The ITV Racing cameras are back in action on Friday with jumps racing from Newbury, which features two Grade Two contests; while there is also action on the all-weather from Southwell, where their Tapeta surface sees two Listed races going to post.
FRIDAY ITV RACING TIPS – NEWBURY & SOUTHWELL
| Race | Tip |
| 1.50 Newbury | NO QUESTIONS ASKED (6/1) |
| 2.25 Newbury | HELTENHAM (11/2) |
| 2.40 Southwell | DUBAI HONOUR (13/8) |
| 3.00 Newbury | STRONG LEADER (9/4) |
| 3.15 Southwell | ROGUE LIGHTNING (15/2) |
| 3.35 Newbury | JJ MOON (11/2) |
1:50 Newbury – Coral John Francome Novices’ Chase (Grade 2) (GBB Race) Cl1 (4yo+) 2m4f
Ben Pauling won this twelve months ago with the classy The Jukebox Man ,and he could have another nice chaser to follow with NO QUESTIONS ASKED (6/1) who can improve on his solid chase debut victory at Ascot earlier in the month.
The Ask gelding was a three-time winner over hurdles last term, rounding off his campaign with a disappointing effort at the Cheltenham Festival in the Martin Pipe Hurdle. However, he returned from almost eight months off to readily land his first chase win with a defeat of Viroflay back at the beginning of the month.
Although he largely jumped well there, he did show a tendency of jumping left so this track ought to suit going left-handed. This will be tougher than Ascot, but he’s sure to build on that initial experience and no surprise if he makes his presence felt for last season’s winning trainer and jockey combination.
2:25 Newbury – “Join Coral Bet £10 Get £50” Handicap Chase (GBB Race) Cl2 (4yo+ 0-150) 2m4f
HELTENHAM (11/2) might be worth chancing back at a track where he has a good record and representing a trainer that has a 30%+ strike-rate with chasers this past fortnight.
The Masked Marvel gelding last tasted success at Perth back in April, and after an inauspicious return at Worcester, the eight-year-old has claimed successive bronze medals at Fontwell and Wetherby. That Fontwell run saw him finish third to one of today’s rivals, but he does enjoy a pull at the weights now, which can help him turn the tables especially if he is improved by his recent wind surgery.
He’s won off this mark before, and with a C&D record of three wins from four starts, he could well add to his tally here.
2:40 Southwell (AW) – Midnite Churchill Stakes (Listed Race) Cl1 (3yo+) 1m3f
Shader looks a surefire improver, but DUBAI HONOUR (13/8) sets a solid standard and can successfully give away weight all round here.
William Haggas’ charge has proven himself a solid Group performer, and the Pride Of Dubai gelding has won several times at the top level, including the 2024 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, although that was the last time the seven-year-old tasted victory.
Despite his losing run he’s still shown he is very capable of smart form, and he found only one too good on his latest outing at Longchamp last month, beaten a short-head by Convergent in the Group Two Prix du Conseil de Paris. That was his first run in five months and he’ll likely come on for the reappearance.
He’s also shown he can handle tapeta, winning at Kempton last April and more recently chasing home The Foxes in last season’s Churchill Stakes at Newcastle, so a return to an artificial surface won’t present any issues. He does have to give upwards of 4lbs to this field but he is rated 8lbs superior to Shader on official rankings, and he can make his proven class tell.
3:00 Newbury – Coral Long Distance Hurdle (Grade 2) (GBB Race) Cl1 (4yo+) 3m½f
The first three home from the recent Wetherby Bet365 Hurdle all reoppose, and the trio are again hard to separate with STRONG LEADER (9/4) taken to confirm places and come out on top again.
Olly Murphy’s charge won this race twelve months ago, beating Monmiral, although a light campaign failed to yield any further success. He did go close on his final start at Aintree however, beaten only by Hiddenvalley Lake in the Grade One Liverpool Hurdl,e and he’ll surely be sharper for his Wetherby reappearance, where he ground out a neck victory.
Some sloppy jumping didn’t always aid his cause at Wetherby, which might have been down to ring-rustiness and he can improve in that department. He did look in trouble for a time at Wetherby, but he ran on strongly and hit the line hard, which suggests he’ll be better for his ru,n and he can mount a successful title defence here.
3:15 Southwell (AW) – Midnite Golden Rose Stakes (Listed Race) Cl1 (3yo+) 6f
A chance is taken here with ROGUE LIGHTNING (15/2), who is unproven on artificial surfaces, but Tom Clover’s charge does boast some of the best form amongst this field, and the Kodiac gelding can get back on the scoresheet.
His only previous run on the all-weather came back in 2022, where he finished sixth at Kempton; he’s been kept strictly to turf since, where he has shown some very solid form, including winning a Group Three at Doha back in February and finding only one too good in a US Grade Two in April.
Not disgraced when finishing ninth in the July Cup, having met with trouble in running, he has had a break since, and his Doha victory in February came off the back of a similar absence, so he can go well fresh. Assuming a return to action on the all-weather rather than turf doesn’t present an issue then the five-year-old can get involved here with his sights eased back into Listed company.
3:35 Newbury – Coral “Pipped-At-The-Post” Payouts Handicap Hurdle Cl3 (4yo+ 0-135) 3m½f
JJ MOON (11/2) improved as a novice over hurdles last term, making the frame three times before getting off the mark at Exeter on his final run of the season in a match, beating Dino Magic by a half-length. Emma Lavelle’s charge subsequently made a winning reappearance at Newton Abbot last month, beating Ambion View by two lengths, staying on well for the victory having been outpaced.
The Pether’s Moon gelding won despite possibly just needing the outing, and he’s sure to strip fitter for that run now. A wind surgery in the off-season was also a possible source of improvement in that victory, which was his first start in the handicap ranks, and there could be better to come from him despite being hit with a 5lbs rise.
He might prefer better ground than this, however, so any rain would be a worry; but his Newton Abbot win did come with some cut, and he can go well here on the back of his reappearance victory.
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