The ITV cameras are at Ascot, Wetherby and Down Royal on Saturday for some top-class graded National Hunt action.
SATURDAY’S ITV RACING TIPS
- 13:10 Wetherby – Koukeo
- 13:25 Ascot – Dance And Glance
- 13:45 Wetherby – Watamu
- 14:00 Ascot – Haas Boy
- 14:18 Wetherby – Lavida Adiva
- 14:33 Ascot – Transmission (EW)
- 14:55 Wetherby – The Real Whacker
- 15:15 Down Royal – Heart Wood (NAP)
- 15:30 Wetherby – Filibustering (NB)
- 15:43 Ascot – Messerschmitt
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13:10 2m3½f (2m3f85y) Handicap Chase (GBB Race) (Class 3) (4yo+ 0-125)
The Jonjo & AJ O’Neill team are in good form of late, and KOUKEO could deliver another winner here. This horse was fourth when last seen at Fontwell, and that may have blown away the cobwebs after six months off the track. He won on his second start last season, so fresh could be the time to catch him. The market will tell us what is expected for the Jackdaws Castle representative.
Selection: Koukeo
13:25 2m3f (2m2f181y) Ascot Underwriting Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase (GBB Race) (Class 3) (4yo+)
Anthony Honeyball has his team in really good form of late, and DANCE AND GLANCE looks an interesting runner off the back of 175 days off the track and a wind op. A smart hurdler who has four wins from thirteen starts and goes over the larger obstacles for the first time. Two starts at Ascot have yielded one win, and with that course form and a nice weight of 11-1, you could see this gelding show some improved form.
Selection: Dance And Glance
13:45 2m Mares’ Hurdle (Listed Race) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (4yo+)
Katiera won a match in this race last year but comes up against a couple of younger and interesting rivals here. A chance is taken with the Emma Lavelle-trained WATAMU who was a comfortable winner two weeks ago at Stratford and could take the step up in grade in her stride. She does have form to find with La Conquiere from the bumper runs last season, but the recent run could be an advantage over some of the others.
Selection: Watamu
14:00 2m1f (2m172y) Sodexo Live! Handicap Chase (GBB Race) (Class 2) (4yo+ 0-150)
A chance is taken here with the Chester Williams-trained HAAS BOY, who has a featherweight of 10-4 on its back. Ciaran Gethings will do the steering, and this horse was only beaten a neck on seasonal reappearance at Chepstow. It has gone from a mark of 114 to 120, and there could still be more to come. Keep an eye on the market close to the off, and it should give an indication of what is expected.
Selection: Haas Boy
14:18 3m (3m26y) (Grade 2) (Registered As The West Yorkshire Hurdle) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (4yo+)
Ruth Jefferson and Brian Hughes team up with LAVIDA ADIVA, and this mare should run a solid race based on the form she showed last season. She was second at the Cheltenham Festival in the Pertemps Final and then finished seventh in Grade 1 company at Aintree behind Home By The Lee. She was third on her opening start of last season, but she looks a different mare and could win first time out this season.
Selection: Lavida Adiva
14:33 3m (2m7f185y) Sodexo Live! Regal Encore Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (4yo+)
Neil Mulholland has had three winners from his last twenty-one runners at the time of writing, and the application of blinkers for the first time for TRANSMISSION could make all the difference. Patrick Mullins was aboard this horse when he came home in front at Cheltenham in November 2024 and ran second to none other than Haiti Couleurs on his next start. The form has been in and out since, but if the blinkers work, then he could be overpriced.
Selection: Transmission
14:55 3m (3m45y) Charlie Hall Chase (Grade 2) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (5yo+)
It could be another winner on the day for jockey Brian Hughes, who will get aboard former winner of this race THE REAL WHACKER. He came back to form at Perth last time out when he won off a mark of 149, and the handicapper has nudged him up to a mark of 153. He disappointed in this race last year, so you could tread with an air of caution, but if the same horse shows up that did at Perth, then he will be one of the main contenders.
Selection: The Real Whacker
15:15 3m Remembering Envoi Allen Champion Chase (Grade 1) (5yo+)
Henry De Bromhead and Darragh O’Keeffe team up with HEART WOOD and this could be a poignant winner for the Knockeen team. Envoi Allen won this race for the last two years, including 2022, and there is a chance that Heart Wood can follow in his footsteps. A ten-length winner of the Ryanair Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, he was a little below par at Aintree but can come back to form here. The trip should be no issue, having won over effectively 3m at Tramore and Wexford before. He is the type to keep progressing with his racing, and there won’t be a dry eye around the parade ring should Henry De Bromhead welcome this horse into the winners’ enclosure.
Selection: Heart Wood
15:30 2m Handicap Hurdle (Class 3) (3yo+ 0-130)
An interesting jockey booking is the fact that Harry Skelton will take his third mount for trainer Harry Derham aboard FILIBUSTERING. He ran flat at Chepstow last time in the Welsh Champion Hurdle but is a four-time winner from eleven starts over hurdles. There is a chance that he comes on for that last run and shows some improvement here.
Selection: Filibustering
15:43 1m7½f (1m7f157y) Lavazza Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race) (Class 2) (3yo+)
The former Noel Meade-trained MESSERSCHMITT looks interesting here on first start for the Ben Pauling yard. He was last seen at Punchestown behind Kalix Delabarriere off a mark of 126, and a repeat of that should see him competitive. He is quite lightly raced over hurdles, having only run eleven times. His only win was a Galway maiden hurdle victory at the end of October 2024, so this could be his time of year. There could be room for manoeuvre off his mark of 130 for this yard and could go well with luck in running.
Selection: Messerschmitt
SATURDAY’S ITV RACING TIPS
- 13:10 Wetherby – Koukeo
- 13:25 Ascot – Dance And Glance
- 13:45 Wetherby – Watamu
- 14:00 Ascot – Haas Boy
- 14:18 Wetherby – Lavida Adiva
- 14:33 Ascot – Transmission
- 14:55 Wetherby – The Real Whacker
- 15:15 Down Royal – Heart Wood
- 15:30 Wetherby – Filibustering
- 15:43 Ascot – Messerschmitt
