Bumper entry for Warwick races return
After the loss of Classic Chase Day earlier this month, officials at Warwick will be hoping for an uninterrupted day of racing on Friday when the course hosts a seven-race card which has attracted 140 entries.
Racing is enjoying a welcome renaissance with the public with recently-released attendance figures for 2025 showing a 4.8% increase on 2024 with the total number of people going racing topping five million for the first time since 2019. With a total attendance of 5,031,640, the average across the 1,427 fixtures in the year jumped by 3.6% to 3,526 boosted by big crowds at meetings over the Christmas period.
The Hazelton Mountford Insurance Brokers EBF Junior "National Hunt" Hurdle gets the meeting underway at 1.05pm and Shelfield Green trainer Dan Skelton, who continues to set a blistering pace at the head of the championship table, has two to choose from in Dream's Ka, who finished third on his racecourse debut at Doncaster last month, and Playful Fox.
There are 28 entries in the following Watch Racing TV Free For 31 Days Mares' Novices' Hurdle including the Skelton-trained Sallyville Lady who made a promising debut over the course in November, but couldn't build on that run when beaten by Coolanna at Uttoxeter.
The richest race of the afternoon is the Class 3 racingtv.com/Freetrial Novices' Limited Handicap Chase and Skelton has again made two entries with Cobbler's Boy, a course winner over hurdles, but yet to run over fences, and Kykorock, also a course winner, who finished third at Haydock Park on Saturday.
This is followed by two hurdles races, the first being the Love Warwick Chamber Of Trade Handicap Hurdle (Challenger Stayers Hurdle Series Qualifier) and the second the David Launchbury Memorial Novices' Limited Handicap Hurdle.
There are two races over fences to round off the card starting with the Lewis Badges 1832 Handicap Chase over three miles and a furlong in which House Of Habsburg, runner-up over the course in December before winning at Uttoxeter, could score again for trainer Christian Williams and jockey Jack Tudor who took the race with Always Busy in 2025.
Skelton has entered Jeffery's Cross and the 137-rated Jet Plane in the closingWilloughby De Broke Open Hunters' Chase, but they could face stiff opposition from Stratford winner Rebel Dawn Rising who would be seeking a four-timer.
The following day, Skelton will head to Cheltenham's Trials Day when his Champion Hurdle hope The New Lion will tackle the £125,000 Unibet Hurdle. Owned by J P McManus, The New Lion is currently second favourite behind Sir Gino for the big race in March and the two could meet on Saturday in what is shaping up to be a race to savour.