The first meeting of the New Year at Hereford arrives on Monday with a seven-race card over the Jumps.
The action gets underway at 1pm with a handicap chase for conditional jockeys, before coming to a close four hours later at 4pm when a field of 11 tackle the two-mile bumper.
Read on for a full rundown of the Hereford card on Monday below, courtesy of Betway.
Up first is the conditional jockeys’ handicap chase over the three miles and a furlong trip (1.00). Lightonthewing has been penalised 7lb in the weights having won at Wincanton before Christmas but should be able to shoulder that to score again for trainer Sue Gardner. The Christian Williams-trained Illogical Logic rates the next best, a previous scorer at Newton Abbot that was as good as ever when a neck second last time out at Windsor.
A field of 14 will head to post for the division one novices’ hurdle in class four to mark race two on the Hereford card (1.30). Race To Base looks the way to go here for the Twiston-Davies’ yard, a course and distance winner in November and sets the standard despite having finished last of three when last seen at Aintree.
Race three on the Hereford card is a division two novices’ hurdle, once again in class four (2.00), and this one can go the way of Aguellid for trainers Philip Hobbs and Johnson White, an eye-catching third on British debut at Exeter last time out and looked useful in France prior to being snapped up. He is taken to get the better of Vol Royale, a course and distance winner last month that has to shoulder a penalty this time around for that success.
A class four handicap chase marks the midway point of the Hereford card over the two and a half mile trip (2.30). The Harry Derham-trained Noahsgreatrainbow gets the nod here, off the back of a successful chasing debut at Wincanton that can defy a 6lb hike in the wrights to go in once again.
Bollin Thou is the selection in race five of the afternoon (3.00) for trainer Nick Scholfield, who is making his way in the training game having hung up his saddle as a jockey. Top jockey Sean Bowen piloted the eight-year-old to success at Uttoxeter on New Year’s Day and running to the same form should see him go well once again.
A decent field of 13 will tackle the penultimate race of the afternoon at Hereford (3.30), a mares’ handicap hurdle in class five, which can go the way of Time Was for the Philip Kirby yard, still a maiden but was a good second after five months off at Market Rasen on her last spin and can go well here off the back of a wind op.
Finally, Monday’s card comes to a close at 4.00 as a field of 11 head to post for the two mile bumper in class five. There are a couple of appealing newcomers here in Pigeon Forge and Loch Ness Pineau, with preference slightly leaving towards the former, especially with leading jockey Harry Cobden booked for the ride by trainer Emma Levelle, a previous Irish points winner at the second attempt.
Hereford selections – Monday (via Sporting Life)
1.00 – Lightonthewing
1.30 – Race To Base
2.00 – Aguellid
2.30 – Noahsgreatrainbow
3.00 – Bollin Thou
3.30 – Time Was
4.00 – Pigeon Force