There’s a decent seven-race card at Newbury on Saturday 22nd March, 2025 and there will be three races shown in front of the live ITV Racing cameras. Our in-house tipster Steve Chambers previews the action at the Berkshire venue and picks out his best bets for the three televised races.
2:05pm Newbury – BetVictor Novices’ Handicap Hurdle
Nicky Henderson may have had an indifferent Cheltenham Festival, but the master of Seven Barrows is certainly not a man to write off and he’s always been able to deliver the goods at Newbury. Well, the legendary Jumps handler can secure a victory in the 2:05pm contest in the shape of CALIMYSTIC, who was an impressive winner last time out and is capable of recording a second win in a row.
Having finished second on his hurdling debut at Doncaster, the six-year-old stepped up on that effort when cruising to a seven-length success in a mediocre novices’ hurdle. Stepping into the handicap sphere for the first time, he will take his chance off a mark of 118, but with the ground to suit and possibly hinder others, who will want slower underfoot conditions, the Henderson charge can claim the win here.
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2:40pm Newbury – BetVictor Home Of The Saturday Superboost Handicap Chase
It’s a really trappy renewal of the 2:40pm contest and Saint Segal is likely to prove popular with punters, but he’s far from a winning machine and is worth taking, as is Bob Bob Ricard, who sneaks in at the bottom of the weights and comes into the contest on the back of a win last time out, but this is much tougher.
One worth keeping an eye is THEATRE MAN for Richard Bandey, who has struggled over the last 18 months, but he’s been given a real chance by the handicapper for this contest and has to be considered. He ran a cracker at Cheltenham’s Trials Day last January, but has since disappointed in a number of runs. However, he’s been dropped 4lbs for a 4th place finish at Uttoxeter last time out, so he’s 2lbs lower than that aforementioned Cheltenham run. He’s had wind surgery since and had a decent break, so if the nine-year-old can recapture any of his form then he has to be a leading player.
3:15pm Newbury – BetVictor British EBF ‘National Hunt’ Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle
Harry Derham’s Jasmine Bliss has been a revelation this season and is looking for a third win on the bounce in this contest, but off top weight she could prove vulnerable in what is a hugely competitive renewal of the 3:15pm contest. She trounced Nicky Henderson’s LA PINSONNIERE by 11 lengths at Southwell three weeks ago, but the Seven Barrows inmate could potentially get a lot closer to her here.
Derham’s charge will have to give 7lbs away to La Pinsonniere in Saturday’s contest, so the two should finish a lot closer together and it would be no shock to see the Henderson mare improve. Prior to that Southwell defeat she was a winner at Huntingdon and held in high regard, so she’s worth taking a chance on and looks a solid each-way bet.
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