NEWBURY takes centre stage this weekend with their feature race the Grade 3 £120,000 Totesport Trophy, Britain’s most valuable handicap hurdle.

Barbury Castle trainer Alan King, who had two high-profile winners in Medermit and Blazing Bailey last weekend, could saddle four runners in what is regarded as one of the biggest betting hurdle races of the season.

Heading the King challenge is Salden Licht. A winner on the flat at Doncaster in October, he made a successful return over hurdles at Exeter earlier in the season and, according to the trainer, is in super form.

The seven year old is likely to start second favourite.

Walkon could be another interesting runner from the Barbury Castle yard. A Grade 1 winner at Aintree he made a useful return to the track recently.

Progressive novice hurdler Iolith is expected to take his chance, as is the likely outsider of the quartet The Betchworth Kid.

King said: “Betchworth Kid is a little enigma, but he could go well and run a stormer. A strong two miles is just what he wants.

“He’s a tough horse to win with, but he has an awful lot of ability.”

The favourite is the Nicky Henderson-trained Solix, who has yet to run in Britain.

Having been backed from 16/1 into around 6/1 in little more than a week the five year old, who carries top weight with Salden Licht, bids to be the trainer’s fifth victory in the race.

Champion jockey AP McCoy will be looking for a repeat success on the Jonjo O’Neill-trained Get Me Out Of Here, who won the race last year but has not impressed since, although a repeat of the run that saw him go down by a head to Champion Hurdle hope Menorah would put him in the picture.

The column’s selection is for an eachway interest on the locally-trained The Betchworth Kid.

Also on a star-studded Newbury card, the totepool Game Spirit Chase would look to be at the mercy of the Nicholls-trained Woolcombe Folly, the trainer also running Tchico Polos in the race.

The Aon Chase, another Grade 2 event, sees Henderson’s Riverside Theatre installed as favourite with the Nicholls-trained What A Friend a likely danger.

Kid Cassidy could get backers off to a good start by winning the first race on the card, the two mile Novice Hurdle, while later on, Persian Snow could send the punters home happy by winning the Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race ridden by Richard Johnson.

Other jump meetings are scheduled for Ayr and Warwick with all-weather flat meetings at Lingfield and Wolverhampton.

Channel Four will be at Warwick for their feature race Turf TV Handicap Chase, that could go to Hey Big Spender, ridden by Joe Tizzard.

Best bet at Ayr could be the Nicky Richards-trained Premier Sagas while at Lingfield Sir Geoffrey and Obsession look likely winners.

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