ITV Racing Tips for Easter Saturday from Haydock and Musselburgh

1:30 Haydock

The first of three races from Haydock is at 1:30 and it’s a 2m handicap hurdle with 16 runners set to line-up.

I like WHIZZ KID (10/1) EW here. A good winner last time out at Doncaster keeping on well to win by a head. That win will have done his confidence the world of good and the Dr Richard Newland stable remain in decent nick. I think this 2m trip on quick ground will be right up Whizz Kid’s street and Luke Scott is claiming a valuable 7lb.

 

1:50 Musselburgh 

The first race from Musselburgh on ITV is a 1:50 and it is the Royal Mile Handicap with 9 runners set to go to post.

The one for me is LION OF WAR (4/1) here. A winner on his first two outings, he looked a horse of serious potential before things didn’t quite materialise as connections would have liked for the remainder of 2022. However, he’s been freshened up since and I think he may be able to resume improvement now back from a decent break. The Charlie Johnston string are in fine fettle and Oisin Murphy is an encouraging jockey booking.

 

2:25 Musselburgh 

The 2:25 contest is the Silver Arrow handicap ran over 7f.

It’s DIRTYOLDTOWN (8/1) EW for me in this. He was well fancied to run a big race at Doncaster last week but he was drawn in stall 2 and that wasn’t the place to be. He was eased down when beaten so I’d be hopeful that hasn’t took much out of him. The market move for him last week suggests connections fancied him to run a big race. He now returns a week later to a track that will suit his running style well. A tight turning 7f that suits prominent races. The ground will be better for him here as well.

 

2:40 Haydock

The next race from Haydock is a handicap chase over the extended 3m1f trip.

I like JEFFERY’S CROSS (11/2) NAP here for the Dan Skelton team. He sneaks in at the bottom of the handicap here getting plenty of weight from his rivals. He stepped up to 3m for the first time two starts back at Bangor finishing second before again filling that same spot last time out at Fontwell. Coolvalla won that day and he was thought good enough to run at the Cheltenham Festival. The selection has had a nice break since and my guess is they’ve been saving his mark for a decent race like this on better ground.

 

3:00 Musselburgh 

Next up we head back to Musselburgh for the Scottish Sprint Cup Handicap over the sharp 5f.

I like ZARZYNI (5/1) here for the David Barron stable. He has a fine record in this race with a 2nd placed effort in 2021 before going one better in winning last years renewal. This is his time of year and off a 2lb lower mark than last years victory, he will do for me.

 

3:15 Haydock

The final race from Haydock on ITV is a handicap hurdle over an extended 3m and it is another competitive field.

I think FARMERS GAMBLE (11/2) NB will take this to complete a double for the Skelton team. He bolted up at Exeter last time out by 14l and I think he’s a horse on a steep upward curve. He is up 9lb but he could have arguably been put up more given the ease he won by. I think he can complete the double here.

 

3:35 Musselburgh 

The final race on ITV is the Queens Cup Handicap, a competitive contest over 1m6f for the staying types.

I’ve landed on GOOD SHOW (5/1) here. Certainly the most unexposed horse in the race, he brings serious potential to the table with this being just his 4th start of his career. A winner on debut at Hamilton, he then went to Royal Ascot on just his second start and ran respectably albeit finishing 9th of 9. He then went to Nottingham and just got going too late losing out by a short head in second. He has a lovely racing weight of 8’10 and a decent draw in stall 4. With more improvement to come this year, I’d chance him to improve past his rivals.

 

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