Today on Sky Sports Racing: Yggdrasil returns at Worcester in search of hat-trick for Jane Williams | Racing News

The jumps season begins to kick into gear and there is top action from Worcester and Fontwell on Wednesday, all live on Sky Sports Racing.

2.05 Worcester – In-form Yggdrasil & Only Money clash over fences

In the feature Richard Wright Memorial Handicap Chase (2.05), hat-trick seeking Yggdrasil sets the standard in an eight-runner field.

The five-year-old, trained by Jane Williams and ridden by David Noonan, has won three of his four starts over fences and drops back in trip today to two miles.

At the other end of the weights, Only Money ran out a comfortable winner at Plumpton last time and will be fancied for Chris Gordon and Tom Cannon.

Ten-year-old Magic Dancer won this race last year off 4lb lower and represents Kerry Lee, having bookended his season with a victory at Ludlow in April.

The Bowen team – trainer Peter and jockey Sean – give unbeaten chaser Courtland his first start since July 2021, having picked up two victories on summer ground last year.

3.10 Worcester – Exciting novices Fairy Gem & Letterston Lady feature

The Vandemoortele Worcester ‘Shaping A Tasty Future’ Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle (3.10) looks a hot renewal, featuring exciting bumper winner Fairy Gem from the Harry Fry team.

After scoring on debut at Plumpton, the six-year-old then contested Listed contests on her last two starts, finishing behind the highly-fancied Mullenbeg at Cheltenham and Luccia at Sandown.

Letterston Lady, for the Bowen team, is two from four in bumpers, winning her last two impressively at Worcester and Newton Abbott in recent months.

Fellow father and son duo Jonjo O’Neill senior and junior run the useful All The Glory who, despite being winless in five starts in bumpers, has shaped with real promise and finished sixth in Grade Two company at Aintree in April.

In division two of the race (3.45), Jamie Snowden’s You Wear It Well also boasts form behind Mullenbeg and is expected to be hard to beat on her hurdles debut after victory at Catterick in February. Uttoxeter bumper winner Blue Beach looks to be the main danger.

2.50 Fontwell – Blaze A Trail seeks five-timer against Walk In Clover

It has been a remarkable few months for Blaze A Trail with John Flint’s runner notching up four in a row between July and September.

The eight-year-old has been a revelation since switching to fences and also sports a course and distance victory to his name so will be hard to topple in the Ultimate Jumps Guide On attheraces.com/jumps Handicap Chase (2.50).

Walk In Clover tops the weights for Dan Skelton and has her first start since undergoing a wind operation.

It is notable that Skelton throws her straight into open handicap company on her chasing debut, starting off over much shorter distance here – just shy of two-miles-and-two-furlongs – than when last seen at Chepstow in April.

In the opening race, the Download The At The Races App Maiden Hurdle (1.12), Gary Moore hands a first start to the well-bred Givega, from the family of multiple Cheltenham Festival winner Quevega.

Wednesday racecards | Latest Sky Bet odds

Watch every race from Worcester and Fontwell live on Sky Sports Racing on Wednesday, October 19.

Race of the Day

At The Races’ Declan Rix…

It’s early in the 2022/23 National Hunt season proper and it’s the Richard Wright Memorial Handicap Chase (2.05) at Worcester that got the nod for race of the day.

It looks like a race that will be run at a good tempo, possibly even stronger than that in a field where the majority of runners like to get on with things. Around Worcester’s left-hand galloping track on what is officially good ground, it will be a race that tests jumping, an ability to travel and maybe even stamina over the trip.

Hopefully all eight runners declared stay in for those who like to bet each-way.

A competitive contest for Sky Sports Racing viewers to witness on Wednesday as a field of eight chase the first prize of £10,892. You get the feeling there will be no hiding place here with so much pace on offer which could see leading contender Yggdrasil on his head early down in trip on good ground. Just behind him in the betting is Courtland, but he’ll need to be produced cherry-ripe to win on his first start in 458 days.

Chris Gordon’s string have been in rude health over recent weeks meaning likely favourite Only Money must be given maximum respect, while the likable Magic Dancer proved he could win this fresh last year and the busy Elios D’Or comes here in good order.

However, at the (early) prices, NOT AVAILABLE (16/1) looks significantly overpriced if you can forgive his poor finish to last season and his below par start to this one. After joining from the Henry de Bromhead yard, the son of Milan got no summer break so maybe it was no surprise to see the light fade as his season went on.

On the back of a deserved summer break and an eyecatching run last time out on ground too soft for him, he is worth chancing each-way with a run under his belt at a big price.