What's on this week: Betfair Hurdle, Grand National entries and Shishkin bidding to bounce back at Newbury

Monday

Entries for Saturday's Premier fixtures at Newbury and Warwick will be revealed, with the numbers for the Kingmaker Novices' Chase of particular interest. The Warwick Grade 2 turned into a match race last year after half of the four declared runners were taken out on the day and a similar 2m novice chase, worth £18,000, at the track in November was a walkover.

There are Cheltenham Festival-entered horses up for grabs at Tattersalls Ireland after it was announced last month that Andy and Gemma Brown, who race their horses under the name Caldwell Construction, were to sell their entire string of young horses and make a shock exit from racing.

Stattler finished runner-up to Allaho at Thurles last month and the 2022 Cheltenham Festival winner will make his cross-country debut (1.20) on the banks course at Punchestown. The Ronnie Bartlett-owned nine-year-old will be ridden by Patrick Mullins for the first time since last year's Gold Cup and takes on Troytown winner Coko Beach, who bids to go one better than his Becher Chase second in December.

Stattler: set for cross-country bow at PunchestownCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

La Malmason aims to follow up her Cheltenham success for Gavin Cromwell in the feature 2m6f mares' handicap chase (1.50). Royale Margaux was beaten three-quarters of a length by La Malmason at Cheltenham's December meeting and competes off 2lb higher as she attempts to record her first win for Tom Symonds at Carlisle (3.02). Listed runner-up Lunar Discovery (2.32) also runs at the Cumbria track.

Musical Diva bids to follow up victories at Wolverhampton and Southwell to complete an all-weather hat-trick at Lingfield (4.20), while Southwell also stages an all-weather meeting.

Tuesday

Entries for the Grand National will be revealed and this initial indication of potential participants will be more important than ever before as the 2024 running will be the first time that only 34 runners will be guaranteed a place. Trainers and punters will get some gauge of who might miss out on a run, with Gordon Elliott and Willie Mullins expected to be heavily represented in the prestigious marathon contest, which was reduced from a 40-runner field as part of changes made by Aintree and the Jockey Club.

Tom Segal's Ante-Post Pricewise special on the Stayers' Hurdle will feature in Tuesday's Racing Post on what promises to be a busy day in the Cheltenham Festival betting markets, with accepters revealed for the open company Grade 1 races next month. As well as the Stayers', notable contenders for the Champion Hurdle, Mares' Hurdle, Gold Cup, Champion Chase and Ryanair Chase could be scratched.

Market Rasen's Listed Alan Swinbank Mares' Bumper (4.05) was won last year by Dysart Enos before she followed up in a Grade 2 at Aintree's Grand National meeting under Paddy Brennan for Fergal O'Brien. The same combination are this time represented by Northern Air, an £105,000 purchase for Harry Redknapp who takes on eight rivals for her rules debut in the rescheduled contest from last month's frost-abandoned meeting.

Golden Ace (left) beats subsequent Grade 2 runner-up Lucky Place (centre) at Taunton last monthCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Golden Ace chased home Dysart Enos on her final bumper start and Jeremy Scott's mare returns to Taunton, the scene of her successful hurdles debut, as she attempts to defy a penalty (3.50). Secret Squirrel lost his unbeaten record to subsequent Grade 2 winner Jeriko Du Reponet at Newbury last time and Hughie Morrison's five-year-old will aim to get back to winning ways (2.20) earlier on the card. 

The evening all-weather meeting at Wolverhampton completes the day's action.

Wednesday

The Cheltenham Festival Ante-Post Pricewise specials continue with quotes from connections on their contenders and Tom Segal's advice for the Ryanair Chase in Wednesday's Racing Post.

Corbetts Cross could step into open company at Fairyhouse, a track where he has won both of his starts, including his sole success over fences. He could shorten for the National Hunt Chase if successfully giving weight all round in the feature 3m contest (2.30).

Reach For The Moon was a Group 3 winner on the Flat when trained by John and Thady Gosden and the 2022 Royal Ascot runner-up could make his stable and hurdles debut for Jamie Snowden at Sedgefield. The five-year-old is owned by the Queen and Sir Chips Keswick and the second division of the 2m1f maiden hurdle (2.10) is his only entry other than the Supreme Novices' Hurdle at the festival.  

