Dave Nevison's Saturday selections: Defi can strike again for Hobson at Newbury
By Dave Nevison
Last Updated: Tue 5 Dec 2023
The top-class racing over the Christmas period continues on both sides of the Irish Sea with the highlight being the Savills Chase at Leopardstown where we finally see Gold Cup favourite Kemboy - who has made more news than most this season but not for the right reasons – in action.
He may put the record straight on Saturday, but for my bets, I will be fishing in calmer waters at Newbury. Best of luck.
Dave Nevison
Finished: 1stSP: 9/4
Defi Sacre apparently lost a shoe when winning in good style over course and distance last time out and landed us a short-priced gamble in the process.
That event was a boy’s race and though he is not penalised for that, he now runs off a revised mark for an impressive Musselburgh win two starts ago. I believe he can complete the hat-trick here.
His excellent trainer, Richard Hobson, has his string in fine form with five winners from his past seven runners, which is another positive.
Dave Nevison
Finished: 4thSP: 11/4
Oliver Sherwood has had plenty of winners throughout December and this horse has contributed wins for the yard in each of the previous months. Severano now switches to a handicap in a competitive event but has had plenty of experience.
Despite him being a novice, a mark of 134 for his recent course and distance success does not look too harsh.
The ground will be no issue for him as he probably ran his best race over hurdles on soft at this course last season and while he did not perhaps progress as anticipated last season, it does look a different story this time around.
Dave Nevison
Finished: 1stSP: 3/1
One of my favourite handicaps of the year but sadly not as prestigious as it used to be, and there certainly would not have been many five-year-old’s running in the Mandarin Chase in my day.
Copperhead looks a promising young chaser and although he beat a horse who do not always find as much as expected in a finish at Wincanton last time out, it was his jumping over some of the stiffest fences in the country that impressed me the most.
Some of his rivals have certainly not made the same impression in the jumping department and if Copperhead gets into the same rhythm over the Newbury fences, he will go close at least.
Dave's top trio:
Dave Nevison
Finished: 1stSP: 9/4
Dave Nevison
Finished: 4thSP: 11/4
Dave Nevison
Finished: 1stSP: 3/1
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