The Weekend Wager: Raceolly's tips from Aintree and Wincanton on Saturday

Fresh from a 15/2 winner (Haafapiece) last weekend, our regular columnist Raceolly is back for this week's edition of The Weekend Wager, and he heads to Aintree and Ascot for his four best bets on Saturday afternoon...

13:08 Aintree - Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle

SUPREMELY LUCKY likes a flat track and in fact has form figures on flat tracks over hurdles and three miles of 1214132. Two starts for Charlie Longsdon were in chases where he has always struggled with his jumping. The nine-year-old ran a good second off 1lb higher on his last hurdle start and was beaten just a neck behind one that was on a hat trick. Longsdon has won this race twice in the last nine years and on both occasions he booked a claimer which is the case again here with young Dylan Kitts in the plate. Longsdon has had two winners this week and has had a brilliant start to the season, 14 winners from 73 runners since June (19% win rate).

14:15 Aintree - Betway Grand Sefton Handicap Chase

There’s nothing more exciting then seeing the Grand National fences and I’m happy to get it so early in the season this year. The Grand Sefton is always a tricky race and Senior Citizen is one that I’ve been keeping an eye on with regards to this for some time but now it’s rolled around there’s another at a big price that’s drawn me in. MAC TOTTIE lines up for the Peter Bowen yard who loves these races. He usually needs his first run of the season so last month's run at Fontwell can be written off (record fresh reads 5884, the 4th last of four) and should have put him spot on for this. He runs here off the same mark that he finished a good second off at Ayr at the end of last season, where he had Five Star Getaway 12 lengths behind that day, who also lines here up, but is under half the price. Mac Tottie will enjoy the good to soft/soft ground and boasts a record of 2111 excluding seasonal debuts when getting those conditions. 

14:25 Wincanton - Richard Barber Memorial Mares' Handicap Hurdle

HOTTER THAN HELL is one that doesn’t mind a break and has placed on her last three starts after a break with form reading 223. Her handicap mark has dropped 6lbs in three runs and she ran one of her best races last year at the track in these conditions (in this race) when third behind The White Mouse, who went on to win again and go up 14lbs in the handicap. The second that day (Perfect Myth) lines up here also but is l8lbs worse off with the selection. Alan King has booked Liam Harrison for the first time here who takes off a handy 3lbs and has been riding out of his skin this season with a 23% win rate from 100 rides and a further 26 places. King's raider is weighted to go better than last year and a return to the race and same conditions, where she ran her best race and coming in fresh looks ideal. 

15:00 Wincanton - 60th Badger Beer Handicap Chase

CAP DU NORD ran his best races last season on a similar flat track with form figures of 41235 to back that up over the last year, although he had plenty of excuses for the runs on undulating tracks in that time. The Christian Williams-trained eight-year-old has dropped a handy 7lbs down the handicap in just two chase runs and two hurdle runs, where he’s clearly not as good. He made his seasonal debut at Wincanton last year and ran a huge race despite needing the first run of the season (form figures after a break of 60 days or more read 6P4940) returned at Chepstow this season, and should strip a lot fitter for this following that and cheekpieces return which seem to eek out a bit more from him. He won a valuable Newbury handicap on his second start last season and everything points to a huge run in the Badger Beer Handicap Chase.