ITV Racing Tips: Two Additional Saturday Bets from Cheltenham and Doncaster

All eyes will be on the December Gold Cup at Cheltenham on Saturday, but on ITV Racing there is also a plethora of good contests from both Prestbury Park and Doncaster. Away from the big race, Billy Grimshaw has found a couple more worthy of support...

14:05 Doncaster - bet365 Handicap Chase

Forward Plan is the obvious place to start here as the defending champion, although he does have to carry 12lbs more than he did when bolting up in 2023. He has been sent down the same path by trainer Anthony Honeyball, with a conservative run in the Badger Beer at Wincanton potentially setting him up for this repeat bid. It'll have to be a big performance to win off this mark, but this is his Gold Cup so I couldn't put anyone off if you are keen on history repeating itself.

At the prices, however, I'm willing to chance Nick Kent's ERNE RIVER. I'll be backing him win only as this horse is just as likely to throw in a howler as he is to run up to form, but if the first time blinkers do the trick and get him to switch onto the job he looks fairly handicapped and has a good record on both this surface and at this track. He won over C&D here last December when given cheekpieces for the first time and he seems to be a real thinker of a horse, which would explain why he wasn't quite as good for fifth at the same track next time out before his form really tailed off.

He is undoubtedly a Doncaster only kind of horse for the Nick Kent team, but today may just be the right day to catch him and with a featherweight on his back in comparison to some of the horses who were ahead of him last time he ran here (Sail Away and Forward Plan) I think he could well relish what is in store. It's a risky play, so small stakes are the name of the game, but at around 14/1 there's enough upside to make him the bet.

15:35 Cheltenham - BetMGM Mares' Handicap Hurdle

Nicky Henderson's Joyeuse looks one of the favourites who could well be punted heavily in the last scheduled ITV Racing contest at Cheltenham here, but I'm willing to take her on at the prices in here. At first my eye was drawn to Royale Margeaux for Tom Symonds considering she finally showed signs of life when a good second at Ascot last time out, however that was over three miles and I think this drop back in trip could see her tapped for toe a little, particularly on the good ground we are expecting at Prestbury Park.

It is often stated how tough juveniles going into open company find things, but WODHOOOH looked tough as old boots when racking up a five race winning sequence last year for Gordon Elliott in her juvenile campaign and she is certainly more heavily tried than a lot of horses who emerge from that division. She has been off ten months since a presumed injury ruled her out of a tilt at the Boodles - a race she was antepost favourite for - and perhaps she will come on for this outing, but I'm amazed she's available to back each-way at double figures considering the questionable profiles of some of the others in here.

There are negatives, mainly her age and potential lack of fitness, however we know she likes the track and good ground should be just fine. At 14/1 I make her the bet of the day, and that's quite a statement considering my bullishness on Madara in the big one has only grown as I've seen the price of the favourite for the December Gold Cup contract.