All the quality form points to Helnwein resuming winning ways at Newbury on Friday

March 19

Alan has made no secret of the fact that Helnwein reserves his best form for the spring, and he is looking for a big run from the topweight in the BetVictor Handicap Hurdle at Newbury tomorrow.

He said: “I know Helnwein has 12st 2lb, but, though he has run well when there was some cut in the ground, I am sure that he is better when the going in on the faster side, and having had two days of sunshine, underfoot conditions at Newbury should be just the way he likes them.

“Helnwein’s form has been solid, especially at the start and towards the end of a season, He ran a cracker when second to Alexei in the Greatwood Hurdle at Cheltenham in November, and it was only after the last that he was run out of the frame in the big pre-Christmas handicap hurdle at Ascot.”

The form of that Ascot race has only increased our optimism about Helnwein.

Wilful, the Ascot winner, won the 23-runner County Hurdle at Cheltenham last week, while runner-up Hot Fuss, who had beaten Wilful at Windsor, produced a career-best performance when runner-up in the Martin Pipe Hurdle at Cheltenham.

If that was not enough to boost Helnwein’s prospects, Ascot third Alexei subsequently won the Kingwell at Wincanton before running the race of his life to finish fourth in the Champion Hurdle and might well have finished in front of Brighterdaysahead and The New Lion had he not made a complete hash of the final flight.

And even the Ascot fourth Mondo Man has done his bit for the form, having won both his races since, so no wonder Betfair have priced up Helnwein at no bigger than  5-4.

Tom Bellamy is riding out of his skin, and Helnwein’s official handicap mark is only 1lb higher, so, while it is 23 months since he was last in the winner’s enclosure, he was second four times during that period, so everything points to a Helnwein victory. If only it was that straight-forward !

Betfair also have One Cool Dreamer and Rossa Ryan overnight favourite for the mile and a handicap at Wolverhampton’s all-weather meeting

One Cool Dreamer is another who has been winner-less since the summer of 2024, but, though he is 0-8 on an artificial surface, he came within a neck of breaking his duck over the course last month. Though now 2lb higher, he ought to be right there at the finish yet again.

Alan will be at Newbury this weekend. We have three runners at our local course on Saturday, kick-started by Charisma Cat in what looks a wide-open 16-runner mares handicap hurdle.

Charisma Cat has a hard-fought Chepstow win, plus three seconds, to her credit in four races over hurdles, but her best performance so far was when runner-up to Khrisma at Market Rasen last time. She has solid each-way claims in a tight race.

We are doubly-represented in the Goffs Open Bumper, Tom Bellamy riding Callisto Queen, leaving the unraced Master Roque for Tom Cannon.

 

 

 

 

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