The upcoming broadcast on Sky Sports Racing will showcase the excitement of jump racing at Bangor-on-Dee on Tuesday, with a particular focus on the John Hewitt Memorial Novices' Limited Handicap Chase. The headline attraction is the seven‑year‑old Grade Two winner Roadlesstravelled, who will be making his much‑anticipated debut over fences. Roadlesstravelled entered the sport with a flawless start, winning all three of his hurdle starts, including a Grade Two novice hurdle, and quickly established himself as a promising talent. However, his form has since dipped; he was pulled up in the Formby Novices' Hurdle in December 2024 and subsequently spent a spell competing on the flat.
His most recent flat outing saw him run too keen, prompting his connections to return him to the jumps for his first chase after a break of almost four months. Despite the recent setback, there are encouraging signs. In May 2023 he captured an Irish point‑to‑point in convincing fashion, suggesting that if trainers Jonjo O'Neill and AJ O'Neill have managed to restore him to good condition, he could be competitive in his first chase.
Among his rivals, Captain Cool stands out as the most experienced chaser, boasting a BHA rating of 131 and a solid record over fences. His experience should give him an edge, but the race could still be open, especially if Roadlesstravelled finds his rhythm. Krak appears to be in decent form, although he was beaten by ten lengths in his previous outing and seemed to struggle with the distance. A shorter trip might suit him better and could see him improve his placing.
Ice In The Veins suffered a heavy defeat, finishing 25 lengths behind Captain Cool in June. While the gap is substantial, a lighter weight assignment and a more economical race strategy could bring him closer to the leaders.
The program also features a Listed Criterium de Lyon, pitting San Giorgio against Master Man. San Giorgio, trained by Francis‑Henri Graffard, is showing steady improvement and broke well in his most recent novice start. He has respectable form, having finished behind the current French two‑year‑old champion Avec Toi and delivering a promising effort when placed behind a strong juvenile in the Ciceron. Be My Friend, who was just one place behind San Giorgio on his debut, has already demonstrated the ability to win in a follow‑up race at Vichy.
With more experience under his belt, he could become a serious threat in the contest. Master Man, meanwhile, has been consistently reliable, winning two of his three starts and establishing himself as a benchmark for the race. Skyridge narrowly edged Palais Byzantin in July, and while both are likely to be competitive, they lack the developmental upside that the three previously mentioned horses possess.
In addition to the chase, Sky Sports Racing will highlight the promising filly Hidden Fortune in Paul Ferguson's Jumper‑To‑Follow Novices' Hurdle. Trained by Dan Skelton, the five‑year‑old broke her maiden with an emphatic win on her first hurdle start after two encouraging bumper placings. Her debut performance suggested she thrives on longer distances and softer ground, indicating ample room for improvement and making her a formidable opponent.
The main challenger to Hidden Fortune may be Provision, who also secured a maiden win by ten lengths in his most recent outing. Although Provision is less seasoned than Hidden Fortune, he possesses the experience to pose a genuine threat. Ride Like A Girl shares a similar profile with Provision and could rebound after a disappointing previous start, while Secret Beach is making his hurdle debut after a respectable flat rating of 78. Though inexperienced over obstacles, his solid flat form could translate well to the hurdles with the right guidance.
The broadcast will also cover the Auteuil meeting, featuring a nine‑race card that includes a Listed contest, and the Lyon‑Parilly card, which offers several informative maiden races. Finally, the 4.38 pm race at Bangor‑on‑Dee will see Jiair Madrik compete in a tightly contested affair, rounding out a day packed with high‑quality action across multiple disciplines. Fans can stay up‑to‑date with the latest racing news, interviews, and feature stories on their mobile devices, ensuring they never miss a beat of the thrilling world of jump racing.