Frank Hickey’s Saturday ITV Racing Tips
13:09 Wincanton – Tedley
13:20 Doncaster – Ten Bob Tony
13:30 Aintree – Harbour Lake
13:45 Wincanton – Good Luck Charm (each-way)
14:05 Aintree – Imperial Saint
14:23 Wincanton – Insurrection
14:40 Aintree – Gaboriot
14:55 Wincanton – Rubaud
15:10 Doncaster – Treasure (each-way)
15:30 Wincanton – Forward Plan (each-way)
15:45 Doncaster – Paradias (each-way)
*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.
13:09 Wincanton – Tedley
Tedley is a tentative choice is what looks a trappy five-runner race. He’s two from two over fences and a former course winner of a maiden hurdle here which is a positive. He’s open to plenty of improvement and the Nigel-Twiston Davies’ stable is still in great form.
Dreaming Blue might need the run on his first start since April, while Beau Balko might be better at 2m. I don’t trust Killer Kane anymore, but Duke Of Luckley won last time at Southwell over 2m and is probably the danger despite a 6lb hike.
13:20 Doncaster – Ten Bob Tony
Dropping back to 6f is a question mark but Ten Bob Tony is a winner on soft ground over 7f when winning his novice at Salisbury this time last year. He won at Newmarket on his reappearance over 7f – making all the running – but found the Newmarket 2,000 Guineas too hot. He was beaten less than two lengths in the German 2,000 Guineas, though.
He returned at Longchamp to give Topgear a right run in the Prix Du Pin over 7f on soft ground and Topgear came out and won the Group 2 Challenge Stakes on his next start by nearly six lengths. The main protagonists here are mainly hold-up horses, so I can see a scenario where Ten Bob Tony gets first run here. He looks a fair price as one with some of the best form in the race – albeit at 7f rather than 6f.
13:30 Aintree – Harbour Lake
A Pertemps qualifier and trainer Alan King is among the winners at the moment after Masccio won at Newbury on Thursday and Emitom was just touched off there too. Chasing didn’t work out for Harbour Lake last season but he was a useful handicap hurdler the season before, finishing third in a Greatwood Hurdle and hit the frame in handicaps at Aintree and Kempton.
He then stepped up to 3m and appeared to really improve. He was second at Cheltenham in April to Zain Nights off 127 and was again behind Zain Nights off 129 at Haydock when third. It’s his reappearance run, but he did win first time out in November 2022 off 130.
13:45 Wincanton – Good Luck Charm (each-way)
Good Luck Charm won this race last season off a mark of 107. She ran well when a fine third at Cheltenham behind Nurse Susan off 117 after that and then was a good fourth in the Lanzarote Hurdle off 117 and a good fourth in the Heroes Handicap Hurdle at Sandown.
Trainer Anthony Honeyball is in good form and while his final two runs at Wetherby and Kempton were disappointing, back against her own sex and with decent ground suiting her, she looks to have a decent each-way chance at a nice price.
14:05 Aintree – Imperial Saint
He was very-lightly raced six-year-old with just six runs under rules and has won over hurdles at 2m and 2m 4f. He made his chase debut a couple of weeks ago and while the race was still in the balance coming to the last fence – when Moveit Like Minnie ran out – Imperial Saint would not have won anyway. He is up 4lbs but this looks a weaker race. There looks to be plenty of pace on here too, which should suit him as he stays 2m 4f.
14:23 Wincanton – Insurrection
Ben Pauling’s Handstands looks the intriguing runner but he is making his chase debut on a sharp track on decent ground. His jumping will have to be good and any mistakes will leave him vulnerable.
Insurrection is the type that Paul Nicholls tends to do really well with over fences. A point-to-point winner, he was a useful novice hurdler last year, winning on hurdles debut and later at Hereford under a penalty. In between he was second to Deafening Silence in a Grade 2 at Sandown and was third to Golden Ace and Lucky Place at Taunton.
He was rated 130 over hurdles but can end up a much better chaser in time. The re-opposing Boombawn was third to him at Chepstow but I reckon Insurrection will take a big step forward from that run. If he jumps that well here he could take some beating.
14:40 Aintree – Gaboriot
He gets in here right on the correct mark of 127 carrying 10st 2lbs. Henry Brooke takes the ride, despite not riding below 10st 3lbs in the last year. The yard won this last year with Gesskille, who was just touched off in it by Al Dancer in 2022. Gaboriot has a similar profile coming from France and the Hunter Chase scene.
It looks like it took connections a year to figure out the key to him despite winning on handicap debut last year off 110 and following up off 113 before a fair third at Ludlow off 122. He’s won at Cheltenham over 4m and Cartmel over 3m 1f and he should be up with the pace. I can see him running well off a light-weight.
14:55 Wincanton – Rubaud
Just the three runners for this Grae 3 Hurdle and Rubaud carries a 6lb penalty. He is rated 147, while Aspire Tower is rated 148 as is Brentford Hope. Aspire Tower might find 1m7f on decent ground a touch sharp for him around Wincanton and while Brentford Hope was really progressive last season, he may need cut in the ground.
Rubaud has to carry a penalty but he won nicely at Kempton on reappearance and will improve for that. He also won this race last year off the back of winning the same Kempton race. I can see him bouncing out in front and not being caught.
15:10 Doncaster – Treasure (each-way)
Promising debut winner this time last year at Nottingham on heavy ground and being by Mastercraftsman, it’s not entirely surprising this wasn’t quite progressive on decent ground through the summer.
Given a break after Royal Ascot before making he reappearance at Newmarket last month in a handicap over 10f on good to soft ground and she clocked a fast closing sectional when coming from the rear, where the winner was in front rank throughout.
While Treasure (97) is behind Diamond Rain and Danielle on ratings (they are 106 & 105 respectively), she has an each-way chance here. Stablemate Albany is another possible outside of the market leaders.
15:30 Wincanton – Forward Plan (each-way)
Forward Plan really improved for chasing, winning his chase debut in January 2022 off a mark of 111 and finishing the season rated 125. He runs off 138 now having progressed last season after finishing down the field in this race on his reappearance off a mark of 132 (when 7lb out of the handicap).
However, he then won at Doncaster off 125, was touched off a nose in the Great Yorkshire Chase at Doncaster off 129, won the Coral Trophy at Kempton off 133 and wasn’t beaten far at the Aintree festival off 137. He won first time out in November 2022 and with the Anthony Honeyball yard in form, he is worth chancing each-way at a fair price.
15:45 Doncaster – Paradias (each-way)
You can make a claim for plenty in the November Handicap but Paradias is worth an each-way play at a nice price. He loves Goodwood, but isn’t a one-trick pony and has won over hurdles too. Most of his flat form is at 10f and Goodwood, but his hurdles runs suggest there is scope for him to improve at 1m 4f on the Flat, particularly the way he was staying on over 10f here at Doncaster on his previous start. James Doyle rides – and he has a strong record for Alan King – and was on board when On To Victory won this in 2020.
Saturday Racing Tips
13:09 Wincanton – Tedley
13:20 Doncaster – Ten Bob Tony
13:30 Aintree – Harbour Lake
13:45 Wincanton – Good Luck Charm (each-way)
14:05 Aintree – Imperial Saint
14:23 Wincanton – Insurrection
14:40 Aintree – Gaboriot
14:55 Wincanton – Rubaud
15:10 Doncaster – Treasure (each-way)
15:30 Wincanton – Forward Plan (each-way)
15:45 Doncaster – Paradias (each-way)
*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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