We’re creeping closer to the Cheltenham Festival, but there’s still plenty of big action to enjoy this week. We guide you through the key action on offer this week, including Saturday’s two premier fixtures at Newbury and Kelso.
Monday 26th February
It’s a quiet start to the week with just the three Meetings on Monday. Jumps action comes from Ayr and Plumpton, with the feature race of the day coming on the formers card (3.05pm), which features the likes of Traprain Law, Ballycoose and Gardener.
The sole flat action comes from Wolverhampton, with the Class 3 ‘Bet £10 Get £40 At BetMGM Handicap’ (6.30pm) the pick of the action on their card.
Tuesday 27th February
As we edge closer to Cheltenham Festival, the weights for the nine handicap races are published. Entries for the Glenfarclas Chase, Hunters’ Chase and Champion Bumper at the Festival are also announced.
Flat racing fans will have the entries for the 2024 Epsom Derby announced in the afternoon, with City Of Troy currently heading the ante-post betting for the Classic.
The action on Tuesday is quiet again, with jumps racing at Catterick and Leicester, whilst the flat racing comes in the evening at Southwell. A particular focus for Racing Club will be on Southwell, with Dunstan bidding to complete a hat-trick of successive wins in the ‘Best Racing Odds Guaranteed At BetMGM Handicap’ at 6pm.
Wednesday 28th February
Wednesday features another trio of race meetings to look forward to, with jumps action at Bangor and Wincanton. The latter hosts a competitive Hunters’ Chase on their card (5.05pm), which could feature last year’s Aintree Foxhunters Chase winner Famous Clermont, along with highly rated chaser Diego Du Charmil.
The flat action comes in the evening at Kempton, where Charlie Appleby and Godolphin could send out Silent Age in his bid for a hat-trick (6.30pm), having won impressively at Wolverhampton last week.
Thursday 29th February
Ludlow plays host to it’s biggest day of the season, with the Forbra Gold Cup the feature race (4.15pm). Arizona Cardinal heads the entries, having won readily at Leicester last time out.
Elsewhere there’s action from Taunton, Wetherby and Chelmsford in the UK, whilst over in Ireland, Clonmel is the sole meeting going to post.
Friday 1st March
Newbury hosts the first of it’s two-day meeting with the Juvenile Hurdle looking an interesting race to keep an eye on. Last year saw Nicky Henderson win the race with Under Control (now rated 138), and he sends the impressively bred Governor Of India there this year.
Lingfield’s All-Weather Finals trials day should provide plenty of pointers to the main event, with the ‘BetMGM AWC 3 Year Old Trial Handicap’ the feature race. Rosario has placed in a couple of Group races already and looks to have a big chance, with the likes of Got To Love A Grey and Brave Empire set to be the chief dangers.
Elsewhere, the rest of the action comes from Ffos Las (jumps) and Newcastle (all-weather flat).
Saturday 2nd March
There’s plenty of excellent racing to look forward to on Saturday, with the Greatwood Gold Cup the feature on day two of Newbury’s two-day meeting (2pm). There’s also the small matter of the Morebattle Hurdle at Kelso (2.50pm), where the winner can earn a £100,000 bonus if they follow up at the Cheltenham Festival.
Elsewhere, there’s further racing in the at Doncaster, Naas, Kempton and Wolverhampton, with the former hosting the Listed Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle (3.10pm).
Sunday 3rd March
It’s a relatively low-key end to the week, with jumps action at both Doncaster and Huntingdon, whilst there’s flat racing in the evening from the all-weather at Newcastle. Leopardstown also plays host to a jumps fixture over in Ireland.
