Weekend Preview/Review 
/ Timeform / 27 January 2012 / Leave a Comment 
Captain Chris puts his stamina to the test on Saturday
" will be interesting to see how Captain Chris handles the stiff three-miles-one-furlong test, with a positive run likely to sway connections into running him in the Cheltenham Gold Cup."
Cheltenham's Festival Trials card is the highlight on Saturday, with Captain Chris and Big Buck's two of the highest profile runners appearing, whilst Hurricane Fly makes his seasonal reappearance at Leopardstown on Sunday...
The Grade 2 Argento Chase looks to be the most fascinating race at Cheltenham on Saturday and Captain Chris, who'll be putting his stamina credentials on the line having finished third in last month's King George, currently holds favouritism for the contest. It will be interesting to see how Captain Chris handles the stiff three-miles-one-furlong test, with a positive run likely to sway connections into running him in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, rather than the Ryanair Chase.
Also lining up in Saturday's feature are Time For Rupert and Diamond Harry, two horses more than capable of giving the favourite something to think about if producing their best. Time For Rupert was dropped in grade by connections on his latest start, and a victory in a Newbury graduation chase will have done his confidence the world of good. Diamond Harry was disappointing when finishing fourth in the Betfair Chase last time but he is lightly raced enough to bounce back from that defeat and it is worth noting he has won three of his four completed chase starts. Tidal Bay and Midnight Chase look the best of the rest.
The Grade 2 Cleeve Hurdle, as with the majority of top staying hurdle races, revolves around Big Buck's, with the Paul Nicholls trained charged considered some 13 lb ahead of David Pipe's Dynaste on Timeform ratings. The Cleeve Hurdle will be a stepping stone for Big Buck's' defence of the World Hurdle crown in March, and it is fully expected that the nine-year-old gelding secures his fifteenth successive victory on Saturday.
The Grade 2 Triumph Hurdle Trial and Grade 2 Neptune Investment Hurdle Trial complete the graded action from Prestbury Park on Saturday, with the former race having attracted what appears to be a very strong field. Grumeti and Baby Mix, both prominent in the ante-post betting for Triumph Hurdle itself look set to battle it out, with Hollow Tree and Pearl Swan also due to line up. The latter contest will also be of interest to many with Broadbackbob, Knight Pass and Hard To Swallow all within 1 lb of one another according to Timeform figures.
The rest of the card is completed with handicaps, the Grade 3 Murphy Group Handicap Chase looking the most competitive of the remaining three races. Paul Nicholls looks to hold the aces in the race at the moment with Poquelin and Woolcombe Folly heading the weights and Aerial , the mount of Ruby Walsh, also entered.
There is plenty of graded action at Doncaster on Saturday with a Grade 2 Mares' Hurdle featuring the likes of Alasi and Dorabelle getting the card underway at 13:15 before Menorah and Kumbeshwar re-oppose in the Grade 2 Lightning Novices' Chase just over half an hour later.
The handicap feature comes in the form of the SkyBet Chase (read our preview HERE) over three miles, where upwardly mobile performers such as Shakalakaboomboom and Galaxy Rock, who both have an eye on the Grand National in April, will do battle. It will be intriguing to see how that pair get on against the likes of Aiteenthirtythree and Wayward Prince.
The final graded race of the afternoon at Doncaster is an Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle Trial, for which Gullinbursti and Rocky Creek are at the head of Timeform ratings. Both look open to progression after few starts and a Grade 1 assignment at the Cheltenham Festival could be in the offing for the winner.
Racing in Britain is completed with an all-weather meeting at Lingfield and a National Hunt meeting at Uttoxeter, whilst over in Ireland Leopardstown hosts a seven-race jumps card that features a two-mile-five-furlong Grade 2 novice chase in which Sir Des Champs and Hidden Cyclone are pitted against one another.
Sedgefield and Ffos Las will be the venues for racing in Britain on Sunday afternoon, the latter arguably possessing the stronger card.
Irish racing on Sunday is dominated by the Irish Arkle and the Irish Champion Hurdle , both of which feature on a seven-race card at Leopardstown. The Arkle looks to be between Flemenstar, Notus de La Tour and Blackstairmountain at this stage, with it very difficult to separate the trio, all of them open to various degrees of improvement.
The Irish Champion Hurdle is arguably the feature of the entire weekend and looks set to include the belated seasonal return of Hurricane Fly. Hurricane Fly was reported to have delighted Willie Mullins in a recent gallop and he will take all of the beating if able to reproduce anything close to his best as he is 10 lb clear of his nearest rivals, the field composed of Unaccompanied, Oscars Well, Thousand Stars and Kalann.
Sunday's race looks likely to be his only race before the defence of his Cheltenham Champion Hurdle crown in March.
The final graded race of the afternoon at Leopardstown is a Grade 2 novice hurdle set to take place at 15:05, featuring both Boston Bob and Make Your Mark, who will both be looking to enhance their credentials for the Neptune Investment Hurdle at Cheltenham. Sea Of Thunder is just about the most interesting of the remaining runners given his unfortunate departure at the last fence when seemingly having the race at his mercy last time.
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Timeform look back at a weekend featuring a success for Somersby in the VC Chase alongside a number of other impressive performances at Ascot, whilst Donald McCain was amongst the winners at Haydock......
This weekend sees a host of fascinating racing, with the Grade 1 VC Chase being the feature on Ascot's eight-race card whilst Haydock, Lingfield and Wincanton also stage some intriguing action......
Timeform take a look back at a weekend that may have been light on superstars, but nevertheless offered plenty of clues toward the Cheltenham Festival in March....
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