*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 has revealed his top tips ahead of a bumper Saturday of racing action across England.
Eight races are set to be shown on ITV, although an 8am inspection is planned at Haydock due to heavy rainfall this week – casting doubt on the meeting.
Speaking on the latest episode of Paddy Power’s From The Horse’s Mouth podcast, our expert trader explained his best bets at Ascot and Taunton while also selecting a trio of Haydock tips.
- Check out all the latest Horse Racing tips and previews now
1.15pm, Ascot – Roksana
Magic Of Light is on a hat trick in this race but she wouldn’t have faced a rival of the calibre of ROKSANA in her previous wins. Magic Of Light’s whole season is geared around the Grand National and she is up against it here against a proper Grade 1 mare in Roksana.
Roksana bolted up on her seasonal reappearance in the West Yorkshire hurdle at Wetherby, with the second Next Destination winning two Grade 2 Novice Chases in the interim to frank that form. Roksana was only two lengths behind Paisley Park and Thyme Hill in the Grade 1 Hurdle at Ascot on her last start and that is the strongest form on offer here. She is relatively unexposed over 3m, with her only other previous starts being a second to Santini in the Sefton Novices Hurdle and a head second to If The Cap Fits in the Liverpool Hurdle. She handled heavy ground last time and she should be very difficult to beat here.
1.30pm, Haydock – Llandinabo Lad
(Inspection at Haydock scheduled for 8am on Saturday)
I’m sticking with LLANDINABO LAD, and I think he is a bit of value. He’s beaten Minella Drama very easily already and while he does carry a penalty here, it is because he won a Listed race relatively easily. He was very strong at the finish, and he was second in a Grade 2 at Ascot last time behind My Drogo. My Drogo is a very good horse, particularly on soft ground and I think Llandinabo Lad might just be a different level to these.
Minella Drama is a nice improving horse but has a bit to find and Nada To Prada was only rated about 118 before winning a Listed mares’ novice hurdle the last day. Faivoir needs a step up and you can put a line through Anythingforlove’s hurdles debut when the jockey lost their stirrups very early through the race. Llandinabo Lad might just be a different level to these and the ground will be no issue for him.
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1.50pm, Ascot – Nordano
I’m a massive fan of Botox Has, and I narrowed this one down to him and NORDANO. I’ve just sided with Nordano but I definitely wouldn’t put anyone off backing Botox Has. The reason I like Nordano is that he did bolt up at Ascot over this distance in February off a mark of 127, winning by 16 lengths. He’s disappointed in both starts this season but the first one was behind Botox Has on good ground at Cheltenham and would have been far too sharp for him. Then his stamina was stretched last time over 3m at Chepstow and he tailed off. He’s back to more of what suits him and is running off a mark of 138, 11lbs higher than that win last year.
He had some decent form last year – he won at Chepstow and Huntingdon and was then placed in the Grade 1 Finale Hurdle at Chepstow. He was second on this card behind Goshen, albeit well beaten, but at the prices both Nordano and Botox Has are worth taking a flier on.
2.10pm, Taunton – If The Cap Fits
(Inspection at Taunton scheduled for 7.30am on Saturday)
Yala Enki comes here off the back of a very good run in the Welsh National, third off top weight. He won the race last year and is obviously the solid one, but I would just give a chance to IF THE CAP FITS. His jumping hasn’t been great – he is all over fences – but he won at Ffos Las, beating Fiddlerontheroof by seven-and-a-half lengths. He didn’t jump well at all, but a superior engine won him the race that day. He was beaten by Pym in a three-runner intermediate chase at Sandown and the run in the Grade 1 Kauto Star at Kempton was very bizarre. He was last, going nowhere and not jumping great again, and must have been 20 lengths off the leaders turning into the straight but he sent it up and only ended up beaten seven-and-a-half lengths. He absolutely flew home, and the step up in trip will probably suit him. If he can jump fluently at all, he obviously has a great engine and was a Grade 1 winner over hurdles. I wouldn’t be surprised if he won this and maybe became a player in the National Hunt Chase.
