Ladbrokes Winter Carnival Day 1 Tips: Check out our three best bets from Newbury on Friday

We are served up two spectacular days of National Hunt racing at Newbury on Friday and Saturday, as the Ladbrokes Winter Carnival takes centre stage. There's no doubting the meeting feature is the Ladbrokes Trophy on Saturday, but there's some quality racing on Friday, and our in-house tipster Steve Chambers has picked out his three best bets for day one of the meeting...
13:50 Newbury - Ladbrokes Daily Odds Boost Handicap Chase
Having failed to kick on from a promising juvenile campaign that saw him win the Adonis Juvenile Hurdle, Solo has been sent over fences by Paul Nicholls, and his chasing debut was very promising at Ascot a few weeks ago, as he was just touched off by Nassalam. Now, looking to build on that effort, the Ditcheat raider will head to Newbury for their 13:50 contest on Friday afternoon, and it looks an intriguing renewal for punters to get stuck into.
Showing notable promise over the larger obstacles, Solo will need to give weight away to all his rivals, and of those adversaries that could prove to be a notable thorn in his side is the Nicky Henderson-trained MISTER COFFEY, who makes his chasing debut in the contest, but could be a potentially smart performer over fences this season.
A defeat to West Cork last season when odds-on is far from a shock now with that raider going on to win the Greatwood at Cheltenham, while he ran with credit when finishing a decent seventh in the Betfair Hurdle in February. Fourth in a Grade 3 handicap hurdle at Aintree in his last start, the Seven Barrows inmate will now embark on a chasing campaign, and this could see him blossom even further.
Already installed a 33/1 shot for the Arkle Challenge Trophy at the Cheltenham Festival, Mister Coffey looks to be an exciting novice chasing recruit for the Henderson team, who certainly know what they are doing with young chasers, so could he be the next chasing star off the production line? Possibly!
Mister Coffey
14:25 Newbury - Get Your Ladbrokes 1 Free Bet Today Handicap Chase
One of the most competitive races on Friday's card takes place at 14:25 with a cracking renewal of the 2m 3f 187y handicap chase and the Tom Lacey-trained Neville's Cross will be going in search of a hat-trick and has to make the shortlist.
However, it could be a race that sees class prevail and it's the Venetia Williams-trained FANION D'ESTRUVAL that can defy top weight and return to winning ways. Having been at the end of last season competing in the Ryanair Chase at the Cheltenham Festival - a race he came a distant fifth in - the six-year-old will drop into somewhat calmer waters for this event, and he can duly carry 11st 12lbs to victory.
His first start this season saw him take on the classy Allmankind in the Old Roan Chase at Aintree, but he could only finish fourth to Dan Skelton's classy performer, but he's been dropped 1lb since that run, and will line up here off a mark of 151. A winner at this meeting two years ago when he won a novices' limited handicap chase, Fanion D'Estruval was deemed classy enough to compete in the Game Spirit Chase at Newbury last season, so he will certainly find a return to handicaps somewhat of a different challenge.
Fourth in that Game Spirit, he will need to improve slightly on that effort, but this could be the sort of confidence booster he needs, and against significantly inferior rivals in this event, he can show his class and return to winning ways.
Fanion D'Estruval
15:15 Newbury - Ladbrokes Long Distance Hurdle
A field of six is set to do battle in the Friday showpiece, and it will see 2019 champion PAISLEY PARK take his chance, as he looks to recapture the Grade 2 crown. The former Stayers' Hurdle hero at the Cheltenham Festival was a fine winner of this race two years ago, and was narrowly beaten by Thyme Hill in this contest last season, so he's undoubtedly the one to beat in a fascinating contest.
A proven, top-class stayer when at his best, the Emma Lavelle-trained nine-year-old will look to build on a third placed finish in the West Yorkshire Hurdle at Wetherby earlier in the season. He was beaten by Indefatigable that day, and that pair are set to lock horns once again, and they are two prominent figures in the betting. A former winner of the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham, Paul Webber's mare beat Paisley Park by about five lengths in that Wetherby Grade 2, but she's 6lbs worse off when they meet on Friday.
Not only that, but Indefatigable was race fit having won on the Flat at Pontefract, so she may find it tougher to down Paisley Park this time around, as the multiple Graded winner is sure to strip fitter for that first run of the season, and lining up a track he loves then he could be tough to beat.
Another former Stayers' Hurdle winner in Lisnagar Oscar and the fast improving Mrs Milner will take their chance, but they will struggle to live with the guts and determination of Paisley Park, who is likely to hit a flat spot during his race, but he can battle all the way to the line and win this race for the second time in his career.