News Blazer features in five-pronged Willie Mullins Newbury raid

Blazer features in five-pronged Willie Mullins Newbury raid

racing

The heavily-backed Blazer features among 22 horses declared for the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury on Saturday.

Representing the formidable combination of trainer Willie Mullins and owner JP McManus, the five-year-old turns out just seven days after impressing at Leopardstown and carries a 5lb penalty, meaning he is officially 7lb well in at the weights.

Blazer is one of five runners for Mullins, with Dicosimo, Kalkir, Ivan Grozny and Buiseness Sivola also travelling from County Carlow.

McManus also has a strong hand, with the Paul Nicholls-trained Modus challenging Blazer for favouritism.

Barry Geraghty has been pencilled in to ride Blazer, with Nick Scholfield aboard Modus.

Noel Meade's Waxies Dargle and Jonjo O'Neill's pair of Champagne At Tara and Matorico carry the famous green and gold silks too.

Philip Hobbs runs top-weight Cheltenian, War Sound and Sternrubin.

Other contenders include Harry Whittington's Affaire D'Honneur, the Dan Skelton-trained Zarib and Starchitect from David Pipe's yard.