12.50pm Newbury Tips & Betting Preview 01/12/2017

IN SUMMARY: With Cyrname and Bigmartre likely to ensure a fast pace from the off HELL’S KITCHEN can settle a lot better than he has on occasion and show this lot a clean pair of heels, picking them off at or after the last fence for trainer Harry Fry. He looks the sort to be way above average once he fulfils his potential and today can be the start of an exciting season for the J P McManus owned gelding.

1 CYRNAME – A really exciting recruit to fences if his debut win at Huntingdon is anything to go by. He scored by fourteen lengths jumping exuberantly in the main and taking racegoers breath away at times and if he tries the same tactics, again under jockey Sean Bowen, he will take an awful lot of pegging back.

2 DUSKY LEGEND – A really good hurdler who finished runner-up to Limini in the Dawn Run Novices’ Hurdle at the 2016 Cheltenham Festival and third in the same race this season. Two races over fences have seen two second spots with a length and three-quarter defeat by Lady Buttons at Bangor last month and if she can now repeat her hurdling form over the larger obstacles, she won’t be far away.

3 BIGMARTRE – Made all to win on his fencing debut at Ludlow but will need to race with Cyrname here if they both try to get to the front from the start which could cause him a problem. Decent enough over hurdles and looks to have a bright future over fences too, jumps well and should be a serious player if the race unfolds to his liking.

4 HELL’S KITCHEN – Lightly raced for Harry Fry with three runs over hurdles for a win here over further and two starts over fences, the first in November 2016 when third to Different Gravy at Ascot and the latest when a three-length second to River Wylde at Uttoxeter last month. He can pull on occasion which hurts his chances but may well settle better on his second run back and is well worth a market watch being owned by J P McManus.

5 EXITAS – Plenty of experience with twelve starts over fences and three victories but those have seen his rating rise accordingly, and he looked to be in the handicappers’ grasp last time out when third at Cheltenham. Clearly decent enough but others here will have Cheltenham Festival aspirations and he would be a surprise winner here.

6 CRIEVEHILL – Our partner Nigel Twiston-Davies has his horses in good form and will be hoping his son of Arcadio can follow up his comfortable Lingfield win this afternoon off a mark just three pounds higher. This race looks sure to be run at a decent pace which will suit his hold up tactics and allow him to get in to a good rhythm and off bottom weight he could well surprise them all with a rattling finish.