Horse Racing Tips: Rory Delargy’s slick ITV Racing picks on Saturday

Rory likes Crambo in the Long Walk Hurdle (14.25 Ascot).

By / Horse Racing Tips / 7 months ago

Rory Delargy’s Horse Racing Tips

Haydock 13.30 – Dr Kananga
Ascot 13.50 – Harper’s Brook
Haydock 14.05 – Bois Guillbert
Ascot 14.25 – Crambo
Ascot 15.00 – Blackjack Magic
Ascot 15.35 – Nemean Lion

*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.

Haydock 13.30 – Dr Kananga

2021 winner Enqarde got back to winning ways at Warwick last time after a woeful 2022/23 campaign and is still 1lb below the mark he won this race off, so is respected as are Famous Bridge and Credo, who were first and second over C&D last month, albeit on less testing ground.

The going could be key here, and while it will suit Enqarde, it’s also very much in favour of the lightly raced Dr Kananga, who tends to go well fresh and was a good second over hurdles on last season’s return after wind surgery. He’s had another breathing operation since finishing down the field in the Kim Muir at Cheltenham, and looks very fairly treated on his 2021/22 form.

He beat a pair of next-time winners by upwards of 12 lengths at Sandown in February last year, and was just outstayed by Eva’s Oskar on his final start of that campaign at Exeter. Eva’s Oskar has since defied an 8lb rise in the weights, and while Dr Kananga needs to show that his latest procedure has been successful, I feel that first time up is the time to catch him, and he will relish underfoot conditions having won a point on heavy before starting out under rules. Trainer Ben Clarke had a quiet autumn, but two of his last ten jumps runners have been successful, which increases confidence.

Ascot 13.50 – Harper’s Brook

Harper’s Brook is not a horse to have absolute faith in, tending to travel strongly but find little for pressure, so I’m not going mad on him, but he caught my eye despite finishing tailed off in the Paddy Power Gold Cup last time. He has a dreadful record at Cheltenham (hasn’t beaten another finisher in three starts there, finishing F50), but his form figures over obstacles away from the Cotswolds and outside of Graded company read 1121212. Harper’s Brook will be much happier under today’s conditions.

Haydock 14.05 – Bois Guillbert

Bois Guillbert won well from a subsequent winner at Kelso two starts back and ran well, for all he was unsuited by the steady pace, when 7½ lengths third of 7 to Blueking d’Oroux in the Masterson Holdings Hurdle Cheltenham in November. The form of that race could not be working out better, with the winner taking the Grade 2 Ascot Hurdle next time out, and fourth home Spirit D’Aunou winning a competitive handicap at Sandown on his next start. Bois Guillbert is just 5lb higher than for winning at Kelso and looks capable of further progress, so looks the one to beat in a competitive contest.

Ascot 14.25 – Crambo

This is a conundrum, with the proven Graded hurdlers all in the veteran category and the younger brigade having something to find on the figures. The betting favours the latter group, and perhaps the old-timers are being underestimated, but I’ll stick with Crambo to build on the excellent impression he’s made this season. A facile winner in handicap company on his return, he really should have won the Betfair Stayers’ Handicap Hurdle at Haydock last time, but took a circuitous route and hit top gear too late. Connor Brace is the fall-guy for that defeat and Jonathan Burke now takes over. He must improve on the figures, but looks a smashing staying prospect and is far from exposed, so is given the chance to do so.

Ascot 15.00 – Blackjack Magic

Blackjack Magic gets the nod having gone up a very fair 5lb for winning the always-competitive Badger Beer Chase at Wincanton on his return. He jumped really well there, and had the race in safe keeping some way out despite his trainer considering him too backward in fitness terms to run to his best. Perhaps he’s the sort who needs to be carrying a bit of condition, but I see no obvious reason why he won’t improve for the outing, and if he does then he will be hard to beat again.

Ascot 15.35 – Nemean Lion

Nemean Lion has it to do on paper to overturn Greatwood Hurdle placings with winner Iberico Lord, but he wasn’t best placed given how that race was run and a return to the tactics which saw him with the Welsh Champion Hurdle at Ffos Las will make him a big player, in my opinion. A mistake at the penultimate flight did not help his cause on heavy ground at Cheltenham, but his jumping is normally an asset and he will be better suited by the good-to-soft ground at Ascot. He’s only 5lb higher than at Ffos Las and the form of the race has been franked since, so looks overpriced at double-figure odds in this field.

Rory Delargy’s Horse Racing Tips

Haydock 13.30 – Dr Kananga
Ascot 13.50 – Harper’s Brook
Haydock 14.05 – Bois Guillbert
Ascot 14.25 – Crambo
Ascot 15.00 – Blackjack Magic
Ascot 15.35 – Nemean Lion

*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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