Racing tips from Dave Nevison: In-form Angus Cheleda to strike again

Given the current spell of bad weather, we just have to hope that Newbury's action can beat the forecast frost on Tuesday as there are a couple of horses that take my eye on the meeting - as well as a decent renewal of the Grade One MansionBet Challow Novices' Hurdle to enjoy.

It's a bit of mystery to me why this mare waited for 11 runs before running in her first handicap, but she certainly seemed to appreciate it last time when making all to win a mares-only event at Sedgefield in comfortable fashion.

Donald Mccain has engaged his good 7lb-claimer Theo Gillard here to negate the rise in her handicap mark and the jockey was seen to very good effect on another highly-weighted frontrunner for the yard, Chti Balko, just before Christmas.

It seems very possible that she will have an uncontested lead in this and will want to make it a thorough test at the trip, given that she stays further. It may be that she has simply matured this season - the headgear has been dispensed with this season - and although this is a step up in grade it doesn’t look a very competitive event.

The formbook shows that he is 4lb worse off here for beating Nordic Combined by a length and a half at Taunton last time out, but I am confident his greater resolution will enable him to confirm that form and beat a competitive field here.

His jockey Angus Cheleda currently has a strike-rate better than most and is being given lots of chances by Paul Nicholls in particular. His 7lb claim is a great asset - and surely won’t be around for long - and reduces the weight to just 10-3 which will be a great help in these conditions.

Calva D’auge disappointed in Graded company last season but had previously looked as though he was going to prove useful and he could well be on an upward curve again.

Left trailing behind by Royal Pagaille last time out, it may just turn out that being beaten 22 lengths by that horse might not have been that bad an effort, given how that horse destroyed a field of decent handicappers at Kempton on Sunday.

Redford Road will definitely be suited by the step back up to three miles here and his jumping has been good enough to suggest he will be okay around Newbury. He looked a future chaser when winning a Grade Two novice hurdle over this trip last season and with this race likely to be a gruelling test it should hopefully bring out the best in him.