very competitive midweek card, while there is All-Weather Championships action at Lingfield, all live on Sky Sports Racing.
1.58 Newbury – Lookaway & Mighty Bandit face off
A quality sextet has assembled for the J M Finn Handicap Chase (1.58) at Newbury, featuring dual Grade Two winner Lookaway.
The Neil King-trained eight-year-old is a consistent and tough sort who returned from wind surgery to run a huge race when third at Uttoxeter.
Given plenty of time since then, he reverts to fences and has excellent claims under Jack Quinlan.
Mighty Bandit made an encouraging fencing bow when following home Mambonumberfive at this course last month and he rates a huge danger off just a 2lb higher mark for a trainer – Warren Greatrex – in red-hot form.
Others to consider include Highlands Legacy, who also chased home Mambonumberfive on his second chasing start. The third that day, Glengouly, won the December Gold Cup on Saturday, so the form looks decent.
Kotmask, Uncle Phil and Torneo complete the field.
1.23 Newbury – Kripticjim headlines interesting novice
Promising novice hurdler Kripticjim headlines another interesting edition of the Amber River Life Landscaping EBF ‘National Hunt’ Novices’ Hurdle (1.23) this afternoon.
The Tizzard team – winners of this in 2019 with The Big Breakaway – send smart son of Magneticjim in the Gold Cup-winning Brocade Racing colours who could prove a class apart from these, if backing up a career-best performance at Ascot last time.
Point-to-point winner Trial By Jury rates an intriguing newcomer for Ben Pauling, while Gowran Park victor Daydream Nation is another for the shortlist.
Trainer Philip Hobbs sends Starzand to Newbury on Wednesday
2.10 Lingfield – Mersea Island, Brasil Power & Veraison feature
Over at Lingfield, the feature Make The Move To Midnite Handicap (2.10) could well be a battle between the pair of three-year-olds in the field.
Charlie Johnston’s Mersea Island has won two of his five starts on the all-weather and finished runner-up in two others. He shoulders a 6lb penalty for his recent Wolverhampton success and remains capable of better.
Veraison, a three-time winner on the all-weather, arrives in good heart having scored twice in October before running second at Kempton last month. She can be in the mix off the same mark.
Elsewhere, Brasil Power‘s third at Wolverhampton on Saturday can be marked up as he had plenty to do, and this extra distance may suit George Boughey’s charge.
Topweight Great Bedwyn has slipped to a handy mark and cannot be ruled out.
Watch every race from Newbury and Lingfield all live on Sky Sports Racing on Wednesday, December 16.