ITV Racing Tips: Expert Picks For Wednesday Televised Racing

There's something for everyone on Wednesday on ITV Racing's coverage, with four flat contests at Newmarket - headlined of course by the Craven - along with a couple of jumps races at Cheltenham. Billy Grimshaw is in hot form after tipping the Scottish Grand National winner and has two recommended bets...

15:00 Newmarket - Blandford Bloodstock Abernant Stakes

The obvious starting point here is Godolphin's even money favourite Romantic Style, with Charlie Appleby and William Buick a mean team to oppose at this meeting every season. They have not as yet got on the board as I pen this piece, in fact Ottoman Fleet has just finished second to Persica in the Earl Of Sefton, but they will no doubt score pretty soon and Romantic Style does deserve to head the market here on last year's form. Her win over in France in the Prix Imprudence is the best piece of form on offer and that was around the same time of the season as this race in 2025, so her chance is obvious particularly as she comes to HQ race fit and in the winning groove following a comfy Meydan win last time out.

She is, however, skinny at evens considering the depth of opposition in here and while I am worried he may be using this as a prep, I loved LETHAL LEVI'S progression last season and think his Ayr Gold Cup demolition marks him out now as a group class sprinter. This is a perfect opportunity for him to elevate himself into the conversation of the best sprinters around in a muddling division, so providing Karl Burke has him cherry ripe I am willing to take a chance on him win only blasting off from the front and perhaps just being able to outstay the hot favourite and the rest of the field. You may prefer to play each-way with the mare in the field, but that's personal preference.

15:50 Cheltenham - Safran Landing Systems Handicap Hurdle

He's certainly not the force of old, but there's no way in a weak race like this DASHEL DRASHER is a 16/1 poke even at the ripe old age of 12. Earlier in the season, Jeremy Scott was an almost weekly resident on the cold list as he just could not get his team right, but the turnaround was exemplified in his Champion Hurdle heroine Golden Ace, who began the season losing at odds-on and has ended it as a 25/1 Champion Hurdler, albeit in fortuitous circumstances with the falls in that race.

Scott was on cloud nine that day and since has been operating at a good strike rate, but even when running in the stable's poor path Dashel Drasher still showed plenty of zest in chases off the front end, finishing just a few lengths back in all three starts this campaign including when less than four lengths off Pic D'Orhy. Despite his exploits over fences, his best form is over hurdles and in 2023 he was half a length off being a Stayers' Hurdle winner around this track, so a mark of 146 looks eminently workable if he is in anything like that form.

There doesn't look a lot of pace on in here either, barring My Bobby Dazzler who Dashel Drasher should be able to see off, so I'm hoping Rex Dingle fires him out early doors and he doesn't see another horse on course to a success that this loveable old veteran deserves in what could well be his last racecourse start given his age and the service he has given connections. He has drifted further this morning and I am more than happy to double down and take the better prices now with best odds guaranteed on offer as a bonus.