Saturday’s ITV Racing Tips from Wetherby, Ascot and Down Royal

This Saturday’s ITV Racing comes from Wetherby, Ascot, and Down Royal as some of the National Hunt big guns are unleashed as the jumps season really kicks on.

Henry has been through all 10 races and picked his betting tip from every race and previewed each one. The big race of the day is the Grade One Labrokes Champion Chase at Down Royal where last year’s Gold Cup winner Minella Indo makes his reappearance and on Eglish soil, the Grade 2 Charlie Hall Chase takes place at Wetherby where Cryname is set to go off favourite.

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1:20 Wetherby

The opener on ITV is a trappy handicap chase over 2m4f.

My selection in this is CORRAN CROSS (9/1). Richard Bandley has started his new training career in encouraging fashion, especially with his chases and this lad could give him a nice ITV winner to further enhance his credentials. He won back-to-back starts over in Ireland for Denise Foster in the summer before the move and I was pleased enough for his first run for the yard where he finished fourth. The trip that day was just too far and this drop-back in trip is definitely the right move. He is progressing well and is certainly on an upward curve.

 

1:35 Ascot

The first race from Ascot is a Novice Handicap Chase contest ran over just shy of 2m3f.

I like KID COMMANDO NAP (5/2) here. He won for the column on this card 12 months ago in a handicap hurdle and this time he goes for a handicap chase. Conditions are in his favour and this is his ideal trip in my opinion. He has a fantastic record fresh and trainer Anthony Honeyball has started the season strongly.

 

1:55 Wetherby

The 1:55 race is a mares hurdle over the minimum trip of 2m.

The one for me here is MIRANDA NB (5/2). Miranda holds Marie’s Rock on the form of her Doncaster win last season and I think them placings will be confirmed today. Mollys Ollys Wishes is better suited to further and Skelton’s horses appear to be needing the run. The others need to step up significantly to feature. Therefore, by process of elimination I think she’ll prove tough to beat.

 

2:10 Ascot

The London Handicap hurdle is next up ran over 2m and there is some exciting sorts on paper lining up here.

My selection here is BOOTHILL (3/1). I expect he’ll prove popular and I expect he’ll prove to be better than a handicapper. He’s been off the track since last December but prior to that he looked a horse of serious potential and was arguably the best novice hurdler potentially at that point. He has to proven the injury setback hasn’t effected him here but if he returns in the same form I think he’ll win this before moving onto bigger winter targets.

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2:30 Wetherby

The bet365 hurdle is next up for the stayers, a Grade 2 race over 3m.

The one I’ve landed on is PAISLEY PARK (9/4). He’s certainly the class angle in the race and has the proven form when on song. Although he’s been a little hit and miss over the last few years he always seems to run well when fresh. He won on his seasonal debut in 2018 and 2019 before finishing a fine second on last seasons debut behind Thyme Hill. If he runs to form, he wins.

 

2:45 Ascot

Another cracking handicap chase for punters to enjoy comes up at 2:45, this time over the 2m trip.

My selection is SULLY D’OC AA (7/1). He has a victory here at Ascot to his CV from last season and his career best performance came on his latest start when winning well at the Punchestown Festival. He’s obviously high in the handicap nap but trainer Anthony Honeyball always tends to do well at this meeting and I’m sure he’ll be fully tuned up and raring to go for this seasonal return.

 

2:50 Down Royal

It’s Grade 1 action in Ireland for the Ladbrokes Champion Chase over 3m next.

The one I like is FRODON (3/1). I just think he will get his own way in front again and prove tough to pass yet again. It’s an unknown how fit the runners lining up here will be but I’m sure the market will certainly provide us with a few clues on the day. I’d expect Frodon to be ready to go first time out however and Nicholls’ horses are operating at a 31% strike rate over the last two weeks.

 

3:05 Wetherby

The Charlie Hall Chase is next up, a Grade 2 contest ran over 3m.

My selection is this is SHAN BLUE (5/1). A horse I’m expecting to have a big first half of the season to be honest. I think it’s worth playing him at 33/1 for the King George before this. Although I mentioned earlier Skelton’s horses are often needing their first run, I’d expect Shan Blue to be fully wound up for this. He loves it here at Wetherby winning both course starts and chasing was the making of him last year. He won the Grade 1 Kauto Star Novices Chase on Boxing Day I’m determined fashion before going to Cheltenham and getting a poor ride which cost any chance. His run at Aintree was too bad to be true and I believe he just needed a break. He comes here fresh now and I think he’ll have improved for another summer on his back. He’ll pester Cyrname for the lead and hopefully, that means Cyrname will throw the towel in early again.

 

3:20 Ascot

The last race from Ascot comes up at 3:20 and it is the London Gold Cup Handicap Chase ran over 3m.

The one for me here is ONE MORE FLEURIE (10/1). A horse that has shown us significant improvement recently winning four from his last five starts. The one race he lost, he fell and looked the likely winner at the time. He has a lovely racing weight for this of 10’3 with the jockeys allowance taking into consideration and I think he’ll prove upto this level.

 

3:40 Wetherby 

The finale on ITV is a wide open handicap hurdle over the intermediate trip of 2m4f.

The one I like is MACKENBERG (5/1). Donald McCain can’t do much wrong at present and I think he can have a Saturday ITV winner to add to his tally here. He’s a consistent sort who improved to win his latest start in April by 25l. Albeit, there was not much in behind that day but it shows he’s a horse progressing to me and with the trainer in fine form, I’d expect a bold bid on his seasonal debut here.

 

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