There are nine live ITV races on Saturday with jumps action from Ascot, Haydock and Wincanton. The first race is scheduled for 1:15pm with the final race set to go to post at 3:37pm.
- 1:15 Ascot: Best Odds On The Betfair Exchange Handicap Hurdle – Bective Abbey @ 7/2
- 1:36 Wincanton: BetMGM Kingwell Hurdle – Golden Ace @ 11/4
- 1:50 Ascot: Ebony Horse Club Reynoldstown Novices’ Chase – Jingko Blue @ 6/5
- 2:05 Haydock: Unibet Middle Distance Chase Series Veterans’ Handicap Chase – The Flier Begley @ 10/3
- 2:25 Ascot: Betfair Exchange Handicap Hurdle – Classic King @ 10/1
- 2:40 Haydock: WKD Rendlesham Hurdle – Nemean Lion @ 11/2
- 3:00 Ascot: Betfair Swinley Handicap Chase – Annsam @ 9/1
- 3:15 Haydock: Oddschecker Grand National Trial Handicap Chase – Val Dancer @ 5/1
- 3:37 Ascot: Betfair Ascot Chase – L’Homme Presse @ 2/1
Five of the nine live races on Saturday will come from Ascot, including two Graded races and a Premier Handicap. The opening handicap hurdle is followed by the Grade 2 Reynoldstown Novices’ Chase. Nicky Henderson’s Jingko Blue is the favourite for the latest renewal and could shorten his odds of around 20/1 for the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase with an impressive display here.
Altobelli for Harry Fry won the Holloway’s Handicap Hurdle at the track last month and is favourite for the Betfair Handicap Hurdle despite carrying top weight. One of the big betting heats of the day is next with the £100k Swinley Handicap Chase. Venetia Williams’ Victtorino shades favouritism after success in Decembers Silver Cup at Ascot.
The best is saved for last with the Grade 1 Ascot Chase the final live race of the day. A stellar list of former winner includes Monet’s Garden, Kauto Star and Cue Card. Paul Nicholls is the race’s most successful trainer and was victorious last year with Pic D’orhy who will be looking for a second successive win. Challengers will include L’Homme Presse for Venetia Williams and Corbetts Cross for Emmet Mullins.
Saturday’s other Premier Raceday is at Haydock and there will be three live races from the Merseyside track on their Grand National Trial Day. First up is the Veterans’ Handicap Chase which is followed by the Grade 2 Rendlesham Hurdle. This is seen as a trial for next month’s Stayers’ Hurdle at Cheltenham, however this year’s favourite, Beauport, is entered in the Grand National.
The key race of the meeting is the Grand National Trial itself, a Premier Handicap chase over 3m4½f which has a prize fund of £100k. At the top of the betting are the first two home in December’s Welsh Grand National, Val Dancer and Jubilee Express. Also entered is Royale Pagaille who will carry the top weight of 12st after winning the Grade 1 Betfair Chase here back in November.
Also televised on Saturday will be the Grade 2 Kingwell Hurdle from Wincanton, which sees Burdett Road, Golden Ace, Brentford Hope and Hansard vying for the top prize of over £41k.