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The ITV racing cameras roll into town at Ascot and Wetherby on Saturday with eight races being shown. This is the first all National Hunt day for Ed Chamberlin and the crew and (bar next weekend’s Breeders Cup) there is very much a feeling that it’s time for the jumpers now. The ground is currently good to soft at the Berkshire track whilst Wetherby are racing on good to soft (good in places) and with only showers forecast the ground is likely to ride as currently predicted. The feature race is the clash in the Charlie Hall Chase between last years top staying novice chasers Bravemansgame and Ahoy Senor although it’s not just that pair that maybe involved in the finish.
One thing is for sure, we have a great afternoon’s sport in store. Below, I’m going to run through my favourite ITV Racing tips across Ascot and Wetherby and which bookie is offering the best horse racing odds.
ITV Racing Tips Saturday at Ascot and Wetherby
Ascot 1.30
A disappointing turnout of just four for this 2m 3F Novices’ Handicap Chase. Gary Moore’s Goshen will be a warm order and quite rightly so as his three opponents are all out of the handicap. He makes his fencing debut here and should lack little in fitness having run well in defeat at Goodwood on the flat three weeks ago. He’s a habitual front runner and Jamie Moore will be in for a very exciting ride if employing those tactics again here. Nigel Twiston-Davies’ Gowel Road is the only one of the quartet to have run over fences before but looked very novicey at Perth in September and will need to improve his technique if he wants to get involved here. Ben Case’s Cobblers Dream should make a chaser and run well here despite a 204 day absence and being 6lb wrong at the weights. His trainer hasn’t had a winner for 141 days mind. Paul Nicholls saddles Samarrive who also has an absence to overcome and is 3lb wrong at the weights. He can chase Goshen home who has this race to lose.
GOSHEN 2 points win @ 11/8 bet365
Wetherby 1.50
A strange start to the ITV schedule from Wetherby with a class 3 novice hurdle to kick things off. It maybe the worst of the eight races shown by terrestrial television but I think it actually offers the best bet! For me the current betting is totally wrong. Favourite at the moment with the early exchanges is Sue Smith’s Prairie Wolf who showed promise on his hurdles debut but I would actually have him fourth in here! Autumn Return has the best hurdles form having won a mares novice hurdle for which she’s penalised 6lb for and Ruth Jefferson’s mare can go well. Jedd O’Keefe has acquired Macavity who is a dual point winner and a point bumper winner and is another with claims but the one I’m excited about is Ben Pauling’s acquisition Joe Dadancer who was eleven lengths clear when falling at the last in his only point in a very fast time. That form has been franked since by the the well beaten third winning under rules by 15L since. He looks a highly promising animal and is worth backing especially at his current odds.
JOE DADANCER 3 points each way @ 9/2 William Hill
Ascot 2.05
The Bateaux London Handicap Hurdle run over just short of two miles was won last year by the Jonjo O’Neill stable with Soaring Glory and they can take this with their exciting five year old Anyharminasking who is the only horse to have actually beaten the superstar Constitution Hill (back in April 2021 in a maiden point to point at Tipperary). Owned by Derek Smith’s wife Gay he was handicapped with these starts in maiden/novice company before easily winning handicaps at Catterick and Sedgefield last January rising 23lb in the process. He’s a very exciting prospect for the season and will carry my money. JP McManus has a brace of runners here and both are of interest. Nicky Henderson’s Broomfield Burg who ran well on his re-appearance at Chepstow three weeks ago when 3rd but he’s not always been the most straight forward. JP’s other runner is the Alan King trained Call Of The Wild who can run well despite a 199 day absence. Hacker Des Places had Washington 2 3/4L behind when last at Aintree in April and with the latter having a pull of 4lb there shouldn’t be that much between them. A tough race without knowing the fitness of some but if Jonjo’s horse is straight enough he could take this under Jonjo Junior.
ANYHARMINASKING 2 points win @ 7/2 bet365
Wetherby 2.25
Only five assemble for the Mares’ Hurdle, a listed race run over two miles. Last years winner Molly Ollys Wishes is back under a 6lb penalty to defend her crown and should be thereabouts for the Skelton’s but I prefer the claims of Lucy Wadham’s Martello Sky who although not been seen for 228 days has won first time out for the last two seasons. Rated officially a pound better than the Skelton mare she won three of her five starts last term culminating in a 7th in the Mares hurdle at Cheltenham. A case can also be made for Alan King’s Nina The Terrier who’s second spot to Sonigino at Chepstow three weeks ago has been franked since by that one’s easy win earlier this week. Island Mahee looks out of her depth whilst See The Sea competes the quintet and has a bit to find and is best on fast ground.
