Saturday’s ITV Racing Tips
13:15 Wetherby – Eaton Collina
13:30 Ascot – Jipcot
13:50 Wetherby – Luccia
14:05 Ascot – Funambule Sivola (NAP)
14:25 Wetherby – Dashel Drasher
15:00 Wetherby – Gentlemansgame
15:15 Ascot – Bad
15:30 Wetherby – Haafapiece
15:45 Ascot – Beauport
*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.
13:15 Wetherby – Eaton Collina
EATON COLLINA should run really well. He was doing so on similar ground earlier this year before unseating but he bounced back and won two after that. Kerry Lee has the best strike rate of any trainer this season and she’s on about 46%. Anything she runs first time out is worth a look and Eaton Collina will run his race.
13:30 Ascot – Jipcot
I’m willing to take one chance, and one chance only, on JIPCOT, who arrived in the UK with a fair reputation after winning a Listed hurdle at Pau in February. The form of that race hasn’t really worked out and he was out of his depth in the Grade 1 company here in the spring. He was tried over fences in France, unseating on his only attempt, but largely jumped well on his first start over British fences at Carlisle recently, fading after an error three out and shaping as if in need of the run.
Ben Pauling’s charge is clearly not the star hoped for, but he should be fitted for his return, and if he’s going to justify the hype, he ought to be going close in a handicap where he gets a useful 9lb weight-for-age allowance. That should allow him to be more competitive than he has been against the likes of Lossiemouth, and with both of his wins coming on soft ground, he should be able to do himself justice in receipt of 11lb or more from all his rivals.
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13:50 Wetherby – Luccia
The expectation is that LUCCIA will be ready to go first time out this season. On form, she isn’t quite as good as You Wear It Well, who had decent wins at Sandown and Cheltenham earlier this year. Kateira is also decent but I don’t fancy her over two miles. Luccia might have more natural speed than You Wear It Well, especially in this small field. It’s not an easy call but I’ll side with her.
14:05 Ascot – Funambule Sivola (NAP)
I’ve talked about the excellent record Venetia Williams has with her handicap chasers after wind surgery, and that is amply demonstrated by FUNAMBULE SIVOLA, who made a winning chase debut in impressive style after wind surgery back in 2020 and while he failed to repeat the dose in last season’s reappearance, that came in the Tingle Creek, and it’s not hard to excuse his performance there having been hampered three from home.
He ran at times last year as if his wind was an issue, and it’s to be hoped that another tweak will see him back to his best, as he looks well treated on a mark of 156 based on both his win in the Game Spirit at Newbury and his second in the Queen Mother Champion Chase in March 2022. My NAP of the day.
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14:25 Wetherby – Dashel Drasher
I don’t really get Thyme Hill being a favourite ahead of DASHEL DRASHER as Wetherby will suit the latter and the three mile trip isn’t an issue. Dashel Drasher has the edge and I’ll stick with him unless he goes off a short favourite.
15:00 Wetherby – Gentlemansgame
I can’t side with Ahoy Senor fresh as he needs a few runs to get going. Bravemansgame should be ready for this and he raised his game in the King George and the Gold Cup at Cheltenham. He could be the most likely winner but I’m taking a chance that GENTLEMANSGAME can catch them out. He has the fitness advantage after his run at Gowran in September and he can go well.
15:15 Ascot – Bad
Our Champ bolted up at Cheltenham last week, but he’s already been reassessed, and an 11lb rise combined with the quick turnaround and vastly different underfoot conditions could prove his undoing. Preference is for BAD, who was a big gamble and shaped better than the bare result in the Fred Winter at Cheltenham in march. He was arguably a little disappointing here on his only subsequent start last term, but his sixth behind Blueking d’Oroux has been franked by wins for all five of those in front of him subsequently, and that run is worth marking up as a result.
Connections clearly felt that he was well handicapped for the Fred Winter as they avoided running prior to the Festival, and he’s now 4lb lower after two excusable defeats. I would not be surprised if he benefited from a little more time to acclimatise, and his impressive win at Bordeaux last November came on heavy ground, so he has plenty to recommend him. A winner and two placings from four runners at Cheltenham last weekend show that Ben Pauling’s horses are largely in good order, and Bad can continue that pleasing run.
15:30 Wetherby – Haafapiece
HAAFAPIECE for Pam Sly with Alex Edwards on board could be the value pick. You will get your money’s worth from him in a wide open race that isn’t favourable for punters!
15:45 Ascot – Beauport
Things did not really go to plan for BEAUPORT after his impressive chase debut victory in the Colin Parker Memorial at Carlisle, but he largely faced stiff tasks, and gave the impression he didn’t quite stay 3¼m having shown up well for a long way in the Kim Muir at Cheltenham in March.
Beauport still has time on his side at the age of seven having looked the sort to thrive over fences, and his best efforts have come right-handed, notably a win in the EBF Final at Sandown as a novice hurdler. His record on soft or heavy ground away from Cheltenham is 313122112, and he has shown on several occasions that he has courage to match his ability. He starts the new season on a fair mark and is worth persevering with for a yard which tends to get its best results as this time of year.
Rory Delargy’s Horse Racing Tips
SATURDAY’S ITV RACING SELECTIONS
13:15 Wetherby – Eaton Collina
13:30 Ascot – Jipcot
13:50 Wetherby – Luccia
14:05 Ascot – Funambule Sivola (NAP)
14:25 Wetherby – Dashel Drasher
15:00 Wetherby – Gentlemansgame
15:15 Ascot – Bad
15:30 Wetherby – Haafapiece
15:45 Ascot – Beauport
*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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