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THERE are some cracking handicaps at Newbury and Doncaster this afternoon and I shall be having a significant play in both of the feature events in Berkshire and South Yorkshire, kicking off with last season’s Topham Handicap Chase winner, BILL BAXTER (nap), in the Greatwood Gold Cup Handicap Chase (Newbury, 1.55).

Just the nine runners have been entered for this valuable two-and-a-half-mile contest with the layers likely to offer at least 7/2 the field. The selection has run four times since his Aintree success of April 2023 and has gradually been returning to form in tandem, with the handicapper releasing the brake on his handicap mark.

Following that win over the Grand National fences, his rating went up from 133 to 141 and he certainly has not been disgraced in Listed/Class two handicap chases since, culminating in an eighth behind GA Law at Cheltenham, where he did too much too soon. The eight-year-old is better raced as a presser rather than being out on the front end, so if he is to take advantage of a rating of 135 then hopefully James Bowen will ride him with a bit more restraint.