See below Andy Newton’s Newbury ITV Racing horse racing tips and best bets, covering the four live contests on Friday – that are spearheaded by the Grade Two Long Distance Hurdle at 3:00pm.
ITV Racing Tips From Newbury: Andy Newton’s Best Bets on Friday 28th November 2025
There are four LIVE Newbury races on the ‘free-to-air’ channel on Friday from the seven-race card that gets going at 12:15pm.
The ITV Racing team will be showing the final four contests. These include the Long Distance Hurdle, with last year’s winner Strong Leader trying to defend his crown.
However, Sportscasting’s Andy Newton, who can also be found each week on the popular Final Furlong Podcast, is taking on the current champ in his 1-2-3 Newbury ITV racing tips below.
1:50 – Coral John Francome Novices’ Chase (Grade 2) (GBB Race) Cl1 (4yo+) 2m4f ITV4
Just the six runners here, but still a solid little race with some potential chasing stars of the future strutting their stuff.
Regent’s Stroll’s bubble was burst last season by The New Lion in the Challow Hurdle.
But he did bounced back to be second in the Grade One Turners Mersey Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree.
He’s over fences now and has looked the sort to be better now going chasing.
Regent’s Stroll is also a course winner over hurdles here and Nicholls likes this race. He’s won it with Hermes Allen and Clan Des Obeaux in the past.
But my slight niggle is the form of the Nicholls yard at the moment. Nothing alarming, but are only 2-26 with their recent runners.
Ben Pauling is another that has a decent return here.
Having won this prize in 2017 with Willoughby Court and last year with one of the King George VI Chase betting fancies – The Jukebox Man.
He tries again with No Questions Asked, who I was impressed with at Ascot on his chasing debut. The second that day Viroflay has since run okay at Kempton (second) too.
The same comment applies to the Olly Murphy runner Kingston Pride.
Another that won on his first start over fences (Perth) and will have Sean Bowen doing the steering.
Wendigo’s Debut Chase Run Been Franked Since
But the call here is for WENDIGO to take a leap forward from his chase debut second at Worcester, when just getting tapped for toe on the blindside by Wade Out.
That horse has since franked the form to record an unbelievable win at Cheltenham, while the fourth Excelero (and even Pic Roc, who unseated) have both bolted up since.
Meaning the form of that Worcester race looks rock solid to me.
” Wendigo showed his ability as a novice when he was 2nd in the Challow Hurdle at Newbury and 5th in the Albert Bartlett at Cheltenham, when very unlucky in running. He jumped really well on his chasing debut at Worcester in October, but just got run out of it having blown up a bit on the run in. The form of that race has worked out very well, and he will undoubtedly improve for the effort. He has every chance of running well in this competitive Grade 2 contest. “ Jamie Snowden told the FromTheStables site
The Snowden yard continues in fine fettle (33%) too. Plus the pick has also been given 37 days to freshen up from that debut chase outing.
So I’m happy to give Wendi a ‘GO’ here (okay that was bad!)
🥇WENDIGO
🥈REGENT’S STROLL
🥉NO QUESTIONS ASKED
👍 Jamie Snowden says that WENDIGO will be targeted at the Grade 2 John Francome Novices Chase, per @SportingLife.
👏 Great to see them aiming high with him rather than heading to another Beginners Chase.pic.twitter.com/mQ7pcRqIXw
— Road To Cheltenham (@RoadCheltenham) November 8, 2025
2:25 – “Join Coral Bet £10 Get £50” Handicap Chase (GBB Race) Cl2 (4yo+ 0-150) 2m4f ITV4
American Mike has moved from the Gordon Elliott yard to Olly Murphy and with Sean Bowen riding will attract interest.
But he’s seven races without a win, with the last coming in February 2024.
Heltenham is the only CD winner in the field.
So this must count for something and also hails from the Dan Skelton yard, who have won this race twice since 2017.
But the horse is only 1-11 at the moment in recent races and was also only 8th in the race last year and is just 6lbs better off.
Twinjets also beat Heltenham last time at Fontwell and is just 2lbs worse off – so should uphold that form.
Filanderer is on a roll at the moment too. But is up 10lbs for that last win at Ffos Las.
Focus The Mind With Telepathique
So, the two of interest here are TELEPATHIQUE and WESTERN GENERAL.
The first-named is yet to finish out of the top two from six chase starts (four wins). Plus was second to Wednesday’s easy winner Paggane, which looks fair form.
Is also sure to come on for that run as it was her first for nine months.
