Horse Racing tips: Your Saturday ITV Racing Cheat Sheet for Cheltenham & Doncaster

This is the big chance for SPIRITOFTHEGAMES to bounce back to form and he might just be a corking each-way bet.

MAGIC SAINT put in a really solid run when fourth behind Venna Court over course and distance last time. Drier ground will help him now.

WHATMORE hasn’t run for 15 months but goes very well fresh, seems well handicapped and trainer Henry Daly’s yard is in good form.

FARINET had excuses when pulled up in the Racing Post Gold Cup here on return. He gets the vote in a race lacking in progressive types.

If you ignore the ‘P’ from his last run at Haydock TORN AND FRAYED has put in some solid runs, has good course form and can hit the places at a price.

MIRANDA has to give weight away but this should be a simple task for the champion trainer Paul Nicholls’ challenger with Bryony Frost up.

MIRANDA won this race last year and beat a subsequent winner at Ludlow last time that has boosted the form.

ANNA BUNINA had the likes of Tommy’s Oscar, Glory And Fortune and Thyme White behind her at Ayr last April and looks a bit of value to upset market leader Miranda.

WESTERN VICTORY thrived in Ireland late last year and, while her stable debut at Ascot was a touch underwhelming, she’s capable of getting back to winning ways

MIRANDA is tricky but not ungenuine and the conditions of the race favour her. Not one to go mad with though.

CHANTRY HOUSE really should take this if anywhere near his Grade 1 Aintree winning form.  He’s the class act and should get back to winning ways with cheekpieces on.

CHANTRY HOUSE should bounce back to form now with the cheekpieces on after his King George flop. He won at both the Cheltenham and Aintree Festivals last season so has the class to do it.

He wears cheekpieces now after being pulled up in the King George VI Chase and I’d be disappointed if CHANTRY HOUSE can’t get back in the winning groove.

CHANTRY HOUSE ran no sort of race when favourite for the King George at Kempton on Boxing Day but he was one of the leading novice chasers last season and this looks a good opportunity for him to get back on track with headgear applied.

If CHANTRY HOUSE doesn’t win this he can probably forget about winning a Cheltenham Gold Cup in a little over six weeks’ time.

MY BOBBY DAZZLER stays well and with a win at Aintree and good runs twice at Cheltenham makes plenty of appeal.

UNANSWERED PRAYERS is unlucky not to be a three-time winner this season already. The step up in trip will help.

BRIDGE NORTH is bred to come into his own over these staying trips and this looks a weak race. Not at Present looks the danger in a race Ben Pauling has won three times recently.

COOLBANE BOY gets the nod. He put up a much-improved performance on just his second start for a new yard when landing a Musselburgh handicap in good style four weeks ago. 

THE REAL WHACKER is unexposed, looks a strong stayer and the booking of Harry Skelton is interesting in an open-looking contest.

In soft or heavy ground I might have fancied Paisley Park to gain Long Walk Hurdle revenge over CHAMP. However, he’s likely to travel too well for this lot. Needs to settle early though.

CHAMP really enjoyed being back over hurdles when winning at Ascot and the drying ground shouldn’t be a problem as he looks to cement his Stayers’ Hurdle credentials.

Despie being a 10-year-old CHAMP has only had 16 career starts – half of which have been in hurdle races. He should win this and we’ll worry about the Stayers’ Hurdle later.

If CHAMP is in the same form as when accounting for Thyme Hill and the re-opposing Paisley Park in the Long Walk Hurdle then it’s hard to see past him.

A small but very select field with two previous Stayers’ Hurdle winners in it with Paisley Park and Lisnagar Oscar. CHAMP is a 10-year-old now so if ever he’s going to win a Stayers’ Hurdle it’ll have to be this year and he can take another step along that road now.

CAP DU NORD ran a terrific fifth behind Potterman at Sandown off a mark of 140. He is now down to 129 after a poor effort at Kempton last time. Big each-way claims.

I like MIDNIGHT SHADOW’S  claims each-way. He’s been very consistent this season and the drying ground will help his chances.

STORM CONTROL looks a good each-way play as he likes to front run and could get away from these. He’ll appreciate the better ground more than most.

DEBECE shaped like a well-handicapped horse on his first start for Dan Skelton when second at Sandown last March so could be up to defying a 10-month absence now.

CAP DU NORD tends to win less than Watford but is 10lb lower than when third in this contest last year and claimer Jack Tudor takes another 3lb off on top of that. What’s not to love?

BALCO COASTAL gets what could be a crucial 5lb from the giant, Hillcrest. He wasn’t amazing in bumpers but is going the right way over timber.

It could be a good afternoon for Nicky Henderson and BALCO COASTAL can cap it. He steps up in trip but the drying ground will help him see it out.

HILLCREST jumps away in front and unbeaten in his last three hurdle starts. A tricky race with multiple winners but he can bring up the four-timer.

HILLCREST has to concede weight all round to some promising types and can maintain his unbeaten record over hurdles. Balco Coastal is the main threat.

Hillcrest sets the standard and no doubt will be the last leg of loads of multiples on this card. I’ll put him in mine, but take NORTH LODGE in a single as he looks like a big improver to me.