Support comes for Paul Nicholls' runner in Challow as ground eases to soft at Newbury

The ground at Newbury has turned soft for the Coral Challow Novices' Hurdle (3.00), the final Grade 1 contest of 2023 which headlines the weekend's action.

Since the going switch to soft, good to soft in places, which came after 2.2mm of rain on Friday, there has been sustained support in the market for the big race for Captain Teague who is 5-2 (from 3).

There is no more rain in the forecast and it is set to be a gusty day at the Berkshire track with wind speed reaching as high as 35mph during the seven-race card.

Newbury's clerk of the course George Hill said: "We've switched the going since Friday, it's eased up a bit further. We've had just under 1mm on Saturday morning and we'll probably get another 1mm before racing. Then it'll be breezy and dry.

"It'll get up to 35mph but that wouldn't impact the ground, it won't dry out the ground. We'll just keep an eye on infrastructure but we're fairly okay with those types of winds – it's when the speed gets up to 45mph when there's a problem.

Captain Teague (left) runner-up in a Grade 2 at Cheltenham last time outCredit: Edward Whitaker

"We've got fresh ground on the bends and we've got the hurdles in the centre. It's nice ground for a great Grade 1 Challow which we're all looking forward to."

The unbeaten Willmount remains the favourite for the Challow, as he looks to build on an impressive hurdling debut at this track last month. He is 2-1 with James Bowen taking the ride after Nico de Boinville sustained an injury at Doncaster on Friday.

Yet it is Captain Teague who has been strong in the morning market, he was a winner over this distance in the Persian War earlier in the season and was an excellent third in the Champion Bumper on his last start on soft ground.

There is also televised action at Taunton, where the ground is good to soft, soft in places, while it is heavy on the chase and hurdles track at Haydock.

Updated at 11am