Tea Clipper looked certain to make a successful hunter chase debut at Warwick last month before idling in front after the final fence and then being headed by D'Jango. Tom Lacey's nine-year-old has a Cheltenham Festival entry and could aim to make amends for that 4-9 defeat at Ludlow (4.20).

Kempton stages an evening all-weather meeting.

Thursday

The Horses Who Made Me is a new five-part weekly series with some legends of the sport and Sir Mark Prescott kicks off the series in style by talking Peter Thomas through the horses who have shaped his illustrious career in Thursday's Racing Post.

Declarations will be made for Saturday's Premier fixtures at Newbury and Warwick before attentions will divert to the track, where Grade 1 winner Jango Baie will contest the Sidney Banks Memorial Novices' Hurdle at Huntingdon. Nicky Henderson landed the Listed event with Shishkin in 2020 and Jango Baie could potentially attempt to emulate his stablemate by winning the Sidney Banks before following up in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle.

Jango Baie (red and white) and Favour And Fortune: both have entries this weekCredit: GROSSICK RACING

Henderson also has 2019 Triumph Hurdle winner Pentland Hills entered in Doncaster's feature 2m3½f handicap hurdle (2.40). 

Last year's Champion Hurdle third Zanahiyr could run in the 2m½f beginners' chase (1.55) at Thurles. The form of his chase debut second to Fact To File was boosted when the winner landed the Grade 1 Ladbrokes Novice Chase at Leopardstown on Sunday. 

Lingfield and Newcastle stage all-weather meetings.

Friday

Favour And Fortune was second to Jango Baie in the Formby Novices' Hurdle at Aintree on Boxing Day and Alan King has entered him in much calmer waters at Bangor (3.20). Should the six-year-old run, he will become eligible for Class 1 and Class 2 handicap hurdle races by virtue of having his fourth start over hurdles as a novice.

Bangor's seven-race card begins with a hot-looking hunter chase (1.20) in which Lift Me Up, who is owned by Red Bull's Formula 1 team principal Christian Horner and former Spice Girls member Geri Halliwell, could make his first start since being pulled up last May. 

Miss Seagreen and Marcle Ridge fared better than Lift Me Up at that Cheltenham hunter chase meeting, finishing first and second respectively, and are also entered for trainer Lucy Smith. Natalie Parker is already booked on last year's winner Secret Investor and the dual Grade 2 winner will be the likely favourite having beaten Vaucelet by three lengths in the feature contest on Stratford's hunter chase evening last June.

Peaky Boy: successful at Cheltenham on New Year's DayCredit: Edward Whitaker

Peaky Boy made a successful stable debut for Henderson at Cheltenham on New Year's Day and the Olly Harris-owned six-year-old could bid to back that up at Kempton (2.40).

Wolverhampton, Chelmsford and Dundalk all race on the all-weather.

Saturday

The Betfair Hurdle (3.15) is the £155,000 feature handicap on Newbury's Premier card with Henderson's Greatwood Hurdle first and third — Iberico Lord and Luccia — heading the market at 7-1 with the race's sponsors.

It is set to be a huge day for Henderson as Shishkin is likely to attempt to bounce back from stumbling and unseating Nico de Boinville when leading the King George after two out. Shishkin could face Protektorat when attempting to avenge that Boxing Day mishap in the Betfair Denman Chase (2.05), with the Game Spirit Chase (2.40) the other Grade 2 on the card.

Protektorat: potential rival to Shishkin in the Denman ChaseCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Warwick stages the other Premier fixture and the feature Grade 2 Kingmaker Novices' Chase (2.20) has been won by 2022 Arkle winner Edwardstone and last year's Arkle runner-up Jonbon for the last two seasons. There is a Listed 2m mares' chase (3.27) at Naas, while Uttoxeter also races over jumps.

Newcastle and Wolverhampton host evening all-weather action.

Sunday

The Boyne Hurdle (2.45) has been won by Gold Cup winner War Of Attrition (2010) and dual Grand National hero Tiger Roll (2019), and the 2m5f feature is one of two Grade 2s at Navan along with a 3m novice chase (3.45). Navan's card also includes a Listed 2m5f mares' novice hurdle (2.15), while there is also Listed action in Britain at Exeter's Premier fixture.

Luccia landed the Listed novice hurdle (3.05) last season, but a £40,000 Listed mares' chase is the most valuable event on the seven-race card which has more than £190,000 of prize-money on offer. 

Lingfield stages an all-weather Flat meeting.

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