Saturday 1st December

My Hennessey books is looking OK, but I can't get excited about any of them this morning. I was happy with Snowy Morning at 10s, but 5s looks ridiculous. I also have L'Antartique money rolling onto stablemate New Alco, and Character Building and Patsy Hall on-side. I can't see anything at value this morning though, so I'll stick, and hopefully enjoy.

So, let's look elsewhere and put up a couple of tissues – hurdles unusually

Newcastle 3:30
Katchit 7/4
Blythe Knight 4/1
Al Eile 11/2
Clopf 7/1
Harchibald 7/1

Katchit has it to prove here, much as I love him. That said, there's doubts about all the others! I have a somewhat optimistic Champion Hurdle voucher on Blythe Knight, and he'd have to step up today if that's going to get anywhere. I'm a bit worried about the form of Quinn's stable on what looks a big day for him, but the price demands a play. Al Eile's recent flat form could hardly be any better. 2m over hurdles has looked too short for a while though, so it would need to be a slog.

Newbury 2:05
Inglis Drever 9/4
Special Envoy 4/1
Black Jack Ketchum 7/1
Blazing Bailey 7/1
Kasbah Bliss 7/1
Chief Dan George 7/1

Regulars will know that I follow the great Inglis Drever as though he was my own. I fear time may be against him though. It will be interesting to see how he copes here – he was all out to win this last year, and this looks a much tougher race. Special Envoy is all the rage this morning, but I'm not surprised. The other four all have doubts hanging over them, particularly if this comes down to guts.

Overnight I placed an ew double on Character Building and Blythe Knight, and the only other horse of interest this morning is Maljimar, who is short enough at 2/1 to win his chase, but does look a rock solid favourite.

£500 Challenge
Blythe Knight £10 win at 11/2
Al Eile £5 win at 6/1

Special Envoy £10 at 11/2
Inglis Drever £5 at 5/2