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2.40pm, Haydock – Sam Brown
(Inspection at Haydock scheduled for 8am on Saturday)
Royal Pagaille couldn’t have been any more impressive when winning at Kempton over Christmas off a mark of 140 but the handicapper has given him a huge 16lb rise for that win and he now has to run off a mark of 156 in a really competitive handicap on really testing ground. He may well be up to it and if he is, he becomes a big player for the graded staying chase at the spring festivals.
But I think he will have his work cut out trying to concede 4lbs to SAM BROWN, for who conditions will be ideal. Sam Brown was extremely impressive on winning his first two chase starts last season before disappointing in the Grade 2 Reynoldstown at Ascot. He ran a lovely race on his reappearance at Carlisle when conceding 2lbs to Imperial Aura and only being beaten 3 lengths over a trip too sharp for him. I strongly fancied him for the Ladbroke Trophy off the back of that run but unfortunately the ground wasn’t slow enough for him to take his place. He hasn’t run since that Carlisle effort but conditions are absolutely ideal for him and I will be disappointed if he can’t go very close here.
3.00pm, Ascot – Good Boy Bobby
This is a very competitive race. We’ve got Domaine De LIsle, who won the race last year, back on the same mark while Acting Lass won the race three years ago. I can definitely see Windsor Avenue getting a handicap at some stage, but I think it’s very difficult to get away from GOOD BOY BOBBY. He likes testing ground and is three our of four in both bumpers and over hurdles, although he only won once over in his four starts over fences as a novice. But he wasn’t too disappointing, beaten a head by Brewin’upastorm at Carlisle on his chase debut then won at Wetherby and was second to Mister Fisher at Cheltenham, conceding 5bs to him. Mister Fisher is now rated 162.
He ended the season with a poor fifth in the Grade 1 Scilly Isles at Sandown but was only a 7/2 shot that day and obviously wasn’t right. He won on his seasonal reappearance at Bangor and was second to Master Tommytucker, beaten 15 lengths at Haydock, and Drashel Dasher – who reposes here – was behind in third. It was a fair run in the Caspian Caviar when fourth, although he was never really in the race and just stayed on past beaten horses, but he was running there off 146. He drops 2lbs to 144 and the Twiston-Davies yard are in much better form so I can definitely see him running a good race.
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3.15pm, Haydock – Buveur D’Air
(Inspection at Haydock scheduled for 8am on Saturday)
Coming back from the lay-off that BUVEUR D’AIR has had, and you’re looking for a test without him being really bottomed-out then this race is what you’re looking for. Navajo Pass won at Musselburgh the last day but it was only a handicap and he was only running off a mark of 142. He ran okay in the Triumph last year when fourth but he’s not really in the league of Buveur D’Air.
Ballyandy has to concede 6lbs to Buveur D’Air as well so if Buveur D’Air is anywhere near his best, he will win this easily enough. It will be interesting to see if the spark is there, and where he slots into this year’s market.
3.35pm, Ascot – Defi Du Seuil
You’ve got Waiting Patiently coming from the King George, and he’s got good form over 2m. He wasn’t beaten by far in the Tingle Creek last year at Sandown. Politologue is obviously the champion chaser who won the Tingle Creek this year, and you’ve got First Flow stepping up in grade who could relish the ground. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him run a big race.
At the prices, you could take a chance on DEFI DE SEUIL. He was really impressive when winning this race last year, on heavy ground but he’s been very disappointing in the Champion Chase and on his reappearance in the Shloer Chase since. Richard Johnson does seem to be quite positive about how he has been going at home, and on his best form he has the beating of these.
*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’s bet summary – Saturday, January 23
1.15pm, Ascot – Roksana
1.30pm, Haydock – Llandinabo Lad
1.50pm, Ascot – Nordano
2.10pm, Taunton – If The Cap Fits
2.40pm, Haydock – Sam Brown
3.00pm, Ascot – Good Boy Bobby
3.15pm, Haydock – Buveur D’Air
3.35pm, Ascot – Defi Du Seuil
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