MARTELLO SKY 2 points win 2/1 William Hill
Ascot 2.40
Ten go to post for the Byrne Group Handicap Chase run over 2m 1F and has an open look about it. It’s hard to fancy the top Daly Tiger (first run for Laura Morgan) and bottom Joke Dancer (due to run on Friday) but a case can be made for the other eight. Amoola Gold had been first past the post in the last two runnings of this race and off of a 3lb lower mark than last year (when he was disqualified) is maybe the one to be with. Ridden by Bridget Andrews she’s excelled in getting him home here before and off of such a favourable mark you can be sure that his trainer Dan Skeleton will have him spot on for this following a 199 day absence. Runner up last year was Jane Williams’ Monsieur Le Coq though was awarded the race in the stewards room and re-opposes on one pound worse terms and having had a pipe opener over hurdles three weeks ago. He can run well along with Gary Moore’s Nassalam who won at this meeting last year. Sam Thomas’s Before Midnight runs well fresh and is yet another possible. A tough call but I’ll stick with Amoola Gold with a saver on Monsieur Le Coq.
AMOOLA GOLD 2 points win @ 11/2 William Hill
MONSIEUR LE COQ 1 point win @ 8/1 bet365
Wetherby 3.00
Only six go to post for this three mile bet365 Hurdle. The best in at these weights is Philip Hobb’s Sporting John who never really took to fences and reverted back to the smaller obstacles last season by winning first time out in a 3M handicap at Cheltenham and a similar contest at Warwick. He had a setback following the latter’s win and has to overcome a 287 day absence and a 4lb penalty. He should run well but slight preference is for Paul Webber’s nine year old mare who won this last year from one of today’s rivals in Proschema and like last year has had a recent run on the flat to tee her up for this. A 6lb penalty here isn’t ideal but she shouldn’t lack anything in fitness and can confirm the form with the Skelton’s Proschema from last year. Thomas Darby was 4th last year and looks a bit overpriced but I’ll stick with Indefatigable.
INDEFATIGABLE 1 point win @ 7/2 BetVictor
Ascot 3.15
A fiercely competitive three mile handicap chase, the Bateaux London Gold Cup has attracted thirteen runners. Major Dundee is the early market leader for the in form Alan King stable. Only lightly raced over fences he was last seen when a credible third in the Scottish National and if straight enough is a player here. Tea Clipper will no doubt be fitter for his second at Chepstow three weeks ago where he had one of today’s rivals Kitty’s Light some 40L behind. Gary Moore has an excellent record in this race winning it three times in the last six years and saddles Full Back who on his best form has claims. Regal Encore loves this track and is 13lb lower than when 3rd in this last year but he’s rising 15 years of age. Sam Thomas’s Our Power had some good form last season and has as good a chance as any if ready whilst an interesting runner at a bigger prices is the under rated Richard J Bandey’s Mister Malarkey who ran two good races when switching to Bandey’s from the Tizzard’s and having had a wind op in the Spring. In a wide open contest he’s worth a small each way bet.
MISTER MALARKEY 1 point each way @ 12/1 bet365
Wetherby 3.35
A good turn out for this year’s Charlie Hall Chase run over three miles with seven smart chasers lining up. It’s one all between last years top two staying novice chases Ahoy Senor trained by Lucinda Russell and Bravemansgame trained by Paul Nicholls. The latter wasn’t himself for whatever reason when flopping on his final start at Aintree by Ahoy Senor. He’s had a wind operation since and is fancied to bounce back and take this prestigious chase. Nicholls also saddles Secret Investor who is, surprisingly, at these weights rated the same as the aforementioned pair but he hasn’t been seen since winning the Denman Chase at Newbury in February 2021 and surely will need this run. One horse who does go very well fresh is the Tizzard’s Eldorado Allen and he wouldn’t be out of this under Brendan Powell. Paint The Dream has to prove his stamina for this whilst Anthony Honeyball’s Sam Brown would prefer hock deep conditions. Welsh handler Christian Williams did amazing things with his Win My Wings last season winning the Eider Handicap and Scottish National and has stated this week that this has been the plan for the last year. She only has 5lb to find on official ratings and I’ll have a small saver on her (Betfred paying 3 places here so will go each way) with the main bet on the exciting seven year old Bravemansgame under Harry Cobden.
BRAVEMANSGAME 2 points win @ 6/4 William Hill
WIN MY WINGS 1/2 point each way @ 16/1 Betfred 1/5 123
Like these tips? All our horse racing tips are posted by 7pm for the next day’s racing.
