Here it comes you lucky punters, great flat racing and wonderful jumps racing. Ten mouth-watering races live on Channel 4 and with great prices on RaceBets for us, to make for yet another great Saturday of punting
1:50 CHELTENHAM Randox Handicap Chase Cl2 3m1f
What a Chase to kick things off. At this time of year you have to look at which trainers have their horses ready to run and which ones go on good ground. The early season starters are Charlie Longsdon, Rebecca Curtis, Harry Fry and of course – that man Paul Nichols, after all it’s a Saturday!!! How much easier does that make it to find the winner. The answer is not very but we have our theories. How about these two. Racing Pulse, who just might prove to be even better than this level as the season progresses, we have our hopes, he is such a good looking horse. Keltus, who seems to be ultra consistent and progressive at just 6 years of age and of course comes from the Nichols stable.
1 unit e/w Racing Pulse
1 unit e/w Keltus
2:05 DONCASTER Scott Dobson 30th Birthday Memorial Doncaster Stakes (Listed Race) Cl1 6f
All year long the Mrs Danvers form has stood out and Nuclear Power wasn’t far behind her last time out in a Group 3. Timeless Flight is a horse for whom there is high hope and Whirl Me Round did well against Wick Powell in the Redcar Trophy last time out. The other horse of interest is the lightly raced Hannon horse, Khafoo Shememi. Perhaps we could make a case for Hilario for Charlie Hills as he is in great form but it’s that Mrs Danvers form that keeps standing out so we will side with Willie Muir’s horse and Kevin Ryan’s gelding
1 unit e/w Nuclear Power
1 unit e/w Whirl Me Round
2:20 NEWBURY Worthington´s OCSL Stakes (Registered As The St Simon) (Group 3) Cl1 1m4f5y
This is going to sound strange but we need to find horses capable of winning this race and as competitive as this looks there really is only 4. Memorial Day looked better than ever when hacking up at Pontefract on this ground and does stay this trip so needs to be respected for Godolphin but will only win if he improves again. Kings Fete has to give weight to all but one but he could win the race. Sumbal has the ability but does he have the scope? Perhaps that sounds odd but he is best over 10f and this is twelve. If he genuinely gets 12f then he is the biggest danger for his in form trainer. We are Koora fans but she just hasn’t produced and we can’t follow her any further over the cliff – probably a tip in itself. Which leads us nicely to Western Hymn who on paper looks better than anything we have seen from any of the above. He may well win but we are going to suggest that the Godolphin runner has more to offer now.
1 unit e/w Memorial Day
2:40 DONCASTER sunbets.co.uk Top Price Templegate Tips Handicap Cl2 5f
An interesting but not a great handicap sprint. Kibaar was out pointed by Robot Boy last time by a small margin and with a weight reversal Kevin Ryan’s four year old will win this personal battle after a career best. Kevin’s other runner though, Bogart might well finish in front of both showing a return to form in the same race. If Dutch Masterpiece’s last run can be believed then they all have their work cut out as he is also 12 lbs below is top mark and looking hungry for success.
1 unit e/w Dutch Masterpiece
1 unit e/w Bogart
2:50 NEWBURY Bathwick Tyres Handicap Cl2 1m2f6y
Over the last 10 years 3 year olds have held sway with six winning and Roger Charlton’s, Imperial Aviator has been up against the best this year. He hasn’t excelled at Group company but this is not a group race and he has shown his liking for Newbury. He looks to be the right type to take this. His biggest danger will come from the in-form Lord Ben Stack, who we have tipped up twice before on here and is looking for a hat trick of wins, the enigmatic, What About Carlo and the lightly raced Blair House with the latter having to prove that this trip is ideal for him. It’s a high grade race of its type.
1 unit e/w Imperial Aviator
1 unit e/w Blair House
3:00 CHELTENHAM Masterson Holdings Hurdle Cl2 2m87y
This is a really good little hurdle race with every horse having a chance and we could find something with real Champion Hurdle credentials. Adrien Du Pont strikes us as a horse who needs slower ground and or a longer trip as this level, as good as he undoubtedly is. He may prove to be very good later in the season. Leoncavallo might be just a smidge out of his depth and Ceporine has been given a big task on only his second outing. Sceau Royal is honest and tries but we fancy Gibralfaro, who has the benefit of a good run after being gelded and has conditions to suit.
2 units e/w Gibralfaro
3:15 DONCASTER Bet Through The Racing Post App Handicap Cl2 1m4f
A similar race to the 10f handicap at Newbury, in that you have high quality horses who have excelled at this trip and 3 year olds who are unexposed at this trip. Uae Prince, for Roger Varian takes the eye, nestling at the bottom of the handicap and whilst he comes here on the back of a lowly C5 Maiden win over this trip his trainer knows the time of day and he looks a horse who may have the class to go on – might experience cost him in a finish against dogged stayers? Huge Future has done it in a better race but steps up 2 furlongs for the first time. On breeding it should be a given. Argus is interesting, dropping back in trip but he may be in the grip of the handicapper. We should get a decent pace with Fattsota in the race and jockeys will need to be alert as to how far they let him get ahead, he could steal it.
1 unit e/w Uae Prince
1 unit e/w Huge Future
3:30 CHELTENHAM Randox Health Handicap Chase Cl2 1m7f199y
Now this will be exciting. 2 miles with 15 runners. Devils Pride’s win back in July at Galway makes him the handicappers favourite for Henry De Bromhead. Always on the run was impressive when last seen at Kelso for Tom George. Savello for the inform Skelton brothers needs respect as does the likely favourite Fox Norton but the one we fancy most is Casino Markets for Emma Lavelle who looks to be on the upgrade.
1 unit e/w Casino Markets
3:50 DONCASTER Racing Post Trophy (Group 1) (Entire Colts & Fillies) Cl1 1m
If the winner of this race doesn’t come from numbers 6-10 then we will be most surprised. Now the question is which one of them. In truth it’s not quite the race of old. Future Champions Day has seen to that but nonetheless these are good horses with bright careers ahead of them. Rivet, on paper, has achieved the most and his best run was at this track. He was just a shade disappointing at Newmarket two weeks ago but that was only his fourth run and not all young horses handle the dip at Newmarket and this extra furlong will also see him to better effect. Salouen’s best run was last time out at Chantilly and that was a good run but he has to improve half a stone more to win a normal running of this race. The same applies to Sir Dancelot but we would be less hopeful of him as a mile stretches his stamina on breeding. That leaves us with The Anvil and Yucatan. The first named might be the best maiden in training but this is no penalty kick to get off the mark and we expect him to still be one after this race. Yucatan is a different proposition. A strong pace will suit as he seems to have stamina in abundance and surely Epsom calls for him next year. The least complicated seems Rivet so he is the selection
2 units e/w Rivet
