Favour And Fortune and Joyeuse the duo at Newbury

Favour And Fortune showed some very smart bumper form two season ago and after winning his first 2 starts was considered good enough to run in the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham. He is won 3 times from 7 starts since being switched to hurdles and was a good 2nd in the Tolworth Hurdle at Aintree in 2023. He ran a good race on his return to action at Ascot last December, finishing 6th of 12, looking like the run would bring him on plenty. He hasn't raced since and it would be no surprise that connections have prepared him with today's race in mind. He might be a horse that has a touch of class for handicaps and looks worth supporting today. Favour And Fortune rates a 4 star each way Pick.

Joyeuse is a very lightly raced mare who has just had the 4 career starts to date. However she has shown progressive form and after winning at Taunton ran well against some smart novices at Ascot when 3rd of 6 in November. She was then sent handicapping in a Mares only race at Cheltenham in December and travelled powerfully through the race and found only one too good for her where she was 2nd of 12. Joyeuse looks like the type of horse to keep improving with her racing and it is nigh on certain connections have tried to protect her attractive handicap mark of 123 for some the big handicaps at the major spring festivals. Today's race is one such target and it's easy to see Joyeuse running a big race. Joyeuse rates a 5 star each way Pick.