Smart dual purpose performer Blue Bajan is out for about a year with a leg problem.

NEWBURY this afternoon is all about two horses, Master Minded and Denman.

Blue Bajan heads a final field of 24 runners for the totesport Trophy at Newbury on Saturday.

NIGEL Twiston-Davies has decided to skip the totesport Trophy at Newbury on February 13 with Khyber Kim and head straight for the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle.

Leading Champion Hurdle contender Khyber Kim remains firmly on course for a tilt at the totesport Trophy at Newbury next month.

Champion Hurdle hope Khyber Kim could take in the Totesport Trophy at Newbury in February following his brilliant win at Cheltenham yesterday.

ALL is well in the Sublimity camp after last year’s Champion Hurdle hero warmed up for his repeat bid with a pleasing racecourse gallop at Leopardstown.

Pigeon Island, who is retaining his form despite an incredibly arduous campaign, flew right away with the Anglo Irish Bank Dovecote Novices' Hurdle at Kempton.

Five Dream will face a maximum 23 rivals in his bid to continue Paul Nicholls’ fantastic recent run of big-race success in the totesport Trophy at Newbury on Saturday.

Amaretto Rose, one of the leading fancies for Saturday’s totesport Trophy, is set to bypass the race.

Fearghal Davis will bid to keep his unbeaten record on Palomar intact in the valuable totesport Trophy at Newbury on Saturday.

Paul Nicholls has expressed a wish to see the heavens open to aid ante-post favourite Five Dream’s chances in the totesport Trophy at Newbury next weekend.

Tom Hogan is likely to keep campaigning Silver Jaro in Ireland following his fine effort in the Pierse Hurdle at Leopardstown.

Blue Bajan earned himself a step up in class by posting a smooth success in the first division of the skyvegas.com Novices’ Hurdle at Doncaster.

Ebaziyan, winner of last season’s Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, has been handed top-weight of 11st 12lb for the totesport Trophy at Newbury on February 9.

Alsadaa could return to handicap company in Newbury’s totesport Trophy on February 9 – ground permitting.

Following a rollercoaster ride of a week in which Gold Cup-bound pair Kauto Star and Denman both did the business, the weekend action took something of a back seat.

New Field, 7-1 favourite with Cashmans for the Coral Cup, could instead run in the Vincent O’Brien County Hurdle if the ground is soft at the Cheltenham Festival.

Plans for Acambo are fluid following his disappointing show in the totesport Trophy at Newbury on Saturday.

ACAMBO must shoulder top weight as he bids to book his ticket for the Cheltenham Festival in tomorrow’s totesport Trophy.

Nicky Henderson is fearful of the threat posed by ante-post favourite Acambo to his trio of intended runners in totesport Trophy at Newbury on Saturday.

Paul Nicholls ended a relative lean spell when saddling his first winners for 15 days as New Little Bric and Taranis provided him with a short-priced double at Sandown.

TOM MULLINS will walk the track before deciding whether to let his stable star Asian Maze take her chance in the AIG Europe Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown on Sunday.

Paul Webber is keeping an eye on the Totesport Trophy for De Soto as long as conditions are suitable at Newbury on February 10.

Robert Tyner pulled off a remarkable long-term coup as Spring The Que caused a 16-1 upset in the Pierse Hurdle at Leopardstown.

EOIN GRIFFIN hopes ante-post favourite Kendor Dine can add his name to an illustrious roll of honour by winning tomorrow’s Pierse Hurdle – but believes his charge offers punters poor value.

Afsoun will bid to make amends for falling last time out when he lines up in the bonusprint.com Champion Hurdle Trial at Haydock on Saturday week.

The current cold snap is threatening to wreak havoc with the fixture list over the next few days after this afternoon’s jumps meetings where abandoned due to frost.

Penzance, a leading fancy for the abandoned totesport Trophy last weekend, will attempt to get his season back on track in the Grade Two Bathwick Tyres Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton tomorrow.

Al Eile is likely to go for the Smurfit Champion Hurdle without the benefit of a prep run after the abandonment of the meeting at Newbury.

All three of tomorrow’s National Hunt meetings in the UK are subject to early-morning inspections, although today’s meeting at Bangor has managed to beat the frost.

Saturday’s totesport Trophy meeting at Newbury is “in the balance” due to frost.

Emma Lavelle hopes Cloudy Grey can regain his old sparkle in the totesport Trophy at Newbury on Saturday.

Course specialist Self Defense is reported to be in good form ahead of his bid for back-to-back victories in the Agfa UK Hurdle at Sandown on Saturday.

There were joyous scenes in the winner’s enclosure after Al Eile’s victory in the Commhoist Logistics Champion Hurdle Trial at Haydock, the highlight of a Timmy Murphy 98-1 four-timer.

TRAINER Christy Roche has ruled No Where To Hyde out of the totesport Trophy at Newbury as he feels the horse has been harshly treated by the handicapper.

THE Jessica Harrington trained Studmaster, who helped end a nightmare run for the stable when landing the Pierse Hurdle on Sunday, and Martin Pipe’s lightly-raced novice hurdler Acambo are 10-1 joint favourite with the sponsors for the totesport Trophy at Newbury on February 11 following the publication of the weights.

Timmy Murphy will ride Irish raider Al Eile in the Smurfit Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham next week.

William Hayler

Roman Ark was the subject of a massive gamble today with the sponsors for Saturday’s totesport Trophy and is now 7-1 from 11-1 for the Newbury showpiece.

ALBUHERA was a surprise withdrawal from the totesport Trophy Hurdle at yesterday’s confirmation stage.

MACS JOY, fresh from Grade One success over the Christmas period, will try and complete the first leg of the Irish-English Champion Hurdle double at Leopardstown tomorrow.

Tony McCoy appeared optimistic today that some of Jonjo O’Neill’s horses would be reappearing during the next month.