Then Western General looks likely to be a bigger price.
However, with only seven runners the e/w places are only top two, unless you shop around.
He was entered for a race on Saturday, which I thought he had a chance in, but is coming here instead.
Was seventh last time, but ran okay for most of the race there and took a bit of a hold.
He’s been dropped 3lbs too, plus I feel he’ll be better for that spin and trainer Joe Tizzard is terrific form at the moment.
Therefore, despite the seven runners, Western General looks one of the better value Newbury horse racing tips here.
🥇TELEPATHIQUE
🥈WESTERN GENERAL
🥉TWINJETS
3:00 – Coral Long Distance Hurdle (Grade 2) (GBB Race) Cl1 (4yo+) 3m½f ITV4
Last year’s hero Strong Leader will be looking to become the first ‘back-to-back’ winner of the Long Distance Hurdle since Big Buck’s, who won four on the bounce between 2009 and 2012.
He returned this season with a gutsy win over Take No Chances at Wetherby earlier this month. But I just wonder if that hard-looking race might have left a mark (watch below).
Strong Leader will meet the runner-up on the same terms. Though does have to give 6lbs away to IMPOSE TOI, who I was impressed with last time at Aintree.
Many of us put him up on the Final Furlong Podcast that day at around 8/1 and was smashed up.
Maybe it was us that moved the market? Or more likely the McManus millions – ha !!
This means, with Impose Toi only rated 3lbs behind Strong Leader – so the Nicky Henderson horse is 3lbs well-in.
The seven year-old was also running over 3m+ for the first time and looked more than at home over that trip.
Yes, last time is was a handicap and he’s now into graded company.
But the staying division isn’t really the strongest at the moment – so maybe over this new distance he can ‘Impose’ himself.
Former King George winner Hewick is back over hurdles. And after a poor run in the Charlie Hall Chase and will be ridden by Paddy Hanlon, who is two-from-two on him.
While Henderson also has his Cheltenham Festival winner Doddiethegreat in the race. As the Seven Barrows handler looks to win this race for a fifth time.
I’ll take Impose to give Hendo a fifth win this race, with his most recent another JP horse Champ in 2022.
🥇IMPOSE TOI
🥈STRONG LEADER
🥉HEWICK
Strong Leader heads the market for Friday's Grade 2 Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury 📈
Is he the right favourite in your opinion? 🤔
🎬 @itvracing pic.twitter.com/LzZ4XFLtxw
— The Winners Enclosure (@TWEnclosure) November 26, 2025
3:35 – Coral “Pipped-At-The-Post” Payouts Handicap Hurdle Cl3 (4yo+ 0-135) 3m½f ITV4
Any Nicky Henderson/Nico de Boinville runner here at Newbury should be noted – especially a proven course winner.
So their Punctuation is worth noting in the market if there is any support.
The same applies to Olly Murphy and Sean Bowen – who team-up here with Thunder Rock.
This nine year-old is certainly looking well-handicapped on a mark of 134 – he was rated 156 in April 2024.
But, that said, has lost his way a bit since so a leap of faith is needed to in a hope he can bounce back.
We’ve another from the in-form Joe Tizzard yard too in Diamond Ri.
He falls into the ‘could be anything’ bracket after last seen 590-days ago and having only had five career runs (two wins).
However, we know the stable are in flying form and he’s certainly got more scope to improve than some of the rest.
Blue Carpet (Skelton) and J J Moon (Lavelle) will draw the eye too after good recent wins. The form, however, for both their victories has been knocked a few times since.
That said, of those two J J Moon edges it for me with Harry Cobden riding and being the better value.
Classic King Can Improve For Recent Cheltenham Run
That leaves me with CLASSIC KING, who is another Emma Lavelle runner.
Rex Dingle rides and I think he’ll improve loads for his first run back, when fourth at Cheltenham last month (watch below).
That came behind French Ship, who looks a progressive hurdler and is off the same mark.
There is a small worry Cobden has jumped off him to ride J J Moon. But Dingle has won on Classic King before too.
So with the expected improvement from that last run at Prestbury Park, Classic King looks better value and is taken to dethrone the others.
🥇CLASSIC KING (e/w)
🥈J J MOON
🥉DIAMOND RI
💥FRENCH SHIP scampers up the Cheltenham Hill under Ben Jones to land the opener in good style for Team Hobbs & White.
The jumps are so back!
— Fitzwilliam Sports (@Fitzwilliam__) October 24, 2025
