*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widget, while in-copy odds are accurate at time of publication but subject to change

Frank Hickey and Ruby Walsh have selected their best bets of the weekend ahead of a crammed schedule, with meetings at Naas, Haydock, Ascot, Navan and Cork all providing superb Jumps action.

Speaking on the latest episode of Paddy Power’s From The Horse’s Mouth podcast, our deadly duo cast their keen eyes over plenty of races in detail on both Saturday and Sunday before pinning their colours to the mast with their NAPs.

Frank Hickey

1.15pm, Saturday, Haydock – Dashel Drasher

I’m going to Haydock on Saturday for my NAP, with DASHEL DRASHER over 2m5f in the Graduation Chase. Jeremy Scott was having a quiet time of things but had a decent day at Wincanton on Thursday with a winner and three others hitting the frame as well so he is starting to run into form. Dashel Drasher only had three starts over fences last year and was second on his chase debut at Newbury behind Champ, beaten by three-and-a-half lengths with Highest Sun and Beakstown behind.

He unseated in the Grade 2 at Newbury on his next start but then slammed Champagne Mystery, Fidux and Whatmore on his last start over this course and distance on testing ground. I think Dashing Drasher is very useful, has had a wind op and will take some beating.

Ruby Walsh

12.10pm, Navan (Sunday) – Farouk Dalene / 2.20pm, Navan (Sunday) – Minella Indo

I think a double for FAROUK DALENE and MINELLA INDO at Navan on Sunday. The two of them are a class above the opposition. I could have picked any one of the newcomers of Willie Mullins’ but I think those two are rock-solid.

Farouk Dalene will win. I was really impressed with him at Down Royal. He drops back a few furlongs in trip but he will win.

And I completely concur with Frank Hickey in his praise of Minella Indo, and I’m not sure if we saw the best of him last season. He got run over by Laurina on his seasonal debut and I know he won next time out at Navan but he only scraped home. But then at Wexford I think Minella Indo looked to me like the horse that won the Albert Bartlett and then beat Allaho at Punchestown. This is an outlier in the Gold Cup.

*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widget, while in-copy odds are accurate at time of publication but subject to change

Best bets of the weekend

Frank Hickey
1.15pm, Saturday, Haydock – Dashel Drasher

Ruby Walsh
12.10pm, Navan (Sunday) – Farouk Dalene
2.20pm, Navan (Sunday) – Minella Indo

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• Ruby Walsh’s 10 to follow for the 2020/21 jumps season
• Paul Jacobs’ 10 to follow for the 2020/21 jumps season
• Mick Fitzgerald’s 10 to pay their way for the new jumps season

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