Matt Chapman’s Friday ITV Racing tips
13:50 Cheltenham – Path d’Oroux
14:08 Doncaster – Queen Of Thieves
14:25 Cheltenham – Triple Trade (Each Way)
14:43 Doncaster – Bennetot
15:00 Cheltenham – Brave Knight
15:18 Doncaster – Zoum Zoum
15:35 Cheltenham – Mole Court
*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.
13:50 Cheltenham – Path d’Oroux
ITV Racing is back on Friday with action from Doncaster and Cheltenham starting here with a Novices’ chase over 2m. A very odd race, with four Irish raiders, and just one from Britain. Not easy to sort out either. PATH D’OROUX doesn’t win as often as I would like but has loads of experience and a rating that puts him bang in the mix getting weight from all his rivals. He’s also been here before, having finished third to Unexpected Party in this year’s Grand Annual. If he repeats that effort he should be very hard to stop for Keith Donoghue and Gavin Cromwell.
14:08 Doncaster – Queen Of Thieves
The Flat racing is low class on ITV, getting under way with a maiden for juvenile fillies over 1m. QUEEN OF THIEVES is the interesting newcomer for John & Thady Gosden with the excellent Kieran Shoemark on top. The daughter of Frankel makes her debut and is bred to be decent out of a Pivotal mare. She’s a sister to Cracksman.
14:25 Cheltenham – Triple Trade
Here’s a handicap chase over 2m. TRIPLE TRADE returns on a handicap mark that should be workable for Joe Tizzard and Brendan Powell, and provided he’s ready to roll, I’m happy to chance him eachway. He was last seen off 137, finishing a fair fifth at Aintree in April, and has been dropped 2lb for that. It means he’s on the same mark as when winning at Ascot in December 2023, and while he was a bit lucky then as Harper’s Brook threw it away, he should still be capable of running well.
14:43 Doncaster – Bennetot
Here’s a handicap over 1m. BENNETOT ran a shocker when I tipped him at York last time, but the conditions are right here for him to bounce back, if he’s in a good mood. David Nolan rides the five-year-old for David O’Meara and just two runs ago he finished an excellent fourth in the Cambridgeshire at Newmarket. Conditions and trip are ideal.
15:00 Cheltenham – Brave Knight
Up in class for a Grade 2 Novices’ hurdle over an extended 2m. I’m really looking forward to this as there are some exciting prospects. Imaginarium was just about the best of these on the Flat and won well first time. BRAVE KNIGHT is on a four-timer and was a decent Flat stayer while Gale Mahler just keeps on winning. Dancing in Paris is a really tough stayer who has been in good form on the level. But this is a tough introduction. I’m happy to stick with my pick, who may go off in front and be hard to catch. He needs to brush up on his jumping but looks useful for Harry Cobden and Paul Nicholls.
15:18 Doncaster – Zoum Zoum
A handicap over 6f. ZOUM ZOUM has not quite got it all together this year, but these are his conditions, and he’s dropped to 101 having started the campaign off 104. Basically he’s a mud lover, who stays 7f well, and it might just be running at these 6f types late on thatwill suit him. Rob Hornby is on top the the Greenham runner-up (dead-heated) for Ralph Beckett.
15:35 Cheltenham – Mole Court
Here’s an amateur jockeys’ handicap chase over 3m 1f. MOLE COURT has not won for a little while, but has some good Cheltenham form, so this might be the chance to bounce back for Jack Andrews and Ben Pauling. My selection wasn’t disgraced at Uttoxeter two runs ago when fourth in a big field and landed this race in 2023, off 115. He’s on 125 here, which obviously makes it harder, but surely he’s been laid out for this.
So best of luck and pray for Yeeehaaas. You hear me Paddy?
Matt Chapman’s ITV Racing tips
13:50 Cheltenham – Path d’Oroux
14:08 Doncaster – Queen Of Thieves
14:25 Cheltenham – Triple Trade (ach Way)
14:43 Doncaster – Bennetot
15:00 Cheltenham – Brave Knight
15:18 Doncaster – Zoum Zoum
15:35 Cheltenham – Mole Court
*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at the time of publishing but subject to change.
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