3.35 Newbury
Advice: 1 pt
win My Tent Or Yours (5/1 general), 1 pt win Cotton Mill (10/1 heneral)
Petit Robin:
winning at Ascot and Sandown in good style before excellent second to Cause Of
Causes at Ascot when last seen; That form gives him far better chance than odds
suggest and still below peak chase RPR by 7lbs; Interesting. 
Cause Of
Causes: Finally landed big handicap at third time of asking, winning from far
back in valuable 2m event at Ascot by 4l from Petit Robin; Must be respected
but this a much harder race 10lbs up in the handicap; Strong pace a must for
his chances. 
My Tent Or
Yours: Leading bumper horse last term when second in valuable events here and
at Aintree (form boosted since) and looked set for same heights over hurdles
when able to trash subsequent double graded winner Taquin Du Sequil at Ascot
(did get weight over ideal trip but won despite pulling very hard); Same talent
couldn’t get him out of trouble here when beaten by stablemate but ridden
poorly there, as evidence by easy Huntingdon win; Should go well here.
Dark Lover:
3-4 over hurdles, seventh in the Racing Post Hurdle when having second start
after long absence; Fixed that when romping handicap on heavy ground in
impressive style, but up back 17lbs and back into a much tougher race here. 
Pearl Swan:
Running a massive race in the Triumph (looked set to run into a place when
falling at the last) when last seen over jumps, having impressed beforehand;
Jumper’s bumper sure to have bought him on plenty and can run a big race here. 
Cash And Go:
Grade 1 winner last year in Ireland after two novice hurdle wins and had his
season cut short after scoping badly in the Deloitte Novice Hurdle; Second in
Betfair Hurdle was a good run and easy to think he has more to give up just
4lbs and Geragthy pick of Henderson charges. 
Punjabi:
2009 Champion Hurdle winner who had disappointing season just afterwards and
then off track for two years; Went fairly well for long way when well beaten in
the Christmas Hurdle on comeback, a run for which he should improve on today’s
better ground; Still got a lot of ground to make up. 
Cotton Mill:
Impressive novice hurdling campaign last year, beating EBF Final winner before
running out at the second last when giving Simonsig a real race in Neptune (plainly
didn’t stay 3m at Aintree afterwards); Never raced on worse than good to soft
but ground has dried this week and this a decent mark.
Ronaldo Des
Mottes: Second in good renewal of this two years ago, runs here off 2lbs lower;
Showed up well in handicap at Sandown on ground which was too soft for him;
Could go well if coming on significantly for that, but plenty to go in this
context. 
Baby Mix:
Appealed to some as a Triumph winner on occasions last season but put in his
place when issue came towards stamina; Shown nothing like the same form so far
this season and others make far more appeal. 
Princeton
Plains: Neck second over Listowel Hurdles was a career best (September, 2m,
heavy) and Ladbroke sixth wasn’t a disaster considering that was his first run
since; Should be more competitive but needs to show more to think of being
involved. 
Claret
Cloak: Impressive winner of good ground novice hurdles at Sandown and then over
2m1f here (looked to have no chance when turning for home); But showed immense
potential when a fantastic front running third at Ascot (good to soft), beaten
by no less than Raya Star (useful Jonjo O’Neill charge second); Three months
off but freshness seems not to be an issue and big chance if the ground has
dried out enough for him. 
The
Betchworth Kid: Fourth in this in 2011 but not been seen in his three hurdles
starts since, and flat form taken a steady dip too; Others seem more prepared
for this today. 
Manyriverstocross:
Same mark as today’s when third in this (2011) and sent off just 11/2 for the
Greatwood won by Menorah; If back to that form, chance, but 800+ day absence is
suggests this will ask a lot of him. 
Swing
Bowler: Living upto her excellent breeding background, unbeaten in two bumpers
and three hurdle races, making plenty of ground from far back to win in fine
style on New Year’s Day at Museelbrugh; Up 11lbs but very promising and must
have something more to give on only her sixth start; Big chance here. 
Village Vic:
Gave leading novice The New One quite a fight on hurdling debut at Cheltenham 2m5f,
good) but two backwards steps there since then; This needs a revival from him
despite his peak effort giving him an excellent chance. 
Lyvius:
Looked useful when winning at Kelso on debut (previously flat raced in Germany)
and then well beaten at Grade 1 level; Reappearance win here showed he’s useful
but tailed off behind Cause Of Causes last time and others make more appeal.
Ingleby
Sprit: Enhanced decent course record at Musselburgh when taking minor honours
there on his last two starts (only two wins there); Needs more in visor for
just the second time (well beaten when he last had it on the flat). 
First In The
Queue: Third in jumper’s bumper at Kempton when last seen, having previously
failed to cope with the heavy ground in Ladbroke Hurdle; No worries on that
score today and good chance based on form with stablemate Petit Robin but far
more exposed than many here.
Into Wain:
So nearly capped off fine mid-year flat sequence when making a winning return to
hurdling against Petit Robin (went down by a nose) but well beaten in Ladbroke
Hurdle; Needs more today.
Caid Du
Berlais: One from six in France but pretty decent form there anyway, and looked
to have something to give when second in Chepstow Juvenile Hurdle; May have learned
a lot but would want this to be an out and out test to be making a real impact;
Needs more.
VERDICT: As
good a renewal as has been seen for a long time, with favourite MY TENT OR
YOURS taken to enhance his festival claims with a win here. The ground (now ‘soft’
all round) is a slight worry but a big field and hopefully strongly run race
should bring out his best, and with that in mind, he’s a worthy favourite based
on his two easy novice hurdle wins so far this season. There are any number of
worthy alternatives, with COTTON MILL just getting the second nod over Claret
Cloak on the basis of his Cheltenham Festival form. Cash And Go, Swing Bowler,
Pearl Swan and Petit Robin can all play a big part.
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