ITV racing will broadcast ten live races on Saturday with Coverage from Kelso, Newbury and Doncaster.
- 1:10 Kelso: bet365 Handicap Chase – Bollingerandkrug @ 9/1
- 1:20 Newbury: BetVictor Super Boost Has Arrived Veterans’ Handicap Chase – Gustavian @ 4/1
- 1:45 Kelso: bet365 Premier Chase – Grey Dawning @ 8/13
- 2:05 Doncaster: Livescore Bet Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle – Bobbi With An I @ 13/2
- 2:20 Kelso: bet365 Handicap Hurdle – Ace Of Spades @ 2/1
- 2:40 Doncaster: Virgin Bet Every Saturday Money Back Handicap Chase – Petit Tonnerre @ 9/4
- 2:55 Kelso: bet365 Premier Novices’ Hurdle – Chart Topper @ 7/2
- 3:15 Doncaster: Virgin Bet Grimthorpe Handicap Chase – White Rhino @ 5/1
- 3:30 Kelso: bet365 Morebattle Hurdle – Vischio @ 4/1
- 3:45 Newbury: BetVictor Greatwood Gold Cup Handicap Chase – Scarface @ 8/1
The big jumps meeting of the season just over the border in Kelso is their Morebattle Hurdle Day and ITV will be televising five races from Scotland on Saturday.
The bet365 Handicap Chase opens the show before the Listed Premier Chase. There are just four runners set to go to post for this £60k contest with Grey Dawning heading the betting, hoping to get back to form before the festival after falling in the King George VI Chase on Boxing Day. Chief amongst the challengers, if opting for this and not the Greatwood Gold Cup, will be Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero’s Iroko who has been well backed for this year’s Grand National.
The bet365 Handicap Hurdle is Kelso’s third live race and is followed by the £75k Grade 2 Premier Novices’ Hurdle. Ben Pauling won this race last year with Personal Ambition and he saddles one of the fancied runners this year in Vanderpoel who is seeking a four-timer. Other runners at the head of the market are Chart Topper for Willie Mullins and Castle Carrock for Alan King.
The final race of the day from Kelso is the meeting’s title contest, the Morebattle Hurdle. This race carries a prize fund of £120k this year, with a £100k bonus for any horse who wins this and follows up with a victory at the Cheltenham Festival. Race favourite, Vischio for Emmet Mullins, holds three entries at Cheltenham, the Coral Cup, County Hurdle and Martin Pipe Hurdle. Mullins completed the double of the Morebattle Hurdle and Plate Handicap Chase with The Shunter in 2021.
The Saturday of Doncaster’s Grimthorpe Chase weekend will have three live races, starting with a competitive looking Listed mares’ novices’ hurdle. The Virgin Bet Handicap Chase is second before the Grimthorpe Handicap Chase itself. This 3m2f contest holds a prize fund of £75k this year with fourteen set to go to post.
Newbury will have two live races this Saturday. First on our screens will be a veterans’ handicap chase, before the Greatwood Gold Cup, a Premier Handicap worth £100k which is the final televised race of the day.