We are heading towards the end of a busy festive period, and although I wouldn’t have minded another winner or two at this stage, I was delighted with Remastered at Kempton the other day, and Royal Pagaille ran a cracker to finish second in the King George on Boxing Day.

Challow Hurdle day is always a good day at Newbury, and there’s some really nice horses declared, so hopefully there’s a good crowd there to enjoy what should be an excellent afternoon of racing.

I have four rides on the card, including one in the big race, so hopefully we’ll have a good day!

12:10 – Heure De Gloire 9/1

She’s had plenty of runs for David, but this is my first go on her actually. She ran reasonably well at Lingfield last time, but by the looks of it, she just bumped into a very well handicapped horse that day. This is a more competitive race, so she’ll have to take a big step forward on that form, but she’s back down to her last winning mark, so hopefully she’s got an each-way chance.

13:15 – Mongol Emperor 22/1

He was disappointing on his chase debut at Wetherby in October, but he did do a bit better last time. The track and the conditions should help him here, as you tend to get slightly better ground at Newbury than you do at Wetherby. He’s a horse who’s had a few issues, and it might just take him a bit of time to get the hang of chasing, but hopefully it stays dry for him, and he runs a nice race.

14:25 – Valsheda 20/1

He was a nice horse for Nicky Henderson, and he’s having his first run for Warren Greatrex today. I have been down there and schooled him, and he’s in good form at home, so hopefully if he comes on for his reappearance at Sandown last time, then he could go well. This is a competitive race though, so he will have to put his best foot forward.

15:00 – Thomas Mor 20/1

This is an extremely competitive renewal of this race, but he’s been a revelation for us this season. He will have to step up again in this company, but he did win by 57-lengths at Wincanton last time, so he’s clearly an extremely talented horse. We did think he was a nice horse, but if I’m being honest, he’s even surprised us.

All he’s done since he’s arrived is improve, and he’s a horse who just wants to please you. I do think the bigger field, and a strongly run race is what he wants, so I could certainly see him stepping forward again.

I can see him being a really good staying chaser in the future, he’s tough, he jumps, and he’s a really likeable horse, so whatever he does here, he’ll be a lovely horse for the future.

Tom Scudamore, Coral Racing Ambassador


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Odds shown as of 09:00 31/12/2022.