The hot favourite who romped through the fog last time may have to play second best at Newbury to lightly raced novice
It feels like a nod to the Betfair Hurdle’s plot-ridden past – not least in its early years in the 1960s when sponsored by Schweppes – that Filey Bay, the hot favourite for the latest renewal at Newbury on Saturday, was obscured by fog for much of his latest outing at Wincanton in December.
Emmet Mullins’s hurdler eventually emerged from the murk to record a cosy one-length success and has since been sold to JP McManus, who loves to target this race, while remaining with his exceptionally shrewd trainer. He is an obvious favourite given his form and connections, but Filey Bay is also up 9lb in the weights since his last start and does not have a significantly better chance on paper than several rivals with a similar profile.
Continue reading...