ITV Racing Tips for Saturday 28th October from Cheltenham & Doncaster

1:15 Cheltenham

The first of four races from Cheltenham is a trappy 2m handicap chase.

The one I like is RED ROOKIE (13/2) NB. He has always threatened to be a really good horse and he certainly has the ability to be better than a current mark of 140. He was a serious eye catcher in the 2022 Arkle when coming down at the last showing he has potential to be better than a handicapper if things fall right. 2 miles on fast ground is what he wants and he’ll get that here. He comes from the Emma Lavelle stable who’ve started the season in flying form so I’m confident he’ll be ready to go here first time out for the season and he’ll do for me in the opener.

 

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1:50 Cheltenham

The 1:50 is the Matheson’s Holding Hurdle over an extended 2 miles.

It’s SPIRIT D’AUNOU (2/1) for me here. A horse on a serious upward curve winning his last four starts. He likes to get on with it which is ideal here at Cheltenham on quick ground and he may be able to just get away from his rivals coming down the hill. He stayed on well to beat Moothill by over 6 lengths when we last seen at Chepstow and he wasn’t stopping there so I don’t see the hill being a problem. I think he’s capable of giving the Nicholls charge a lot to think about and I’d favour him slightly.

 

2:10 Doncaster

The feature comes from Doncaster and it the Group 1 Kameko Futurity Trophy for the 2 year-olds over the mile.

I think DANCING GEMINI (9/2) EW is a bet to nothing here. The front three look clear of the rest and Dancing Gemini has progressed well through his four career starts. A big scopey sort, he shown us plenty of promise finishing second and fifth in two decent maidens to start his campaign. He then went to Newbury and bolted up with trainer Roger Teal saying he finally started to fill out his big frame. He then came here and bolted up in the Flying Scotsman Stakes powering clear to win by over 4 lengths. That was on soft ground over 7f. He wasn’t stopped and this mile trip could bring out further improvement. 

 

2:25 Cheltenham

The 2:25 race is another tricky handicap chase, this time over 3m1f.

It’s LORD ACCORD (5/1) NAP for me. A winner of this contest last season, connections have followed the same path given him a pipe opener over hurdles to get him spot on for this. This is his time of year and he relishes quick ground which he gets today.  You could argue this will have been an aim of Neil Mulholland throughout the summer where as a lot his rivals will be looking ahead further down the season you can be sure. Lord Accord is off just a 1lb higher than his 4 length victory in this last year and it’s hard to not see him bang there in this years renewal under optimum conditions.

 

2:45 Doncaster 

We head back to Doncaster for listed action, the Prospect Stakes for the elders over 1m4f. 

It’s BALLYMOUNT BOY (5/2) for me. Put a line through his last effort where he pulled too hard and he’d be a well fancied favourite here. He brings the strongest form to the table and he’s proven with plenty of dig in the ground. The form of his second placed effort in both the Richmond Stakes and the Acomb Stakes is arguably the strongest piece of form on offer.

 

3:00 Cheltenham

The final race from Cheltenham is a Pertemps qualifier, another tricky handicap hurdle over 3m.

It’s BASHFUL BOY (16/1) EW I’ve landed on in this competitive race. If he can translate anything close to his flat form to hurdles, he has to be up to going well off this current mark of 125. He was last seen only two weeks finishing a fine 4th in the ultra tough Cesarewitch handicap at Newmarket. He stayed on well there over the 2m2f flat trip

So I’d be hopeful he’d have no problems getting this 3 mile trip back over hurdles on good ground. He has a nice racing weight of 10’11 and David Pipe knows the time of day in these handicap hurdles. When we last seen Bashful Boy over hurdles he was a disappointing 5th. However, his run prior to that was a 10 length victory over a horse that’s since won itself by 10 lengths off. He’s definitely got potential to run a big race at a nice each-way price.

 

3:20 Doncaster

The finale is the Farewell Flat handicap over the 6f trip.

It’s GLORIOUS ANGEL (13/2) EW for me. She deserves to get his head in front as she has been ultra consistent this season with plenty of placed efforts to her name. She was unlucky last time out at Catterick going down a head to the re-opposing Vintage Clarets. That was on heavy ground so both of them will have no issues today. Glorious Angel is better off at the weights today and I like backing the 3 year-olds taken on their elders towards the end of the season.

 

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