Five interesting contenders away from Cheltenham on Saturday - including a mare labelled 'exciting' by Paul Townend

Cheltenham's Trials day meeting is the centrepiece of a brilliant Saturday of jump racing, but there is plenty going on elsewhere including a Premier meeting at Doncaster and an often informative card at Fairyhouse. Here, we take a look at some interesting contenders for the action away from Cheltenham . . .

Luccia

2.05 Doncaster: SBK Yorkshire Rose Mares' Hurdle (Grade 2)

The 2m½f Grade 2 Mares' Hurdle at Doncaster promises to be a fascinating clash between some of Britain and Ireland's best mares and Luccia looks a particularly interesting contender.

Luccia flies the final flight on the way to success in the Betfair Exchange TrophyCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Nicky Henderson's six-year-old was Grade 1-placed as a novice last season and began this campaign with placed efforts in Listed company at Wetherby and in the Greatwood Hurdle at Cheltenham.

She seemed to improve for the return to good ground when making most of the running to score at Ascot last month and was cut to 16-1 for the Mares' Hurdle at Cheltenham on the back of that success.

Luccia steps back up in grade at Doncaster on Saturday but should get her ground and represents a stable that took this prize with Epatante 12 months ago.

Luccia14:05 Doncaster

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Jky: Tnr: Nicky Henderson

Jade De Grugy

2.15 Fairyhouse: SBK Solerina Mares Novice Hurdle (Grade 3)

The Solerina has an extraordinarily rich recent roll of honour with Limini (2016), Shattered Love (2017), Laurina (2018), Honeysuckle (2019) and Allegorie De Vassy (2022) just a few noteworthy winners to mention.

Kenny Alexander is no stranger to winning it either with Minella Melody (2020) adding to Honeysuckle's win, and the owner is set to rely upon Jade De Grugy, an unbeaten mare who could develop into his latest star now his two-time Champion Hurdle heroine has finished her racing career.

She did everything easily on her jumps debut and first start for Willie Mullins, travelling strongly in a maiden hurdle at Leopardstown last month and pulling 15 lengths clear of the second after a good round of jumping. Paul Townend labelled her as "exciting" and she is already into 8-1 for the Mares' Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

This Grade 3 is certainly a must-watch race and Jade De Grugy could be the star of the show.

Jade De Grugy14:15 Fairyhouse

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Jky: Tnr: W P Mullins

Antrim Coast

2.40 Doncaster: Albert Bartlett River Don Novices' Hurdle (Grade 2)

Gavin Cromwell is operating at a 24 per cent strike-rate with his runners in Britain this season and he could enhance that figure with Antrim Coast in the Grade 2 River Don Novices' Hurdle.

The gelding built on a respectable hurdles debut second at Navan to run out a four-and-a-quarter-length winner of a competitive race at Punchestown in October.

Following that win, he was sent off the 9-4 favourite for a novice hurdle at Cheltenham later that month yet having nosed in front on the run-in he ultimately lost out in a head-bob to the Olly Murphy-trained Butch.

Butch has since franked that form by landing a competitive handicap hurdle back at Cheltenham on New Year's Day and Antrim Coast could put it up to the market principles at Doncaster if resuming his progress after a break.

Antrim Coast14:40 Doncaster

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Jky: Tnr: Gavin Cromwell

Famous Bridge

3.15 Doncaster: SBK Great Yorkshire Handicap Chase (Premier handicap)

The £100,000 Great Yorkshire Chase is down the pecking order for contests this weekend that might impact the spring festivals, but that is not necessarily true of leading contender Famous Bridge.

Famous Bridge (right) got the better of Burrows Diamond

Famous Bridge: a big contender for the Great Yorkshire Handicap ChaseCredit: Andrew R Parker

Running in the colours of the late Trevor Hemmings, Famous Bridge has made a really strong start to life over fences by winning four of his seven chase starts. The sequence includes wins at Haydock on his last two starts, with the most recent effort a career-best on Racing Post Ratings (144).

The handicapper put him up 4lb for that Haydock win to a mark of 139 and it seems feasible he could go on to bigger and better things. Nicky Richards won this race in 2021 with Takingrisks and has already mentioned the Grimthorpe as a possible calling point this season, although he appeared to rule out a tilt at this year's Grand National following his most recent win.

Either way, he remains an exciting chaser with plenty of upside.

Famous Bridge15:15 Doncaster

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Jky: Sean Quinlan Tnr: Nicky Richards

Monmiral

3.50 Doncaster: SBK Novices' Limited Handicap Chase

Paul Nicholls' Monmiral remains winless since claiming the Grade 1 juvenile hurdle at Aintree's Grand National meeting back in April 2021, but he has his sights lowered significantly for a 3m novices' handicap chase at Doncaster on Saturday.

The seven-year-old bumped into the likes of Jonbon and The Real Whacker over fences last season before ending his campaign with a disappointing run back over hurdles in the Grade 1 Liverpool Hurdle at Aintree.

He received wind surgery following that effort and made his seasonal debut in the December Gold Cup at Cheltenham, where he ran better than the bare result suggests in seventh, only giving best on the turn for home.

He is entitled to come on for that showing and retains scope for improvement on just his fifth start over fences.