Friday Racing Tips: Dashel Drasher to throw hat into Stayers’ Hurdle ring

It's a reduced schedule across the UK & Ireland on Friday thanks to the recent sub-zero temperatures, so it's Newbury that's the centre of our attention today.

Amongst our three selections is expert stayer Dashel Drasher who will be looking to show that he is not done yet in the Stayers' division.

12:40 Newbury - Russian Ruler @ 6/1

It looks like things have finally clicked for the Nicky Henderson trained six-year-old Russian Ruler after he won back-to-back races at the end of last season, both in impressive fashion.

After five relatively uninspiring runs he burst to life at Newbury in a similar looking race to this. The change in riding tactics seem to have a big effect, being ridden more patiently, and those tactics were used again when backing up that Newbury win with another impressive win at Kempton in April.

He is up against some interesting types in this, in particular Venetia Williams’ Djelo and the other Henderson-trained runner Persian Time, but Russian Ruler looks as though he is on the up.

His jumping has improved drastically and he is clearly improving as a racer. He has also had another wind surgery in the summer and hopefully this will help him kick on to even bigger things later in the season.

15:00 Newbury - Dashel Drasher @ 10/3

The memory of Dashel Drasher running Sire Du Berlais close in the Stayers Hurdle at Cheltenham last year is still fresh in the memory and a clash at this year's festival looks very much on the cards again as the now ten-year-old Jeremy Scott runner gets back on the track.

He did not light the way as he usually does when last seen at Wetherby, clearly looking as though he needed a run and now with that under his belt he should be in a good spot to go well here.

He has a good record at Newbury with two wins to his name and this race has tended to favour older horses with two ten-year-olds winning in recent years.

He always gives it everything in his races, which he will need as he is up against some strong opposition, but with a run to his name this season he could come out on top.

15:35 Newbury - Hoe Joly Smoke @ 7/2

Connections of Hoe Joly Smoke have yet to see their charge win, but Friday's finale at Newbury looks like it could be the perfect opportunity for that to change.

The five-year-old has placed in three of his four runs, but all of those came at 2m3f or less. Trainer Dan Skelton decided to send him for wind surgery in August 2022 and he has since finished third at Chepstow in October.

Friday's final race at Newbury take places over three miles, but Hoe Joly Smoke looks to have the pedigree to suit that step up in trip. Skelton's charge will compete off bottom-weight on his handicapping debut, and he should be able to run a big race for connections.