ITV Racing Preview Saturday
CLARENCE HOUSE CHASE DAY ON ITV! Cracking day ahead on ITV Racing with action from Ascot, Haydock and Taunton. Politologue is looking to keep his winning run going.
Make sure you scroll right down to the bottom to see any multiples we are placing. These can be added direct to your bet365 bet slip.
ITV Racing Preview Saturday Schedule
1.15 Ascot Matchbook Betting Podcast Mares’s Hurdle (Grade 2)
1.30 Haydock Sky Bet Supreme Trial Rossington Main Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 2)
1.50 Ascot Matchbook Better Way To Bet Holloway’s Handicap Hurdle (Grade 3)
2.10 Taunton Weatherbys Portman Cup Chase (Class 2)
2.40 Haydock Peter Marsh Handicap Chase (Grade 2)
3.00 Ascot bet365 Handicap Chase (Class 2) 2m5f
3.15 Haydock The New One Unibet Hurdle (Grade 2)
3.35 Ascot Matchbook Betting Exchange Clarence House Chase (Class 1)
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Ascot 1.15 Matchbook Betting Podcast Mares’ Hurdle (Grade 2) 2m71/2f
Even with a small field this looks a cracker as ROKSANA takes on the winner of this race for the last two years Magic Of Light. Roksana is already thereabouts at this level and her last run at the track looks the best form on offer when she finished third behind Paisley Park and Thyme Hill and we know how good they are. She is rated the best horse in the race and brings the best form, she will be hard to beat.
Magic Of Light impressed when winning this both times and comes here with the same preparation runs as those wins however Roksana will be the best she has taken on in this. Eglantine Du Seuil needs to prove she stays but if she does she shouldn’t be miles away either.
Haydock 1.30 Sky Bet Supreme Trial Rossington Main Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 2) 1m71/2f
Sam Twiston-Davies rode Stolen Silver to victory in this race last year and he looks to have a good chance of winning again with Minella Drama but I’ve decided to oppose the hat-trick seeker with LLANDINABO LAD for Tom Symonds. The latter himself landed back-to-back wins before bumping into My Drogo in a good race at Ascot last time and given he remains open to further improvement after just 3 runs over hurdles I think he’ll prove too good. He actually beat Minella Drama on debut over hurdles at Bangor and I think he can confirm that form and they’ll be the 1-2 home here.
Nada To Prada looks best of the remaining three but a 5lb penalty in a tougher race makes life much harder for her as she bids to land the hat-trick. Anythingforlove should continue to get better with racing but again the front pair look a little way ahead of her right now on recent form lines.
Ascot 1.50 Matchbook Better Way To Bet Holloway’s Handicap Hurdle (Grade 3) 2m31/2f
This looks like a very competitive race with plenty in here with decent chances. One I think will bounce back on his handicap debut is DANNY KIRWAN. He was stepped up to 3 miles last time and didn’t see it out, he is back at the course and distance he won at before and I think off 133 he could be off a very good mark. If running as well as he did at Ascot last time he will go very close at a nice each way price.
There are two that I think will put it up to the selection, Arrivederci who is stepping back up in trip which looks ideal and Paddys Motorbike who is on a hat-trick and only carries 4lb more than his last win. Janika is already proving popular and would also be a danger especially if the wind op helps.
Taunton 2.10 Weatherbys Portman Cup Chase (Class 2) 3m41/2f
It wasn’t the most fluent round of jumping that saw YALA ENKI take this 12 months ago but just is his engine he had more than enough in reserve to pull away in the closing stages even after a stumble at the last to win by 5 widening lengths. He has returned just as good this season missing out by just a short head on return at Cheltenham before bouncing back from a tumble at Aintree to finish third in the Welsh National. He is 4lb higher this year but looks to retain all his ability and this sort of test is right up his street. He will be galloping on relentlessly when the others have cried enough.
If The Cap Fits looks the danger of those but this talented hurdler lacks experience over fences and has a bit to prove off the back of defeats at Sandown and Kempton in recent weeks. We know he is talented and he stays three miles well but this is the furthest he would have gone and he’ll need to jump better than he has been to have a say. Rock The Kasbah looks best of the rest.
