Matt Chapman’s Saturday ITV Racing tips
13:40 Ascot – Take No Chances
13:55 Haydock – Royal Infantry
14:15 Ascot – Flegmatik
14:30 Haydock – Iwilldoit (each-way)
14:50 Ascot – Altobelli
15:05 Haydock – Bushypark
15:32 Ascot – Jonbon
*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.
13:40 Ascot – Take No Chances
ITV Racing on Saturday comes from Ascot and Haydock, starting here with a Grade 2 mares’ hurdle over nearly 2m. Kargese really should win this for Willie Mullins, as the Triumph Hurdle runner-up is pretty classy.
That said, Mullins has not had the best season so far with his riders, so I’ll stick with stayer TAKE NO CHANCES for Dan Skelton and Kielan Woods.
The seven-year-old is pretty consistent and was far from disgraced in a handicap at Cheltenham last time.
She would like a strong gallop and should get that from Ooh Betty.
13:55 Haydock – Royal Infantry
Harry Skelton comes here for the Grade 2 Rossington Main Novices’ Hurdle over nearly 2m rather than Ascot and ROYAL INFANTRY is the main reason why.
Besides a disappointing run in the Cheltenham bumper, the Dan Skelton-trained runner has always looked very useful.
I remember I was working at Doncaster when he won on debut and he blew me away. He goes on any ground and comes here after decent hurdle wins at Chepstow and this track. He will be very hard to beat.
14:15 Ascot – Flegmatik
A handicap chase over 2m5f. Oh gosh, I dislike Hitman. But there’s a chance he could run well here.
That said, it’s a Dan Skelton runner that again catches my eye in FLEGMATIK, who has a beautiful racing weight of 10st 4lb, with Tristan Durrell taking off a further 3lb.
My hope has mainly been out of form lately, but his handicap mark has dropped to 132—only in October was he running off 142.
This course and distance are fine for my hope – he has plenty of decent Ascot form despite not doing much here last time – and this is a great chance to get back to winning ways.
14:30 Haydock – Iwilldoit (each-way)
The Peter Marsh Handicap Chase over an extended 3m1f. A slog in the mud. I’m not sure this is far enough for Mr Vango and as a huge horse, a lightweight might not matter as much.
The each-way bet for me is the old former Welsh National hero IWILLDOIT for Sam Thomas and Dylan Johnston, who takes off 3lb. The old boy returned this term with another fine effort at Chepstow when third, and these conditions will suit him down to the ground (literally).
A nice weight of 10st 12lb will be right up his street and he has a strong each-way chance.
14:50 Ascot – Altobelli
Here’s a handicap hurdle over nearly 2m4f. This race is a massive chance for ALTOBELLI, even if he prefers softer ground.
I was at Doncaster when he returned to action this term, and he ran a very odd race. He looked unlikely to do anything until he finished strongly in second place to Jungle Jack.
Maybe he just needed the comeback run for Harry Fry. Bryan Carver is on atop a horse who ran two crackers here twice in 2023 off a roughly similar handicap mark.
15:05 Haydock – Bushypark
BUSHYPARK loves the mud, stays well, and is handicapped well, so he is easy to select for Philip Kirby and Joe Williamson, who take off 3lb in this handicap hurdle over an extended 3m.
The 11-year-old was travelling strongly and, for me, looking in command when falling at the ninth at this track last time.
It was still a long way out, but I really think he would have taken all the beating that day. Hopefully, some compensation awaits.
15:32 Ascot – Jonbon
The big race of the day in terms of class is the Grade 1 Clarence House Chase over 2m1f. Energumene arguably comes into the event with the best recent form, having returned from a long absence to land the Grade 2 Hilly Way Chase at Cork last time.
In that race, he was about to face a challenge in the closing stages from Banbridge (gave 10lb) – the subsequent King George VI Chase hero – only for that rival to unseat his rider when a length down at the final fence.
Energumene jumped poorly right on that occasion, something which would be a worry at Cheltenham but should not be so concerning at Ascot.
It’s his age that worries me more. Although lightly raced, with just sixteen appearances to date, Energumene is eleven years old. Only one other horse of that age has ever won the Clarence House. That was Meikleour in 1990 when the event was a handicap. He scored off 10st.
Considering that, it’s hard to oppose JONBON, who is trained like Shishkin by Nicky Henderson. Indeed, ‘Hendo’ has landed this prize a record six times, including with my namesake, the fabulous Big Matt, in 1996. Say nothing, anyone. His other victors include the great Sprinter Sacre and Altior.
For all his wins, Jonbon is not yet a monster of the turf. He’s beatable. Remember, Constitution Hill once made him look very ordinary in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.
Still, Elixir du Nutz turned him over in this race last year, another renewal run at Cheltenham rather than its regular Berkshire venue.
That said, Jonbon brings in a high level of form and is pretty solid. I have a feeling he’s better than he sometimes shows us, which seems a crazy thing to say about an eight-time Grade 1 winner. Nico de Boinville gets on with him very well.
So best of luck and pray for Yeeehaaas. You hear me, Paddy?
Matt Chapman’s ITV Racing tips
13:40 Ascot – Take No Chances
13:55 Haydock – Royal Infantry
14:15 Ascot – Flegmatik
14:30 Haydock – Iwilldoit (each-way)
14:50 Ascot – Altobelli
15:05 Haydock – Bushypark
15:32 Ascot – Jonbon
*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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