ITV Racing Tips: Three bets at Kempton and Southwell
A packed Saturday awaits on ITV Racing, with something for everyone to enjoy. There are marathon staying chases and all-weather flat meetings between Kempton, Newcastle and Southwell and Billy Grimshaw - as well as penning race specific previews of the Eider and Coral Trophy - has three other picks for your perusal here...
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14:27 Kempton - Pendil Novices' Chase
This is an intriguing little contest at Kempton on Saturday, with five of the six looking to hold a big chance and even the 25/1 outsider not a total no-hoper. Tahmuras has taken the mantle as favourite in recent days and with Cobden and Nicholls' outstanding record in this race alongside his hurdles form - the best on offer in here - it is not hard to see why. With that being said, I have not been particularly enamoured with him as a chaser yet and despite his good win at Aintree on Boxing Day, and the fact he has my favourite jockey in the plate, I'm not sure this test will suit.
Five of the six in here like to be front runners or prominent, and I'd expect Soul Icon to attempt to lead them all the way, but these tactics could suit the sole hold-up horse in Blow Your Wad. I'd fancy him to reverse placings with Le Patron here as he seems more progressive, but the bet simply has to be ARCLIGHT for Nicky Henderson following the Marsh Wren win at Thurles on Thursday. That horse was behind Arclight last time out and now the form looks rock solid.
She was sent straight over fences at four, a rare sight for a Seven Barrows inmate, which indicated how forward and natural she was over bigger obstacles and receiving weight all round here with a strong pace to aim at she should take all the beating. She has racked up a quick hat-trick over fences and I'd fancy it'll take a good one to stop her making it four on the spin. She is in the Grand Annual at Cheltenham but I do think in time her ambitions could be more lofty.
14:45 Southwell - Hever Sprint Stakes
A real blink and you'll miss it contest, particularly when we are deep in the National Hunt season and not used to the rapid nature of these sprint contests, comes our way from Southwell to kick off their card at 14:45, the Hever Sprint Stakes. As seems to always be the case in this sort of sprint, things look fiercely competitive but I was pleasantly surprised to see HIYA MAITE at double figures each-way.
The favourite Clarenden House is undoubtedly the most likely winner, however there aren't many as progressive as Hiya Maite in here for Roy Bowring if his rapid win over C&D in a handicap last time out is anything to go by. Obviously he is untested in this sort of grade, but I do think a repeat of that performance should see him at the very least in the frame.
This also could be being used by the favourite and Diligent Harry the second fav as a prep run for bigger things later in the AW season, whereas Hiya Maite will be tuned up to the minute. There looks plenty of pace on but I'm hopeful he can grab the lead early as he did last time out and if he does on a track he clearly acts on, he could be hard to peg back.
15:00 Kempton - Dovecote Novices' Hurdle
After taking on Nicholls and Cobden in the race prior to this one, it feels good to be getting them back onside here. I think PANJARI at 6/1 is probably the bet of the day. We do have to forgive his NYD flop at Musselburgh, but anyone who was watching that day saw how buzzy the horse was prior to the race beginning and as such I believe he lost all chance at the start when 100/30 favourite.
He has since bounced back with a solid win back at that course earlier this month and although that form is solid enough, it is his form behind Go Dante and Doddiethegreat - who both ran stunning races for places in the Betfair Hurdle - that marks him out as the bet in this contest.
Those horses he was third behind are now well fancied for handicap glory at the Cheltenham Festival and if Panjari turns up here in the same form or even as an improved model, I don't see another form line as strong. The obvious one is Lump Sum who chased home Jeriko Du Reponet (fancied for a Supreme in some places) at Doncaster last time out. I'm not sold on the winner that day and particularly don't rate that workmanlike Doncaster win, so his price of sub 2/1 looks crazy in here. I'm hopeful Cobden pops Panjari out in front and dictates the race as he often does so brilliantly. If he does, I think we are onto a nice priced winner.