ITV Racing Tips: Three to back at Haydock, Wincanton and Ascot
Mercifully the weather gods have played ball with the weekend's racing and as such the action at Haydock, Ascot and Wincanton all gets the green light. A bumper card of action is set to be broadcast on ITV Racing and Billy Grimshaw has a trio he thinks are worth keeping on side...
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14:05 Wincanton - Kingwell Hurdle
All five in here are sub 10/1 at the time of writing, although Guard Your Dreams and Goshen should end up bigger on the day looking at their profiles. The former has been well put in his place numerous times this year, while the latter is a shadow of his former self and calling him enigmatic could be being a bit kind. Narrowing the race down to three then, it seems clear we know how this contest should play out from the get-go, with Rubaud setting the pace and issuing a catch me if you can challenge to the other contenders.
Nemean Lion is as solid as the day is long and the Welsh Champion Hurdle winner will appreciate Rubaud giving him a pace to aim at, but the last named horse in the field COLONEL MUSTARD will also enjoy the test Rubaud creates and I think he is the best bet in this shaky looking Grade 2. He of course chased home the mighty State Man in the County Hurdle a few seasons back, form which hasn't worked out too badly, and despite a flawed attempt at making him a chaser he is still reasonably low mileage as a hurdler.
He will receive weight from everything in the field here barring Guard Your Dreams and brings, barring Goshen's Triumph run, the best form to the table. I'd be surprised if he doesn't go off clear favourite, particularly when noting he lost by three lengths to Rubaud at Ayr last spring giving him six pounds and he now receives six pounds from that rival.
14:25 Ascot - Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards Handicap Hurdle
This looks a good contest, with last season's Boodles talking horse Bad respected looking well handicapped and with headgear applied, plus a wind op and step up in trip in the locker. He also looks on his limited form to appreciate a bit of give in the surface, which he'll get here, and he rates the main danger to my pick. He is dangerously well handicapped but I was somewhat put off by his grumpy looking run last time out at Doncaster.
One who is more straight forward is Rare Edition, who will have top jockey Harry Cobden in the saddle here. He won well at Kempton after perhaps being hampered by the low sun meaning hurdles were omitted on seasonal debut at Doncaster and could well be a placepot lock, but with no definitive pace in the race I'm not sure he'll appreciate this kind of race.
One I'm confident will is Irish Hill for Paul Nicholls and Freddie Gingell, who could well go to the front and attempt to make all. He is a tough consistent type, but a chance is taken on MONVIEL, a recent stable switcher to Harry Derham who could also be a pace rival. We have to excuse his tame finish when last over fences last time out, but it can be excused following the vets discovering he had an irregular heartbeat post race.
Derham would not send his charge back out if he did not think he was cherry ripe once again and on old hurdles form from his time with Phillip Hobbs, this horse looks very well handicapped indeed. His odds are shortening as I type this preview, but he looks the one they all have to beat to me and at north of 6/1 rates a smashing each-way bet to kick our Ascot punting plan off.
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15:00 Ascot - Injured Jockeys Fund Ambassadors Programme Swinley Handicap Chase
In National Hunt racing, and indeed on the flat in fact, we often see horses for no discernible reason become real course specialists who throw in the towel whenever they are taken away from what becomes their home ground. I was very keen on VICTTORINO proving himself top class anywhere he ran last time out when he was strong in the market for a Cheltenham handicap. From almost the first fence, however, it was clear to see this was not the Victtorino we had gotten used to seeing at Ascot. His classy jumping deserted him and he never looked happy on the track, so this return to his favourite track is a huge positive.
Perhaps the last day will simply prove an off day and he will become high class going round both ways, but in a race with plenty of them who need a lot of excuse making to fancy them I think he is a fair enough price at around 7/2. If he had not run at Cheltenham he would be considerably shorter for this race hunting an Ascot hat-trick and although Larry is to be respected for Gary Moore after finding the winning groove last time out. Torn And Frayed is another not to totally rule out at a big price, but the favourite looks rock solid and probably rates my best bet of the day.