ITV Racing Tips: Two Selections From Kelso & Newbury

In the usual lull between Cheltenham and Aintree comes this weekend's ITV Racing action from Kelso and Newbury, with a bonus race from Bangor thrown in for good measure. It may feel a bit more of a sedate showing on the terrestrial channel compared to the stunning four day Cheltenham Festival, but Billy Grimshaw has still taken a look over the cards and recommends two bets, both at tasty enough prices...

13:50 Newbury

To say Harry Cobden did me a favour at Cheltenham with his inspired frontrunning ride on Kitzbuhel, one of my strongest antepost fancies for the Brown Advisory, would be an understatement and I am more than happy to be backing him to win again aboard GRAND VENDETTA here for Paul Nicholls. Last seen winning in taking style at Taunton on heavy ground, on first glance that form would not scream out to back the winner on good to soft at Newbury next time out, however this looks an uncomplicated proposition and the way he knuckled down to win after looking uneasy is a good sign of a strong mind. The form has been franked by both the second and fourth from Taunton since and a mark of 120 looks to seriously underestimate this lightly raced Ditcheat inmate.

In time I've no doubt this lad will be a stayer but he is not short of pace judging by the way he put that Taunton race to bed and in the hope Cobden has him either going from the front or sitting prominent just off the leader, I can see him keeping the winning thread. He is by far the least exposed horse in here and although there are dangers aplenty, none more so than favourite Storming George who could not live with the class of the Dovecote last time out but is proven in this sphere, he looks the one to side with at anything north of 5/1. The chief threat in my eyes is Fresh Perspective for Albert Bartlett winning trainer Jamie Snowden. 

He is a bona fide front runner and although, like Storming George, he was outclassed up in grade last time out, having had wind surgery and now making his handicap debut he could be tough to catch should the rest of the field be snoozing. Harry Cobden, though, is the best in the business at pace judgement and so whether he chooses to take a lead or battle for pole position, I am confident he will come home in front onboard Grand Vendetta.

14:40 Kelso

After once again making a mockery of a few big handicaps at the Cheltenham Festival, it is no surprise to see a Dan Skelton trained horse heading the market for this valuable handicap chase north of the border and Diamond Dealer could well be another that the team have managed to squeeze in expertly with plenty in hand. He has top weight to contend with here but will almost certainly be ridden aggressively by Tristan Durrell and a return to quicker ground should be in the favour of this course winner, but this is a deep race and I am not about to row in behind one at 3/1 or shorter given the volume of rivals.

Kelso is a sharp track and as such I am looking at more speedy types than those who utilise their stamina over this sort of intermediate trip and that has led me to bottom weight DEFENCE WITNESS, who importantly is fitted with first time blinkers here. He has been in good form all season, running four times with a third, a first and two second places to his name. Frustratingly, one suspects, for those who have backed him regularly the two seconds came in races he was a short price favourite for. In both contests I am of the opinion that if he was fitted with some headgear to focus on the job a smidgen more, he'd have won.

Sam and Jonathan England have combined as trainer and jockey for two winners from their last six over the last fortnight, so the yard is patently in good nick, and with this race being by far the most valuable this lad has run in I think he will be cherry ripe to run the race of his life. He is a definite hold up horse but Kelso can suit those if the leaders go off a fraction too quickly and we have seen already this season Defence Witness pick up well from the rear. Should the blinkers mean he is more alert to his jockey pushing the button when the time comes, and given he is receiving weight all round, I envisage him swooping late and at worse bagging some place money and at best, the race itself.