Title can work it out at 33-1

SEASONED campaigners, improving handicappers and rising stars of the jumps scene will clash head on when the latest renewal of the Totesport Trophy is held at Newbury on February 7.

Last year’s 14-1 winner, Wingman, is among the entries for this year’s contest and is 20-1 to make it double in this £150,000 contest.

With just two quiet runs under his belt this season, Gary Moore’s seven-year-old has clearly been trained specifically for the race.

But he is a punishing eight pounds higher in the weights than last year and I suspect the opposition this time is tougher.

Moore saddles a more likely type in Numide, who heads the market at 8-1.

Winner of the valuable Greatwood Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham on his seasonal reappearance, Numide was running another fine race until blundering at the last in Ascot’s Ladbroke Hurdle won by Sentry Duty.

I doubt whether Numide would have won that day, but he gets a five-pound pull with the winner - who is 10-1 for the Newbury race - and that might be enough to give him the edge.

The problem with Numide is his clear preference for heavy ground.

Of course, with the English winter taking its toll, he may well get his going, but you can’t be certain and 8-1 is not exactly generous in such a competitive handicap.

With Snap Tie and Ebaziyan likely to swerve Newbury, Sentry Duty is expected to end up with top weight of 11-12 and he will clearly need to be Champion Hurdle material if he is to defy such a burden.

The seven-year-old is still improving, but has gone up 10 pounds for winning at Ascot and I suspect the handicapper has finally caught up with him, even though his trainer Nicky Henderson is a master at eking out improvement in his horses.

Given Henderson’s outstanding record in this race, it would be folly to write off his other entries, Chomba Womba (25-1), Aigle D’Or (20-1), French Opera (40-1), Ingratitude (33-1) and Working Title (33-1).

The former could end up with 11-10 if the weights rise, which would be a huge ask for a mare, while Aigle D’Or has to put a dismal Ascot display behind him if he is to figure.

I would not put that past him as he had looked progressive before that run, but both his worst efforts have come in big fields and that is going to be the scenario again here.

Of the Henderson runners, the one which interests me most is Working Title, who shaped well when third to Lough Derg over two and a half miles at Ascot last Saturday and can race off a two pounds’ lower mark at Newbury.

Lightly raced, Working Title will be set 10-3 to carry if Sentry Duty heads the weights and, should top claimer Felix de Giles take the mount again, he will get into the contest bang on 10 stones.

Belcantista ran a blinder to be second to Sentry Duty at Ascot and is another on the 10-1 mark for Newbury, but he has gone up seven pounds for losing and there is little mileage in his current odds.

Songe (9-1) is clearly on the upgrade judged on his victory over Afsoun at Haydock on Saturday and last year’s Triumph Hurdle fourth has to be on the short list.

Previously third in the Ladbroke, he could well finish ahead of Sentry Duty and Belcantista this time and confirm the form with Numide. However, the price is short enough for a five-year-old likely to shoulder 11-1.

Two of Psycho’s high-profile defeats have been a knife in the back for punters.

Given too much to do when second in Cheltenham’s County Hurdle, he came from some way back again when runner-up to Penny’s Bill in Leopardstown’s Pierse Hurdle.

This is another horse continuing to climb the weights without winning, so 10-1 makes zero appeal, especially as Newbury’s flat track won’t suit his come-from-behind style.

Ashkazar (14-1) is a much-hyped horse from David Pipe’s stable, but seems weighted to the hilt on his racecourse achievements, so the progressive Sunnyhillboy is much preferred at the same price.

Jonjo O’Neill has his stable in cracking form and this winner of his last three races could still be ahead of the handicapper on a mark of 134.

Issaquah, a creditable fourth behind Songe at Haydock, is another to consider at 20-1, while Medermit (16-1) and Dee Ee Williams, first and second in a valuable novice event at Ascot, are weighted to dead heat but have yet to be confirmed intended runners at Newbury.

The latter is a big favourite of mine and 25-1 is a huge price for a horse considered good enough to warrant a Champion Hurdle entry.

But for now the advice is to have a small each-way bet on Working Title, who will be expertly prepared by his trainer and is a horse seemingly on the upgrade.

He is 33-1 with Ladbrokes, but shorter with all the other major firms.