ITV will have a bumper card of ten live races on Saturday with coverage from Cheltenham, Doncaster and Newbury. Cheltenham’s Showcase Meeting is their opening fixture of the new jumps season and there will be five televised races from Prestbury Park.
On the flat, Doncaster’s Futurity Trophy Day is part of their penultimate flat meeting, with ITV showing three races from Yorkshire. There will also be two live Group 3 contests from Newbury’s Flat Finale.
- 1:10 Cheltenham: William Hill Top Price Guarantee Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase – Marv Michael @ 11/2
- 1:30 Doncaster: William Hill Prospect Stakes – Bounty @ 3/1
- 1:45 Cheltenham: William Hill Betting Done Properly Novices’ Hurdle – Fine Margin @ 7/2
- 2:05 Doncaster: Join Century Racing Club Today Handicap – Designer @ 14/1
- 2:20 Cheltenham: William Hill Committed To Top Prices Handicap Chase – Some Scope @ 6/1
- 2:40 Doncaster: William Hill Futurity Trophy Stakes – Wimbledon Hawkeye @ 3/1
- 2:55 Cheltenham: Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle – Zain Nights @ 11/2
- 3:10 Newbury: BetVictor Horris Hill Stakes – Mirabeau @ 13/2
- 3:30 Cheltenham: Masterson Holdings Hurdle – Bottler’secret @ Evens
- 3:45 Newbury: BetVictor St Simon Stakes – Danielle @ 3/1
Thirteen are set to go to post in the opening handicap chase, with Nicky Henderson’s Will Carver at the top of the weights. Next from Cheltenham is a Novice Hurdle with Gavin Cromwell’s Millforce and John McConnell’s Intense Approach heading the betting ahead of fine margin for Willie Mullins. The most valuable race at Cheltenham on Saturday is the £100k William Hill Handicap Chase over 3m1f. Henry de Bromhead took this last year with Whacker Clan and he saddles Senior Chief and The Short Go this year.
The Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle is the penultimate live race from Cheltenham, with the winner gaining automatic entry in to the March festival’s final. Bottler’secret is the hot favourite in the final ITV race in Gloucestershire, the Masterson Holdings Hurdle, after an impressive juvenile campaign.
At Doncaster, the 6f Listed Prospect Stakes and the 5f Century Racing Club Handicap provide the build up to the final Group 1 of the UK season in the Futurity Trophy Stakes. Wimbledon Hawkeye for James Owen narrowly edges favouritism after last month’s Royal Lodge Stakes victory at Newmarket. Aidan O’Brien is this race’s leading trainer and he will be looking to secure win number 12 in the race with Delacroix.
Newbury will conclude their flat campaign with on Saturday and both Group 3s on the card, the Horris Hill Stakes and the St Simon Stakes will be live on ITV.