IT’S usually not ideal when you can strip a race away to two main players, but it can be fascinating too.

Like Brighterdaysahead v State Man in the Morgiana Hurdle last weekend. Teahupoo v Lossiemouth in the Bar One Racing Hatton’s Grace Hurdle tomorrow. Sir Gino v Mystical Power today.

There is no knowing how good Sir Gino could be. He was one of the leading juvenile hurdlers last season, in what looked like a really strong year for juvenile hurdlers.

He would have been favourite for the Triumph Hurdle had he lined up in the race, and he was impressive in beating the Triumph Hurdle runner-up, and subsequent winner of the Champion Four-Year-Old Hurdle at Punchestown, Kargese, in the Anniversary Hurdle at Aintree.

He was all set to go chasing this year though, he has been brought into the Fighting Fifth Hurdle picture as a deputy for his stable companion Constitution Hill, so it will be interesting to see whether or not the fluency of his jumping over the smaller obstacles will be compromised as a consequence.

There was talk of Mystical Power potentially embarking on a chasing career this season too, but that was earlier, and the Fighting Fifth Hurdle has been on his radar for a little while now.

Immaculately-bred, by Galileo out of Annie Power, he started off his career by winning a bumper at Ballinrobe in May 2023, and he just kept on improving.

Spring festivals

It’s not easy to produce your best at the three spring festivals, Cheltenham, Aintree and Punchestown, but Willie Mullins’ horse did that.

After giving best only to Slade Steel in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, he kept on well to just beat Firefox in the Top Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree, the pair of them clear, and he probably put up the best performance of his life when he beat Firefox and Slade Steel at Punchestown.

He may get further this year, his pedigree certainly suggests that he will, but he obviously has the pace to be a high-class two-mile hurdler, and the long gradual pull up the home straight at Newcastle should suit him. It is mildly surprising that he is not favourite in front of Sir Gino for today’s race.

Coral Gold Cup

It is also mildly surprising that Galia Des Liteaux is not at least a little shorter than she is for the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury.

Dan Skelton’s mare put up a career-best performance in the Classic Chase at Warwick last January when, racing in first-time cheekpieces and over the longest trip over which she had ever competed, she stayed on strongly to get to within a half a length of the winner My Silver Lining, the pair of them clear.

My Silver Lining came out next time and ran a big race in the Grand National Trail at Haydock to finish second to Yeah Man, before going to Uttoxeter and finishing third in the Midlands National. She ended off the season on a rating of 132, 10lb higher than the mark off which she raced in the Classic Chase.

Galia Des Liteaux rounded off her season with a fine run in the Grand National. She jumped and travelled well, and she actually led the field across the Anchor Bridge Crossing and into the home straight, before her stamina ultimately ran out.

She was beaten on her return this season, but it was a fine run in defeat. Over a distance that was too sharp for her, she led until the second last fence before giving best to Terresita, and rallying after she was headed. And Terresita ran well in the handicap chase that Gemirande won at Ascot last Friday off a mark of 135.

That run should have brought Dan Skelton’s mare forward for today, a day that her trainer has surely had in mind for her since the summer. She gets to race off a mark of 144, just 2lb higher than her Classic Chase mark, and that gives her a big chance.

Irish challenge

There is a strong Irish challenge. Senior Chief was good in winning at Cheltenham last month. He is 9lb higher now, but that was just his fifth run over fences, there is every chance that he can go forward again, and Henry de Bromhead’s horses continue to be in tremendous form.

Horantzau D’Airy was the only one who could get close to Flooring Porter in the Kerry National, and he did well to get as close to Real Steel as he did last time in the Munster National, coming from well back in the field in a race in which his rider today, Danny Mullins, dictated a pace to suit himself and the winner Real Steel.

He is another lightly-raced chaser who has the potential to progress again.

That comment also applies to Grandero Bello. The Hartys’ horse is eight now, he is a year older than his two compatriots, but he is lightly raced too, he only raced once last year, and he put up a really good performance on his debut this season to win at Galway.

He stayed on well up the hill that day on soft ground over the Galway Plate course and distance in a race from which the third-placed horse, Stuzzikini, came out and won the Troytown.

Stuzzikini is now 11lb higher than he was then, and Grandero Bello gets to race today off a British mark that is 10lb higher than the Irish mark off which he won that day, and that gives him a chance.

General En Chef is fascinating, coming over from France, and the veterans Remastered and Sam Brown could both run big races at big prices, but Galia Des Liteaux is the bet.

Jim Joel Memorial

Issar D’Airy looks over-priced too in the final race of the day at Newbury, the Jim Joel Memorial Chase over an extended two miles.

You can see why Imperial Saint is favourite, he is two for two now over fences, and he was seriously impressive in winning at Aintree last time.

But he is 10lb higher now and into a higher grade, a 0-145 contest, and both his wins over fences have been on good ground at Aintree. This will be a sterner test, he is probably going to have to improve again if he is going to win today, and he is short.

There isn’t much between the favourite and Petit Tonnerre on their running at Aintree in October and, if the O’Neills’ horse could get back to that type of form, back on softer ground, that would give him a big chance. He shapes like a horse who could have a big day in him if he could put it all together.

But Issar D’Airy is a bigger price, and he is less risky. He wasn’t as good as Imperial Saint or Petit Tonnerre over hurdles, but he is a much better chaser. He progressed nicely as a novice last season, and he probably put up a career-best performance on his debut this season, when he split Martator and Kotmask at Ascot.

Those two went out and finished first and second in a similar contest back at Ascot last weekend, and both are now rated higher than they were then. Martator is now rated 17lb higher than he was when he beat Issar D’Airy at Ascot earlier this month.

Issar D’Airy should improve for that run, his seasonal debut, and he should be happier back on the easier ground today.

There was a worry about the good ground for him before the Ascot race. Also, importantly, he should be happier back at Newbury.

He has run over fences at Newbury twice, and he has won twice. He beat Martator over today’s course and distance 11 months ago, and he could go well again today.

Recommended

Galia Des Liteaux, 3.00 Newbury, 10/1 (generally), 1 point win

Issar D’Airy, 3.35 Newbury, 9/2 (generally), 1 point win