12:25 Newcastle

Jewel Maker is respected following his course and distance victory last time but preference goes to Oscar Doodle (best priced at 4/1) who arrives in good recent form. The Brian Ellison trained four-year-old has good recent form figures of 23122 with his placed efforts all coming over this course and distance. The gelding won at Chelmsford in August off a mark of 49 by 2 ¼ lengths before finishing 2nd on his next two starts over this course and distance off marks of 55 and 56.

The handicapper has only raised Oscar Doodle 1lb for his ½ length defeat last time and he looks sure to run well with four places on offer under regular rider Ben Robinson. 

Oscar Doodle - 0.5pts e/w @ 4/1

13:20 Navan

Gordon Elliott holds the key to this race with the top four in the market so preference goes to Croke Park (best priced at 11/10) who is the choice of Jack Kennedy. The five-year-old cost £400k at the Goffs Aintree sale following a PTP win and he made an encouraging start finishing 2nd in a bumper at Kilbeggan in May.

Croke Park won easily by 11 lengths on his hurdling debut at Clonmel over 2 miles shaping like this step up in trip to 2m4f will suit him well. The second season novice Search For Glory looks the biggest danger but it would be disappointing if Croke Park didn’t remain unbeaten over hurdles.

Croke Park - 1pt @ 11/10

14:20 Cheltenham

Venetia Williams is still operating at a 38% strike rate in the past two weeks so Cloudy Glen (best priced at 15/2) looks worth backing in this race given his previous good form at the track. The ten-year-old finished 2nd in the Kim Muir at the Cheltenham Festival in 2021 behind Mount Ida off a mark of 140 before winning the Ladbrokes Trophy at Newbury off the same mark on his reappearance the next season.

That good form fresh means this return from 218 days off the track shouldn’t be an issue for Cloudy Glen and he still looks competitively handicapped off a mark of 142 with up to five places on offer.

Cloudy Glen - 0.5pts e/w @ 15/2