ITV Racing Tips: Two Additional Picks On A Packed Saturday
We've got previews coming out of our ears for the plethora of big races over the weekend here at HorseRacing.Net, but there are still more races on ITV's packed slate on Saturday! Billy Grimshaw has a couple more worth supporting on Saturday...
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13:15 Haydock - Betfair Racing Podcasts Handicap Hurdle
This is a smashing race to kick things off on ITV and, apart from State Man in the Morgiana who I am very sweet on indeed, I think my best bet of the day comes in here. Beat The Bat is unexposed and has good form behind Dysart Enos, who probably ran as well as her ability dictates in the Greatwood last time out off what looked a real snip of a mark to finish third, and going back up in trip here Harry Fry's charge could well improve again. He does have a lengthy 11 month absence to contend with, although Fry is one of the more cautious trainers around and one suspects this race will have been circled in the calendar for some time.
He heads the market and then follow a cluster, depending on where you are betting, of potentially smart animals, including Steel Ally the Welsh Champion Hurdle second off top weight for Sam Thomas. That was undoubtedly a smart piece of form and at six he is sure to be still improving, but he was whacked by the fav in here in bumpers which puts me off him slightly. The one I have landed on is a horse I am convinced is being disrespected, JOSH THE BOSS. The Twiston Davies charge is a Silver Trophy winner and the race he won was not just any Silver Trophy. Looking back through the form of that race, the second has won (more on him to come later), the fourth has come out and won, the sixth has come out and won and even the horse in ninth has come out and won!
Plenty seem to think Josh The Boss was a fortunate winner that day at Chepstow but four lengths is not a lucky winning margin and I liked the way he attacked his obstacles. Jamie Nield takes off seven pounds, as he did at Chepstow, and I'm hopeful he lets his horse kick on as he did that day as I don't think the others will be able to peg him back. I'll be very disappointed if he's not in the first four home so more cautious punters are welcome to back him each-way, but he's a win only selection for a team in red hot form as they always are as the season begins.
14:30 Haydock - Betfair Stayers' Handicap Hurdle
Anyone with a modicum of curiosity in which horse I was talking about in the prior paragraph when flagging up the strength of Josh The Boss's Chepstow win will know my pick in here, and it is the favourite (sorry!). He is the obvious place to start as last weekend's impressive winner for the Skeltons DOYEN QUEST is, despite a five pound penalty, still officially five pounds 'well in' here considering he is set to go up 10lbs for the romp he won in last Saturday. This is clearly a very smart animal and that can be seen in both his win last weekend and indeed the confidence in which Harry Skelton rode him at Chepstow, when probably giving him too much to do with Josh The Boss.
Team Skelton are mobhanded here and it would be foolish to rule out any of his crew from being in the mix, but I do think the market has latched onto the right one. Catch Him Derry would be the main Skelton danger in the race to Doyen Quest considering how patently easy he found his latest handicap success at Newton Abbott, but a seven pound rise may halt his progress just enough here for the stable (perceived) first string to get the better of him.
The one I'm fearing most is the lightly raced runner for man in form James Owen The Big Bang, who has been revitalised since moving to Owen's yard and won easily on his first attempt at three miles last spring before a smashing return effort under a penalty when second over the intermediate trip last time out. He looks one who has been primed for a race like this and I'd be amazed if he's not at least half a stone better than his mark, so at 8/1 I could put no one off him, but Doyen Quest just smacks of the type of horse Dan Skelton has always excelled with and one who could go on a real winning run over this winter period. Shoot First is one to keep an eye on in the market beforehand for that man Charles Byrnes, but his targets may lie elsewhere if there is not support here.