Saturday’s ITV Racing Tips from Doncaster & Cheltenham (10/12/22)

1:30 Doncaster 

The first race from Doncaster comes up at 1:30 and it is the listed class Summit Juvenile Hurdle.

I think NUSRET (6/5) will prove tough to beat here truth be told. The Irish hold the stronger hand when it comes to the best juveniles in recent years and Joseph O’Brien always seems to have a strong bunch. Nusret made a very pleasing hurdles debut at Punchestown winning by six lengths and this race lacks depth if Scriptwriter goes to Cheltenham as expected. You’d be disappointed if he didn’t kick the rest out the way.

 

1:50 Cheltenham

The first race for Cheltenham on ITV is the competitive December Gold Cup over an extended 2m4f.

The one for me is COCONUT SPLASH (9/1) NAP. The Evan Williams and Adam Wedge duo teamed up to take this last year and I think they could follow up here. Coconut Splash mixed it with decent novices last season and ran consistently well despite being a maiden. He finished a close second to Chantry House here at Cheltenham which bodes well for a handicap mark of 132. I’ve no doubt he’s better than that mark of 132 and you get the impression he may well have been laid out for this. The ground will suit and I am confident a race of this nature may just see him to best effect. The early market vibes are encouraging from a shrewd stable.

 

2:25 Cheltenham

We have Grade 2 action next with the International Hurdle over 2m1f.

I think EPATANTE (13/8) can kick this lot out the way. She should be odds-on in my opinion. She obviously brings the strongest form to the table and her reappearance effort behind Constitution Hill in the Fighting Fifth was a decent enough effort truth be told. It gave the impression she hasn’t regressed an awful or anyway. You could argue a repeat of that would be enough. However, I’d still expect her to come on for that first run of the season and be even better today. She’ll stalk Knappers Hill and I Like To Move It and I think she can do them both for toe up the hill.

 

2:40 Doncaster 

The 2:40 race is a mares handicap chase ran over 2m3f.

I think HEROIQUE DE MAULDE (13/8) NB can take this. A decent chaser in France, she made her UK debut at Newcastle last month finishing a good second staying on well to only go down by a short head. That winner has since followed up and off 4lb higher, I think compensation awaits for this mare. Champion jockey Brian Hughes takes the ride.

 

3:00 Cheltenham

The 3:00 contest is the Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle over 3 miles.

It’s WEVEALLBEENCAUGHT (5/4) for me here. He’s a big scopey sort who looks like he’ll be a top chaser down the line. He ran in a much better race than this when finishing third behind top novice hurdle prospect Hermes Allen here at the November meeting. He was staying on strongly that day doing all his best work late on which suggests this step up in trip is bound to sort. He’ll come on for that as well and I think he’s a worthy favourite.

 

3:15 Doncaster 

The 3:15 race is a novice handicap hurdle ran over an extended 2m3f.

I’ve landed on EWOOD PARK (7/2) here. Even though he’s 7, he’s still pretty unexposed as he hasn’t had much racing at all. His first race is nearly two years came at Southwell last month and it looked like it was just a race to blow the cobwebs away. Now he has that run under his belt, I’d expect a chunk of improvement moving forward. He comes from the most notable stable in this race in Olly Murphy’s yard and I think they’d be confident he can win this or at least go very close.

 

3:35 Cheltenham

The final race from Cheltenham is at 3:35 and it is a trappy mares handicap hurdle over the extended 2m4f trip.

It’s hard to get away from THEATRE GLORY (11/4) here. She should relish the quick surface here and she’s a real improver. A rare mistake caused her to lose her rider at Newbury last time out but she now returns to top jockey Nico De Boinville who’s unbeaten on the mare. She’ll do for me on a day I expect favourites to go well.

 

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