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Lanzarote Handicap Hurdle: Who Beats the Trends?

Hi all,

I covered Saturday’s biggest handicap, Warwick’s Classic Chase, in yesterday’s column. Now the focus switches to the other major contest. That’s the Lanzarote Handicap Hurdle at Kempton.

Kempton will inspect on Thursday afternoon to see if Saturday’s card can go ahead. Clerk of the course Barney Clifford told the Racing Post it was 50-50 that it would go ahead with Storm Goretti incoming and rain possibly turning to snow. So there’s a big doubt that the meeting will take place but inside today’s main piece you can read my preview of the Lanzarote Handicap Hurdle.

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Why January Racing Shouldn’t Be Written Off

Hi all,

After the big pre-Christmas weekends in November and December, January is often lazily labelled a quiet month. That’s only partly true. Last Saturday was weak, no doubt, but from here on the depth improves markedly – weather permitting, of course.

Next Saturday sets the tone with Warwick’s Classic Chase, backed up by the Lanzarote Hurdle and the Grade 2 Silviniaco Conti Chase at Kempton.

A week later, the Berkshire Million takes centre stage across three days at Windsor and Ascot, headlined by the Grade 1 Clarence House Chase, with the Peter Marsh Handicap Chase at Haydock adding a proper staying handicap chase test to the mix.

Saturday January 24th is one of the month’s real peaks, with Festival Trials Day at Cheltenham alongside Doncaster’s Great Yorkshire Handicap Chase.

January signs off in style with the Grade 1 Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase at Sandown and the Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown, which gets underway on Saturday January 31st.

Hardly a month to be written off.

Inside today’s main piece you’ll find several future winners from Victor’s Notebook.

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Nocte Volatus Shines as Saturday Racing Falls Flat

Hi all,

I’m not sure whether it was a case of the January blues, the Baltic weather, or the growing fear that the forecast milder spell won’t arrive in time to save next Saturday’s jumps racing, but I was underwhelmed to be left with just Sandown on Saturday. I had a few strong fancies at Wincanton, but that card failed three Saturday morning inspections.

At Sandown, the Veterans’ Chase Final was the highlight of a seven-race card. As mentioned on Saturday, it was third time lucky for the track after losing this meeting to the weather in each of the last two years. It was also the first running since the Tolworth Hurdle was switched to Aintree’s Boxing Day fixture, and the meeting is poorer for its absence.

Inside today’s main piece you can read my thoughts on the Sandown action.

Read More »Nocte Volatus Shines as Saturday Racing Falls Flat