Horse Racing tips: Frank Hickey’s fine fancies for ITV Racing on Saturday

Frank is all over the tellybox action at Cheltenham and Lingfield.

By / Horse Racing Tips / 2 years ago

* All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.

Frank hasn’t just covered Saturday’s ITV Racing, he’s also studied the rest of the races at Cheltenham and he’s got his NAP at Uttoxeter!

12:22 Uttoxeter – Kyntara (NAP)

Kyntara bolted up in a point last October. He made his bumper debut at Warwick for Kim Bailey in February and won by 17l. Second was second in a novice hurdle on his only start since and third Our Surprise is rated 123 over hurdles. Fourth was fourth in a novice hurdle behind the second. The form stacks up.

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12:30 Cheltenham – Addosh (Each Way)

Magistrato was very impressive on his debut for Paul Nicholls and he’ll be tough to beat if building on that but Nicholls had one with very similar profile turned over in this last year in Hell Red. Addosh was rated in the low 70’s on the flat for Hugo Palmer but he did win a handicap at Thirsk over a mile and was consistent this season in handicaps between a mile and 10f.

He was well behind Caramelised on his hurdles debut at Stratford but turned that form around a month later at Market Rasen. Last time at Wetherby in a listed juvenile hurdle he was travelling best of all then unseated three out. Porticello won that race and is among the ante post favourites for the triumph currently, while he also beat Magistrato in France.

13:05 Cheltenham – Opposites Attract (Each Way)

Those carrying high weights have a decent record in this race, with the last five winners carrying 11st or more. Minella Encore won last time out at Fakenham when Larry was taken out by a loose horse and Larry franked that form with an impressive win at Ascot a couple of weeks ago.

Opposites Attract carries top weight here and is yet to win in six attempts over fences but he is one that has a decent handicap in him and he has one of the better jockeys.

His chase form is fairly excellent despite not winning. He was beaten 3.5l by Latest Exhibition on his chase debut at Punchestown last season and was narrowly beaten by Assemble and was also second to Conflated.

He was 26l 10th in the Irish National on last start when only 18/1. He was third in a point on decent ground, beaten over 2l by Monkfish with Fury Road and Fiddlerontheroof behind, so despite the majority of his form being on testing ground, he will be fine on the better ground here. He is only seven-years-old and could still be improving.

13:40 Cheltenham – Mick Pastor

Mick Pastor and Captain Tom Cat re-oppose after the meeting last week in the Grade 2 at Wincanton over 2m4f. Mick Pastor was travelling all over Captain Tom Cat that day but was outstayed and the return to 2m is definitely in his favour, while he has a 5lb swing with his rival also. Third Time Lucki was the subject of Twitter love after his chase debut and while it was impressive, I am still to be convinced that he is top class.

He was pretty much unexposed as a solid mid 140’s horse last season as a novice over hurdles and he has a 3lb penalty here. Mick Pastor travels powerfully and likes decent ground and he will be able to track Third Time Lucki to the last and might just cause a bit of a surprise.

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14:15 Cheltenham – Midnight Shadow (Each Way)

Protektorat has a big chance off 154 after his Grade 1 win in the Manifesto novices chase last season but he was beaten at Wincanton and Kelso when odds on to highlight that perhaps he isn’t the most consistent. Lalor and Simply The Betts have their first starts for Paul Nicholls and I can see both of them going well.

However, Midnight Shadow is the one I like. He won a Scottish Champion Hurdle as a novice off 134 and that was on good ground. He beat Wholestone in the Grade 2 Relkeel Hurdle but that wasn’t the deepest renewal but again that was on good to soft ground.

14:50 Cheltenham – Dragon Bones

Ian Williams won this in 2018 with First Assignment who was owned by the same syndicate that own Dragon Bones. She is a mare that has won five of her eight career starts and could well be 7-8 as unseated when a short price at Southwell and was only beaten a length here last month by Bardenstown Lad when she was short of room two out.

Her form when winning at Worcester is useful form. She beat South Terrace 10l and might well have picked up Ballymillsy anyway but that on fell at the last. She gets 3lbs off Ballymillsy here. Go back to last season she won a listed mares hurdle at Doncaster and she had Wynn House 8l back in fourth that day and Wynn House won a decent mares handicap hurdle at Wincanton last week off a mark of 122.

The good ground is important to her, she is only six years old and Charlie Todd takes off 3lb. She would look to have a really solid chance.

15:05 Lingfield – Exalted Angel

The Last Lion returns after a five year absence. He was last seen beating Blue Point in the Middle Park. Good Effort won this last year and could be tough to peg back if he gets the lead but is drawn in eight and might be taken on by Bahrain Pride who is drawn in four.

Exalted Angel is one that improved on the all-weather track last season and won at Listed level here in February before being just touched off by Summerghand in the All-Weather Sprint Championships.

15:25 Cheltenham – Pyramid Place (Each Way)

I’m taking a chance on one at a double-figure price in the four-year-old Pyramid Place. He’s trained by Milton Harris, who is in amazing form, winning with five of his last 10 runners with a RTF of 80% in the last two weeks. This season he is operating at a 24% strike rate which is fairly impressive. The yard won this last year with Stimulating Song.

I thought he might have picked up Progressive at Chepstow last time but for being hampered three out but was still beaten less than a length off 119 (over 2m). He is 3-8 over hurdles but did contest the Grade 1 Finale Hurdle and the Grade 2 Dovecote and found them too hot for him. He has gone up 4lb for Chepstow but does shape like he wants this step up in trip and if that unlocks some more improvement he might spring a surprise for a red-hot yard.

Frank’s Saturday tips

12:22 Uttoxeter – Kyntara (NAP)
12:30 Cheltenham – Addosh (Each Way)
13:05 Cheltenham – Opposites Attract (Each Way)
13:40 Cheltenham – Mick Pastor
14:15 Cheltenham – Midnight Shadow (Each Way)
14:50 Cheltenham – Dragon Bones
15:05 Lingfield – Exalted Angel
15:25 Cheltenham – Pyramid Place (Each Way)

* All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.

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