Pembrokeshire trainer Rebecca Curtis is no stranger to big-race success, having plundered winners at the Cheltenham & Aintree Festivals, coupled with a victory in the 2018 Scottish Grand National.

 

Curtis enjoyed a 100% strike rate with two winners from as many runners in August & September last year, whilst a 31% strike rate of 5 winners from 16 runners in October highlighted the yard’s excellent form.

 

Following a quiet December she is set to be well-represented on Friday & Saturday with six horses set to be her first runners of the new decade across Huntingdon (Friday), Kempton & Warwick (Saturday) and experts from Racing Post have run their eye over their chances. 

 

Stable star Lisnagar Oscar is the chief attraction at Warwick on Saturday as he looks to return to winning ways in the Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle (3.35pm, 3m 1f). A Grade Two winner last term, the son of Oscar is yet to win in three starts this term, but will have learnt plenty from his first start in handicap company, when a respectable ninth in a competitive event over timber at Haydock in November.

 

The feature contest at Warwick is the G3 Mccoy Contractors Civil Engineering Classic Handicap Chase (3.00pm, 3m 5f) & Curtis is set to saddle general 25/1 chance Joueur Bresilien. He is partnered by rising 7lb claimer who is operating at a 10% strike rate in the last 14 days & captured the Welsh Grand National over the Festive period. Joueur Bresilien, is an eight-year-old French-bred gelding who recorded a first career success over fences at Ffos Las in October and finished ninth on his latest start in handicap company at Newbury on November 30.

 

Curtis’ other two runners on Saturday are novice hurdler Cubao who heads to Kempton for a hot-looking novices’ hurdle (12.55pm) Over an extended three miles, whilst Getaway Withit, a €20,000 purchase who is related to a bumper winner, is entered in the concluding two-mile bumper at Warwick (4.00pm).

 

The yard look to have two lively hopes at Huntingdon on Friday too. Just A Thought is yet to win in nine starts over hurdles, but ran a race full of promise to finish second in handicap company. He reverts to maiden hurdle company over an extended two and a half-miles in the 3.15pm & is partnered by champion jockey Richard Johnson, who has ridden 10 winners in the past 14 days, a healthy 21% strike-rate.

 

Dalaman looked in need of the run when finishing fourth on his debut for Curtis at Ffos Las in October and should be competitive off a handicap mark of 105 in a conditional jockeys’ handicap hurdle where Lorcan Williams takes the ride.

 

List of runners for Rebecca Curtis on Friday & Saturday:

 

Friday:

 

3.15pm Huntingdon: Just A Thought - Weatherbys General Stud Book General Mares’ Hurdle, Class 4, 2m 4f 145y RTV

 

3.45pm Huntingdon: Dalaman - Weatherbys Scientific Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle, Class 4 Handicap, 2m 3f 137y RTV

 

Saturday:

 

12.55pm Kempton: Cubao - 32Red.com Novices’ Hurdle Class 3 3m 121y RTV

 

3.00pm Warwick: Joueur Bresilien - G3 McCoy Contractors Civil Engineering Classic Handicap Chase, Grade Three, 3m 5f 54y RTV & ITV

 

3.35pm Warwick: Lisnagar Oscar - Pertemps Network Hanidcap Hurdle, Class 2, 3m 1f RTV

 

4.00pm Warwick: Getaway Withit - Cheltenham And South West Syndicate “Newcomers” Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race, Class 5, 2m

 

For the latest results and all racecards check Racing Post