Today's Horse Racing Tips: Ascot & Haydock highlight Saturday's selections

There are four bets for today’s racing at Ascot and Haydock.

Ascot Tips

13:45 – 2m3½f SBK Holloway’s Handicap Hurdle (Class 2)

GARRY CLERMONT (NAP - 1 point win bet at 3/1) can defy top weight to land a fifth career success. Jonjo O’Neill’s seven-year-old won his only Point to Point and then won a bumper at Aintree. He has since run consistently well over hurdles, finishing out of the first three places just once. However, that came in the Grade 2 Dovecote Hurdle at Kempton behind some very smart rivals. After ending last season with a win at Warwick, he has returned with two good efforts this season. Second on his reappearance, he then put in a fine performance to be placed in Grade 3 company here at Ascot last month behind Tritonic and Onemorefortheroad. This represents a drop in class and the step back up in trip will suit.

14:20 – 2m7½f SBK Mares’ Hurdle (Grade 2)

Molly Ollys Wishes was an impressive winner at Wetherby back in October but was firmly put in her place in a decent race here last time out. She should go well back against her own sex, but slight preference is for ANYTHINGFORLOVE (1 point win bet at 13/2). Jamie Snowden’s mare comes here in good form and is one of four in this line up to have been given a Grade 1 entry. Well beaten in two starts over fences at the start of the season, she has relished the return to the smaller obstacles with a seven-length win at Ffos Las followed up by a clear second in Listed company at Sandown two weeks ago. She was a comfortable Grade 2 winner a year ago, and as a half-sister to Gold Cup winner Sizing John, she should relish today’s test.

14:55 – 2m5f bet365 Handicap Chase (Class 2)

Fanion D’Estruval is a really classy chaser and appreciated the drop out of Grade 1 and 2 company to score easily at Newbury last time out. However, his official mark of 159 means he’ll have to carry 11-12 in this and that’s going to be very tough. Off just 10-9, PALMERS HILL (1 point win bet at 11/4) looks to have a solid chance of landing a hat trick of wins on what could be a really good day for the Jonjo O’Neill team. This lightly-raced nine-year-old has made a fine start to his chasing career with his last two wins coming by a combined distance of over ten-lengths. His latest success was over a slightly shorter trip here at Ascot and he is taken to defy the 8lb rise to go in again. As a winning Point to Pointer and also successful over this trip at Cheltenham, the step back up to 2m5f could bring about more improvement.

Haydock Tip

14:35 – 3m1½f Peter Marsh Handicap Chase (Grade 2)

EMPIRE STEEL (1 point win bet at 4/1) marked himself down as a smart horse when beating the odds on Protektorat at Kelso in February but found the step up to top company too much when pulled up in the Grade 1 at Aintree won by the classy Chantry House. Sandy Thomson’s eight-year-old made a pleasing seasonal reappearance when second over this course and distance in November. The winner that day was completing a hat trick and there were several decent horses in behind. He then went to Wetherby on Boxing Day and after travelling really well, he fell when looking the likely winner. That was unlucky and he is fancied to bounce back today with conditions very much to suit. Last year’s winner Royale Pagaille is the obvious danger.