Mick Fitzgerald’s Saturday Racing Tips
13:15 Cheltenham – Hitman
13:50 Cheltenham – Stay Away Fay
14:05 Doncaster – Ashroe Diamond
14:25 Cheltenham – Jonbon
14:40 Doncaster – Welcom To Cartries
15:00 Cheltenham – Lossiemouth
15:15 Doncaster – Cap Du Nord
15:35 Cheltenham – Dashel Drasher
*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.
It’s Cheltenham Trials Day and there’ll be lots of pointers there and at Doncaster for the Cheltenham Festival 2024 in March.
13:15 Cheltenham – Hitman
Hitman is a hard horse to get a handle on. He has run in some big races, including when a very good close up third in the Ryanair Chase behind Envoi Allen and Shishkin. He has had a wind op and with 5lb claimer Freddie Gingell on board, he has to enter calculations. He was favourite when disappointing at Aintree when last seen but is a top-class performer on his day. Victtorino has done us a favour this season and I’m really interested to see how he gets on over this 2m 4f trip at Cheltenham. There has been a lot of like about what we have seen and he could still be reasonably handicapped.
13:50 Cheltenham – Stay Away Fay
This is a very open Paddy Power Cotswold Chase and the ground could be the absolutely key to the outcome. The drier it is, the better the chance of The Real Whacker leading them home. I am not convinced he wants 3m 2f though on this stamina sapping course, so I’ll leave him. The one that will love conditions is last season’s Albert Bartlett winner Stay Away Fay. He’s looked beaten twice this season in his novice chase year but has rallied to finish strongly. That may well be enough to win this.
14:05 Doncaster – Ashroe Diamond
Patrick Mullins comes over to ride Ashroe Diamond and with the benefit of a run under her belt in the Hattons Grace hurdle, she gets the vote over the other Willie Mullins-trained runner Gala Marceau. Under Control has had a wind operation and if that works she’s dangerous, especially on this ground.
14:25 Cheltenham – Jonbon
We can keep this short and sweet as with no El Fabiolo in the field, Jonbon is just too good for the rest of them. He should win well and set up a nice showdown with El Fabiolo at the Festival in March.
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14:40 Doncaster – Welcom To Cartries
Paul Nicholls nominated this race for Welcom To Cartries won at Ascot in December. The trainer feels he is a similar type to Stay Away Fay and this step up in trip is ideal for him.
15:00 Cheltenham – Lossiemouth
Last season’s Triumph Hurdle winner Lossiemouth makes her seasonal bow and has a little to find on official ratings with Love Envoi. However, she looked so good when winning the Triumph Hurdle. She then went to Punchestown and beat the boys in a Grade 1 contest. She gets the nod to continue her winning ways.
15:15 Doncaster – Cap Du Nord
Cap Du Nord placed in this race last year and he looked like he was starting to show some signs of a revival at Newbury last time. The ground won’t be a problem and it’s hard to believe he is on a lower mark than when finishing second in this contest last season. Mister Coffey nearly got the vote and he’s a very good each-way alternative if the cheekpieces work.
15:35 Cheltenham – Dashel Drasher
The Cleeve Hurdle sees Gary Moore reach for the headgear on Botox Has, so must feel he needs something to spark the eight-year-old. The now 11-year-old Dashel Drasher has been his usual consistent self this season and ran a great race in this last year when beaten by French raider Gold Tweet. He is a model of consistency so he’s top of my list.
Mick Fitzgerald’s Saturday’s Racing Tips
13:15 Cheltenham – Hitman
13:50 Cheltenham – Stay Away Fay
14:05 Doncaster – Ashroe Diamond
14:25 Cheltenham – Jonbon
14:40 Doncaster – Welcom To Cartries
15:00 Cheltenham – Lossiemouth
15:15 Doncaster – Cap Du Nord
15:35 Cheltenham – Dashel Drasher
*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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