On Saturday ITV will be covering action from Kelso’s Morebattle Hurdle Day, the Second day of Doncaster’s Grimthorpe Chase meeting and from Newbury’s Weekend Raceday with a total of ten live races.
- 1:10 Kelso: bet365 Handicap Chase – Breizh River @ 7/1
- 1:25 Doncaster: Virgin Bet A Good Bet Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle – Park Princess @ 11/2
- 1:40 Kelso: bet365 Premier Chase – Protektorat @ 1/8
- 1:55 Doncaster: Virgin Bet Supports Safe Gambling Handicap Chase – Queens Gamble @ 3/1
- 2:15 Kelso: bet365 Premier Novices’ Hurdle – Montemares @ 5/1
- 2:30 Doncaster: Virgin Bet Grimthorpe Handicap Chase – Dartmoor Pirate @ 13/2
- 2:55 Kelso: bet365 Morebattle Hurdle – Serious Challenge @ 12/1
- 3:15 Newbury: 1 Up, Job Done At BetVictor Veterans’ Handicap Chase – Eldorado Allen @ 5/1
- 3:30 Kelso: bet365 Handicap Hurdle – Skyjack Hijack @ 12/1
- 3:45 Newbury: BetVictor Greatwood Gold Cup Handicap Chase – Glengouly @ 12/1
The opening live race on Saturday comes from Kelso with the bet365 Handicap Chase over 2m1f. Jamie Snowden’s Torneo has finished second in three out of his four races this season, including at Cheltenham’s November Meeting and is likely to go off as the favourite. Our pick goes to Breizh River who is a course and distance winner and looked in good form when victorious at Musselburgh last month.
There are a number of runners in with a chance in Doncaster’s Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle but we’re opting for Anthony Honeyball’s Park Princess who was slightly unfortunate to finish down the field in a Grade 2 on heavy going at Warwick earlier in the month having lost a shoe.
Protektorat is long odds on for the Listed Premier Chase at Kelso ahead of a 2m½f handicap chase at Doncaster. Warren Greatrex’s Mighty Bandit is a course and distance winner having won well in a similar race here in January but he’s giving plenty of weight away to Harry Denham’s mare Queens Gamble who could prove better value.
Dan Skelton’s Le Beau Madrik and Ben Pauling’s Starmount both come into the Grade 2 Premier Novices’ Hurdle after impressive wins last time out but our vote goes to Montemares for Tom Lacey who should appreciate the step down in trip after a fourth place finish in the Grade 1 Challow Novices’ Hurdle at Newbury back in December.
Doncaster’s Grimthorpe Chase follows with only three in the field proven winners at the course. One of those is Dartmoor Pirate for Anthony Honeyball who stayed on impressively to win the Great Yorkshire Chase five weeks ago.
Kelso’s most valuable race follows in the £120k Morebattle Hurdle. In an open looking contest we are taking an each way punt on Fergal O’Brien’s Serious Challenge to live up to his name. He couldn’t get into the Greatwood Handicap Hurdle in November but bounced back to win a handicap at Haydock the following month.
A veterans’ handicap chase and a Kelso handicap hurdle are next ahead of the final live race of the day, Newbury’s Greatwood Gold Cup. Vincenzo for Sam Thomas heads the betting following victory in a valuable handicap chase at Ascot in January. We’re backing the horse who beat him in Cheltenham’s December Gold Cup, Glengouly, to at least get in the places.