Nick Luck’s blog: Lisnagar to put in an Oscar winning performance

A cracking two-day meeting at Newbury kicks off on Friday with five races in front of the ITV cameras. Our man, Nick Luck, has cast his eye over it all.

Newbury

CHARLIE’S GLANCE is a very interesting each-way bet if they all stand their ground in the ITV3 opener at Newbury on Friday (1.15pm). There aren’t too many novice hurdles that get a free-to-air outing these days, but this one centres round massive hype horse and big price tag Jonbon, whose brother Douvan was top class. This one might be as well, but as things stand he has the third best bumper form on offer here behind the selection and Good Risk At All. Charlie’s Glance thrashed two subsequent impressive winners in Our Jester and Silent Revolution (beat Boombawn since) here when well backed on debut and is simply too big at 16/1.

L’HOMME PRESSE makes a bit of appeal at 10/1 in a warm novices’ handicap (1.50pm). While Boothill and Mister Coffey are still potentially very good, they are conceding a fair chunk of weight to the selection, who looks perfectly well treated on two hurdles runs for this yard when amateur ridden. The second was way better than it looked as he was edging to his left all the way round and this track should be more suitable.

ERITAGE might have a bit more to offer at 10/1 in the handicap chase (2.25pm). His profile is a little bit patchy, but he looked to improve a fair chunk for good ground and this sort of a trip in the spring. The market is underestimating his runs at Newton Abbot, but the form was strong in both races and, if anything, a nice galloping track should be up his street. He ran very well against a well treated rival at this meeting last year.

LISNAGAR OSCAR (6/1) is my idea of the way forward in the Long Distance Hurdle (3.00pm). The stayers’ hurdle winner of 2020 hasn’t had much luck nor much racing since, but was travelling sweetly when falling in defence of his crown in March and shaped with quite a lot of promise over an inadequate trip at Aintree on his return. I’m pretty sure that he’s not six pounds worse than Paisley Park on most recent evidence, while Thomas Darby needs a sharp turnaround with the first time tongue tie. Mrs Milner is feared most.

EYEOFTHESCORPION looks the answer to a very tricky closing handicap hurdle (3.35pm). He has just edged up a notch since the application of cheekpieces, and his effort at Ffos Las can be marked up on account of the unsuitably soft ground. With Paddy Brennan taking over, he looks the one with the most potential for improvement.

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