Worcester’s biggest card of the season looks a cracker with a full field of 16 for the £70,000 feature hurdle on the card, live on Sky Sports Racing.
4.00 Worcester – Murphy team hoping Merlin can remain unbeaten
This year’s Download Vickers.Bet App Fixed Brush Hurdle Series Final Novices’ Handicap Hurdle (4:00) could hardly be more competitive and looks very tricky to solve with plenty of star trainers sending runners to the £70k heat.
Young Merlin is the place to start, having won all three races to date for Amy Murphy including on handicap debut at Chepstow last time.
Our Scholar and En Avant are another pair who have plenty of winning form for Jack Jones and Olly Murphy respectively, whilst Dan Skelton runs last time out scorer Allihies.
Paul Nicholls also sends one for Owners Group with Huelgoat – stable rider Harry Cobden will be in the saddle.
2.15 Worcester – Exciting chasers go head-to-head
It’s the time of year when yards are just starting to send out some exciting novice chasers and the Bob Love King Of The Dirt Novices’ Chase (2:15) lives up to the billing.
Broadway Boy will top the weights for Nigel and Sam Twiston-Davies as he makes his fencing debut from a mark of 131, whilst Evan Williams’ Coconut Splash bids to win at the 12th attempt over the larger obstacles.
Grand Roi has been in the hands of Nicky Henderson and Gordon Elliott and now makes his second run for the James Owen team, having been well-beaten at the venue earlier this month.
8.00 Newcastle – Sextet of last time out winners clash
The Vickers.Bet Proudly Supporting British Racing Handicap (8:00) features no fewer than six last time out winners.
The Ed Walker-trained Dreamrocker improved on his debut to land a Salisbury novice last month – he’s a half-sister to Dreamloper and ought to go close off a mark of 75.
Of the others, Roger Fell & Sean Murray’s Eldrickjones claimed a similar heat over seven furlongs and steps up in trip – he can be expected to go well in a wide-open heat.
Watch every race from Newcastle and Worcester on Sky Sports Racing on Friday 29 September.