The Cheltenham Festival is over for another year but we have more live racing to look forward to on Saturday. Seven races will be shown on ITV, with action from Uttoxeter’s Midlands Grand National Meeting and Kempton’s Jump Saturday.
- 1:50 Uttoxeter: Jenningsbet 200 Shops Nationwide Handicap Hurdle – Below The Radar @ 8/1
- 2:08 Kempton: Virgin Bet Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase – Chuggy @ 4/1
- 2:25 Uttoxeter: Jenningsbet Handicap Hurdle – John Barbour @ 7/1
- 2:40 Kempton: Virgin Bet A Good Bet Handicap Hurdle – Turndlightsdownlow @ 6/1
- 3:00 Uttoxeter: Jenningsbet Midlands Grand National – My Immortal @ 14/1
- 3:18 Kempton: Virgin Bet Supports Safe Gambling Handicap Chase – Blueking d’Oroux @ 7/1
- 3:35 Uttoxeter: Jenningsbet Novices’ Handicap Chase – As The Fella Says @ 5/2
The opening live race will be a 2m4f handicap hurdle at Uttoxeter. Top weight of 12-2 will be carried by last year’s runner-up in Wellington Arch, who comes into this races following another second place in a Premier Handicap at Newbury. Our pick goes to Below The Radar for Paul Nicholl’s who is a course and distance winner and should be backable at an each-way price.
Kempton’s first live race will be a 2m2f handicap chase. Harry Derham’s Pure Carbon, James Owen’s Secret Des Dieux and Dan Skelton’s Chuggy are all coming to this in good form but our preference is for the latter who hit a flat patch at Aintree last time out but has been impressive this season.
Fergal O’Brien’s John Barbour is a consistent sort and is our pick for the 2m7½f handicap at Uttoxter having missed out by just a neck in a valuable class 2 at Aintree last month.
The 2m5f handicap hurdle at Kempton looks wide open with plenty in with a chance. Martin Keighley’s Turndlightsdownlow won twice under similar conditions here at the start of the season. This is a step up in class but he has scope for improvement.
Next on our screens will be the big betting heat of the day, the £160k Midlands Grand National. Race favourite, J’Arrive De L’Est for Emmet Mullins comes into the race off the back of two second places in cross country chases, both at Cheltenham in January and December. At a bigger price we like the look of Barry Connell’s My Immortal who won a Grand National Trial in good style at Punchestown last month and will appreciate the softening ground.
Kempton’s most valuable race of the day follows in the £60k handicap chase. There are question marks over Ryan’s Rocket’s jumping, Califet En Vol’s form has been franked over the week at Cheltenham. Blueking d’Oroux’s has been running consistently well in graded company however and may prove better value at the likely odds.
The last live action of the day will be back at Uttoxeter with a 3m novices’ handicap chase.