Haydock 2.40 Peter Marsh Handicap Chase (Grade 2)
A cracking renewal of the Peter Marsh with 10 horses heading to post. Vintage Clouds won this last year but sadly Sue Smith doesn’t have a runner this time around. The one that stands out to me is ROYALE PAGAILLE for Venetia Williams. This horse has improved out of nowhere to win his last two and even following a 16lb rise he could still be ahead of the assessor. The form of that latest win has already worked out with the third Double Shuffle winning a fiercely competitive handicap at Kempton earlier this month. He jumps and stays well and if coping with 11 stone may well justify favouritism here.
Sam Brown looks to be the danger off an opening mark of 152. He remains unexposed so should give the favourite a race. Sam’s Adventure won the Tommy Whittle over C&D last time and also has to make the shortlist. Lamanver Pippin is a horse I like too but he’s been expensive to follow recently and hasn’t quite kicked on. He’s 1lb out the weights here but might run better than his odds suggest. I may end up having a small each way saver.
Ascot 3.00 bet365 Handicap Chase (Class 2) 2m5f
A race Paul Nicholls has a great record in and CAPELAND could add to that again on Saturday. He won nicely in a good race at Wincanton last time beating Evander who we think quite highly of. This longer tip looks ideal for him now and with the handicapper only raising him 4lb he may well have more room for improvement and looks a decent price (drifted to 16/1 this morning).
It is a fairly deep race and the challengers will be there for all to see with Bennys King in top form and Good Boy Bobby who may still not have reached his peak. Espoir De Guye let his supporters down last time but also enters calculations if bouncing back with the tongue strap on.
Haydock 3.15 The New One Unibet Hurdle (Grade 2) 1m71/2f
Just 3 runners for the New One Unibet Hurdle which is a bit of a shame BUT it could still serve us up a treat. We have last year’s winner Ballyandy looking to defend his crown but BUVEUR D’AIR might have something to say about that. He is 10 years old now and hasn’t been seen for 420 days but if he still retains his ability he will have too much for Ballyandy. If he does return with a win in this it will very much be all guns blazing for the Cheltenham Festival in March which would be great to see. Nicky Henderson certainly hasn’t hidden his confidence surrounding his chance so hopefully we see this duel Champion Hurdle at his best.
Ballyandy is fit from a busy start to the season and certainly hasn’t done much wrong running behind the likes of Song For Someone and Silver Streak in recent times. He will run his race and will be lurking if there are any weaknesses in the favourite. Navajo Pass won a handicap at Musselburgh head in chest last time but looks out his depth here back in trip.
Ascot 3.35 Matchbook Betting Exchange Clarence House Chase (Grade 1) 2m1f
I was at Ascot last year to see Defi Du Seuil take on Un De Sceaux and he was electric that day. He hasn’t been himself since disappointing at Cheltenham in the Champion Chase and then pulling up in the Shloer Chase in November when last seen. I would love for him to bounce back to his best but I just can’t see it on those performances. It just adds an extra dimension to the race having him in the line-up and I see it between POLITOLOGUE and Waiting Patiently. Politologue has picked up the pieces with some of his main rivals either ruled out or not at their best but he always looks great. He jumps so well in front it will take a good horse to reel him in and he will make sure that if anyone does beat him they will have to put in a great round of jumping. At this trip and in current form he has the edge for sure.
Waiting Patiently has become a frustrating horse to follow as he does seemingly have all the talent but is hard to get right. He has ran 4 times in 2 years finishing 2nd, 3rd, 3rd and most recently 2nd in the King George. He was finishing so well at Kempton and really caught the eye but had a bit too much to do. His run style is the worry against Politologue who we know will be at the front and Waiting Patiently always just leaves a little too much to do. So unless he is ridden prominently I think the selection will be hard to catch.
ITV Racing Win Trixie
With 8 races live on ITV on Saturday afternoon we’ve picked out our three most confident selections and combined them to make a Win Trixie.
ITV Racing Win Trixie
Haydock 1.30 Llandinabo Lad
Haydock 2.40 Royale Pagaille
Ascot 3.35 Politologue
Pays 20/1!
ITV Racing Each Way Double
With some competitive races live on ITV Racing on Saturday we’ve included an Each Way Double. Two horses at big prices we fancy to run well. If both place we should make some profit.