Horse’s name

Weatherbys proudly sponsor all seven of today’s races, with the card getting underway with a competitive-looking renewal of the Weatherbys Scientific Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle.

Arguably, the most interesting races are the two novices’ hurdles, starting with the Weatherbys Private Bank Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle, in which the pair of previous winners stand out. Alastair Ralph, who won last year’s race with Holly Hartingo, saddles Market Rasen winner Lets Go To Vegas and the daughter of Getaway showed a good attitude to fend off odds-on favourite, Iorens.

The runner-up represented the Dan Skelton stable and the Warwickshirebased trainer runs the highly-promising Kateira this afternoon. A softground bumper winner at this track 11 months ago, she went on to finish fifth in the Nickel Coin at Aintree and created a good impression when winning a novices’ hurdle at Uttoxeter on reappearance. The longer trip looks sure to suit and the six-year-old is one of the more interesting runners on the whole card.

The Arkle Finance EBF “National Hunt” Novices’ Hurdle also features a course bumper winner, with Western Zephyr successful at this track just under a year ago. That form worked out quite well, with the second and third both winning next time, and like Kateira, Charlie Longsdon’s six-yearold went on to contest a Grade 2 bumper at the Grand National meeting. He failed to make an impact and shaped like he would appreciate reverting to a right-handed track, which he did when making a successful reappearance at Ludlow in November. He returned to the Shropshire venue last month, where he was no match for the promising Pembroke, but should again give a good account of himself, with Sean Bowen, who was aboard for both wins under Rules, reunited with the Westerner gelding.

Of his 14 opponents – all of whom receive weight – the Gary Moore-trained Inneston is the most intriguing. A winner on his sole start in France, he beat Irish Point in an AQPS race in October 2021 and that form looks particularly strong, with the runner-up going on to win a Grade 1 and has since performed well since joining Gordon Elliott and Robcour. In three starts this season, he has won a Cork maiden hurdle and finished runnerup in a brace of Grade 1s, latterly in last weekend’s Lawlors of Naas Novice Hurdle, whilst Inneston has run just once, at Newbury. On his first start for 440 days, he faded late on in an introductory hurdle, which was won by stable-mate Jupiter du Gite, but there should be plenty more to come. The sharper track could well be beneficial, although a slight concern would be as to whether or not this race comes too quickly (just 13 days) on the back of that British debut.

Connections of Inneston are represented by Perseus Way in the Weatherbys Chatteris Fen Juvenile Hurdle and he was last seen finishing third in Grade 2 company. Runner-up at that same level at Cheltenham on debut, the Sea The Stars gelding

Farside: Inneston