EDITOR'S CHOICE KEEP THE 'COPTER IN WILTSHIRE! Commission says ambulance charities must be independent STARS LINE UP Marlborough Jazz Festival line-up revealed STADIUM GREEN LIGHT New Swindon speedway stadium moves ahead TOWN'S TICKET DEAL Fitton pins hopes on 6,000 season ticket sales VOTE Would you give money to the air ambulance if it was moved to Bristol? Yes No GET OUR NEWS BY E-MAIL Just register

Most read Comments 1 Wiltshire guns raise £250,000 for charity 2 Marlborough Race For Life latest 3 Bath book fair this weekend 4 Swindon man in blunderbuss attack is jailed 5 Aldbourne couple's 65 reasons to celebrate 6 Pensioner on child sex charges in court 7 Three arrested after Devizes burglary 8 Oh dear, I dropped Trescothick 9 Gypsy camp causes mayhem in Chippenham 10 Investigation at Great Bedwyn Post Office Today | 7 Days 1 Calne council votes not to fly flag 2 ASDA appeal starts in Chippenham 3 Steam roller causing delays in Chippenham 4 Drivers come to a sticky end 5 Kennels hit back over dog breeding claim 6 Traffic chaos fear in Chippenham over tests move 7 Helicopter chases burglars 8 Cannabis factory found in Calne 9 Tycoon scales down holiday home plan 10 Swindon worker defrauded Nationwide

The Andy Turnell-trained Blue Bajan looks set to run in the competitive novice hurdle at Kempton on Boxing Day The talented Flat performer hardly came out of second gear to win at Leicester recently and although his jumping was not that special he was never in danger of being beaten.

The Broad Hinton trainer said: He will definitely jump more fluently in a better race and I'm happy with that.

Jockey Graham Lee gave him time to get organised at the back of the field and I really think he could go far in the game.'' Looking ahead to this weekend's racing, the highlight of the pre-Christmas schedule is at Ascot, where the Long Walk hurdle and the Ladbrokes handicap hurdle is taking place.

Officials at the course will be putting down frost blankets to ensure the meeting survives the recent cold spell.

Clerk of the course Chris Stickels said: "We put down frost covers on parts of the home straight shaded by the grandstand and will be covering the whole course from midweek onwards. We are taking every precaution but indications are that it could well start getting a bit warmer by Friday.'' Likely to start favourite for the Grade One Long Walk hurdle is the Irish trained Hardy Eustace, a winner of the Ascot Hurdle last month.

He is bound to have his supporters, while the Jonjo O'Neil-trained Black Jack Ketchum, due to be ridden by champion jockey AP McCoy, has attracted support in the market and could go off second favourite at around 4/1.

Special Envoy, trained by Peter Bowen, has been unlucky on his last couple of visits to the racecourse, falling at the last at Haydock when having the race at his mercy, then finishing second to Inglis Drever at Newbury's Hennessy meeting.

The trainer was reported as saying the he hoped he would be an even better horse at Ascot than he was at Newbury and that he is in really good form.

Among others holding an entry for the race is the Barbary Castle-trained Blazing Bailey and French raider Kasbah Bliss.

The David Pipe stable has been in good form and Cheltenham Festival winner Gaspara is likely to represent the Pond House Stable.

It will be another cracking contest for BBC1 viewers who can't make it to the course.

This column's selection is going to be Black Jack Ketchum.

The following race on the card, the Ladbroke Handicap Hurdle, looks to be an even more difficult race to sort out .

The Nicky Henderson-trained favourite Jack The Giant is not certain to get into the race. Nine horses must defect if he is to go to post as the handicap can have no more than 18 runners.

A tentative each way selection is the Irish trained Victram, the mount of promising claimer Kevin Tobin.

The Listed Silver Cup Handicap Chase at 1.05 is the first of the three races televised by the BBC and could provide Paul Nicholls with another good Saturday pay day with Natal, the mount of amateur Nick Scholfield.

Other jump meetings scheduled are at Haydock, where the action gets under way at 12.20pm with a competitive handicap hurdle that could go to the Gary Moore-trained Altihar, the mount of son Jamie. At Newcastle jockey Graham Lee would look to have some fancied rides.

All weather action on the flat is at Lingfield, kicking off at 1.00 with a Selling Stakes over six furlongs for two year olds that could go to recent winner Valhillen.

Later in the afternoon Call Of Duty from the Mark Johnston stable could collect the Novice Stakes with the yard completing a double with Bann in the one mile handicap at 3.10.

Wolverhampton stages its regular evening fixture under lights beginning at 7pm where one of the best bets could be Pocketwood in the long distance event at 7.55pm.

9:41am Thursday 20th December 2007

Print

Email this