Callisoe Bay to score again

Callisoe Bay can cement his resurgence in the £10,000-added Jacky Upton Handicap Chase at Newbury today. Oliver Sherwood's gelding had his name shouted from the rooftops as a star in the making back in 1994-95, thanks to a couple of spectacular wins over hurdles and a creditable fifth in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle.

But the giant front-runner did not take to fences as was hoped, only seeing off soft opposition as a novice and then losing the plot last season.

There is no doubt, however, that Callisoe Bay was a revelation on his reappearance at Uttoxeter earlier this month.

Making most, Callisoe Bay jumped well and drew away to beat The Last Fling by six lengths despite being eased down.

Callisoe Bay still has age on his side and it looks as if this could be his year. Challenger du Luc, runner-up in the Murphy's Gold Cup, is the danger.

Barney Curley is a past master at landing a "touch" and Magic Combination looks weighted to do just that in the Newbury Shopping Arcade Conditional Jockeys' Novices' Handicap Hurdle.

The four-year-old showed his well being on the Flat during the summer, winning an 11-furlong handicap at Sandown and being placed over two miles.

Admittedly, his form dipped later in the season but he now reverts to hurdling on a lowly mark. The two-mile-five-furlong trip should suit.

Old Rouvel, an interesting recruit to the winter game, makes his jumping debut in the Sonning Novices' Hurdle over three miles.

David Murray Smith's six-year-old was a shade frustrating on the Flat, being just short of Group class but too high in the weights for most handicaps.

He showed his staying power when a neck second to Canon Can in the Queen Alexandra Stakes over two and three quarter miles at Ascot and the one thing he should do is gallop on and on.