Today's Racing Tips: Ascot & Lingfield feature on Saturday

There are five bets for today’s racing at Ascot and Lingfield.

Ascot Tips

13:50 – 3m Bateaux London Reynoldstown Novices’ Chase (Grade 2)

As a point to point winner and based on the way he has finished some of his recent races over shorter distances, ANNUAL INVICTUS (1 point win bet at 9/2) should relish this step up to three miles. His two Cheltenham Festival entries (Grade 2 over 3m6f and Grade 1 over an extended 3m) would suggest that connections feel this is now the route to take and they’ve chosen to fit cheekpieces for the first time. That is no surprise given a couple of disappointing efforts either side of Christmas, but prior to those, he'd won consecutive races at Cheltenham (course record time) and Plumpton. A smart hurdler who has taken well to the larger obstacles, he looks more than capable of winning a race like this. Regular jockey Tom Cannon takes the ride again.

14:25 – 3m greatbritishstallionshowcase.co.uk Swinley Chase (Listed)

FIDDLERONTHEROOF (NAP - 1 point win bet at 9/4) was an impressive Listed winner at Carlisle on his seasonal reappearance in October and then went really close in the prestigious Ladbrokes Trophy at Newbury the following month. That was an excellent performance and a repeat would make him very difficult to beat here, despite the fact he has to carry top weight. With entries for both the Gold Cup and Grand National (as short as 25/1 for both), this young chaser is clearly highly regarded by connections and has the form to back that up. Although only one of his seven chase starts last season resulted in victory, he finished second or third on every other occasion and ran in five consecutive Grade 1/2 races. The form of his second to Monkfish at the Cheltenham Festival looks strong and he comes here a fresh horse as his campaign has reportedly been based on protecting his handicap mark for the Grand National bid.

15:38 – 2m5f Betfair Ascot Chase (Grade 1) 

DASHEL DRASHER (1 point win bet at 6/1) has a fine record at Ascot with four victories from his five previous visits to the track. His last win here came in this race last year but he then missed Grade 1 assignments at Cheltenham and Aintree as ground conditions were too quick. That won’t be an issue today and everything looks in his favour. He has been given a couple of prep runs for this: one over hurdles at Newbury, where he showed his usual tenacious attitude to win, and the other at Lingfield, where he lost out by just a short head. I’m expecting another bold, front running display here and he will be hard to catch if he gets in to a good rhythm early in the race.

If the market leaders aren’t at their best, TWO FOR GOLD (0.5 point win bet at 25/1) could be the one to capitalise. Kim Bailey’s nine-year-old rarely runs a bad race and comes here after two consecutive wins this season. His latest success saw him get the better of Dashel Drasher in a thrilling finish and he looks overpriced on that form.

Lingfield Tip

15:45 – 1m4f Betway Handicap (Class 2)

My final selection of the day comes on the All Weather at Lingfield, where I fancy PIRATE KING (1 point win bet at 3/1) to return to the winners’ enclosure. The booking of Ryan Moore on board the horse for the first time is a real positive and this will be just his fifth ride for trainer Charlie Fellows. Pirate King, a son of Farhh and half brother to Group 2 winner Dandino, has won four times on an artificial surface with all of those successes coming over this course and distance. He has dropped back down to his last winning handicap mark and went close here last month.