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Racing Will there be a Happy Diva at Newbury today?

Despite being so close to the Cheltenham Festival, the racing at Newbury, Doncaster and Kelso is really classy and I am going to go out on a limb for the nap of the day at the Berkshire track in the form of HAPPY DIVA (nap) in the Greatwood Gold Cup at 2.40.

Kelly Lee’s charge put in a really fluent round of jumping when winning at Huntingdon last time out, staying on really stoutly all the way to the line, and she remains capable of doing better especially as this race will be run to suit with any number of front runners/pressers in the line-up.

The best of her rivals are probably War Sound, still unexposed, and probably the former French chaser Dustin des Mottes who I am convinced we have yet to see the very best of since he came across the English Channel.

The big veterans event at over three and a quarter miles at 2.05 looks wide open but I am happy to row in with the big Sandown Park winner HOUBLON DES OBEAUX.

He is well-suited by this galloping flat track as he showed when winning the Denman Chase here in 2016 and a second to Many Clouds in the 2014 Hennessy. 

Of course he is nowhere near the horse he was on those two days, but his win at the Esher track showed that he still retains enough ability to be competitive at this level and I fancy he has most to fear from the likes of Theatre Guide (also placed in a Hennessy) and the nicely handicapped The Last Samuri.

Also at the Berkshire track have a second look at A HARE BREATH in the opener at 1.30 with first time cheek pieces. Any further rain would certainly aid his chance as it would the claims of FLYING TIGER in the 3.10.

The Nick Williams charge has been given a really good chance by the assessor having dropped from a mark of 141 to 133 and just needs a good pace to aim at and some more rain to make his presence felt at this level.

Doncaster’s big race of the day is the Grimthorpe Chase at 3.35 and trainer Alan King will be hoping that his DINGO DOLLAR can race on turf with some give in the ground as he is simply a better horse on such a surface.

If the anticipated rain arrives he would be preferred to Rocky’s Treasure who is much more at home on a sound surface and has a good record around the Town Moor track.

BOOMARANG has been given a short time on the side lines by Emma Lave and that can pay dividends in the novice hurdle at 4.05.

But the best bet on the card has to be SHANTUNG in the mares Listed event due off at 3.00.

The Lucy Wadham-charge finally gets the test of stamina that she has been crying out for in this extended three mile contest and I am surprised that she is still available at a double figure price up against mainly more exposed performers at this level.

At Kelso, GETAWAY TRUMP is a surprise declared runner in the big novice hurdle at 3.15 having been earmarked for the Coral Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

The extra quarter mile of this contest should prove right up his street and he can take this valuable contest en route to now running in the Aintree Festival at the Grand National meeting.

Finally, the evening card on the sand at Chelmsford is my port of call on Saturday night and I shall be having two bets on the card in the form of SEAFARER in the staying contest at 6.30 and then later on at 7.30 MOUNT WELLINGTON (nb).

The last named should relish chasing a hot pace in this six furlong event and can outstay his rivals down the home stretch.

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