Saturday ITV Betting Tips & Preview

Jonjo O’Neill’s horses could admittedly be in better form, but MINELLA ROCCO (Best price 5-1) should be a lot straighter for his recent trip to Ireland and could be the answer to an intriguing staying chase. The Gold Cup runner-up is the class act in this field so deserves his rating of 166 and his four runs beyond three miles when completing have yielded figures of 1324, stats which include a third in this race last year when only beaten just over a length. The cheekpieces which he wore at the Festival to chase home Sizing John haven’t been re-fitted, but he must still run well with history suggesting Becher Chase-entry Three Faces West historically needs his first run of the season.

The decision to switch KYLEMORE LOUGH (Best price 13-2) to Harry Fry from Kerry Lee this summer looks a shade harsh given the gelding won five races on the bounce for the Herefordshire handler two seasons ago.

Admittedly, the eight-year-old's last campaign stalled a little although he still managed to run a blinder in the Caspian Caviar Gold Cup on the New course last December, a run which came hard on the heels of a narrow defeat at Ascot on his seasonal reappearance.

Fry has clearly identified his new recruit goes pretty well fresh, preferring to arrive at Cheltenham without the benefit of a recent run and instead preparing him at home and equipping a tongue tie to assist his breathing.

Kylemore Lough is no good thing in a typically competitive field, but he won an Irish Grade One 18 months ago beating the talented Outlander and he has since done little to disprove the theory Fry’s charge is fairly handicapped by subsequently winning a Lexus Chase and a JN Wine Champion Chase.

KK LEXION (Best price 13-2) didn’t receive the most energy-efficient ride last time and could be worth siding with now that Adrian Heskin replaces trainer Tom George’s son Noel.

George junior became embroiled in a barging match with Daryl Jacob and his mount Creep Dubois running down the hill to two out after which he was fully committed for home by his young rider.

Kk Lexion took lengths out of his field rounding the turn for home with a sharp turn of foot but he ultimately paid for those premature exertions and was overhauled after a sluggish leap at the final flight.

Granted a calmer ride and one of patience this afternoon then the new trip he tackles could induce further improvement and he may trouble likely favourite Thomas Campbell.

Connections of RED INDIAN (Best price 7-1) didn’t enjoy the clearest season with him last year with a litany of small setbacks halting his progress. However, when we did see him he was very impressive, not least on his Ffos Las comeback when comfortably accounting for Jameson while his last effort saw him run creditably behind the highly-progressive Golden Birthday. There could be more to come this season and Ben Pauling’s likeable hurdler should enjoy conditions which look testing enough on day one despite the ground description.

STAMP YOUR FEET (Best price 9-1) also chased home Golden Birthday in the autumn and lost nothing in defeat behind subsequent scorer Bags Groove at Aintree so still looks fairly treated. Still relatively lightly-raced over hurdles, the son of Galileo should be coming to the boil nicely after a couple of outings this term and looks to have been laid out for this with a stiffer track likely to assist his chance after an encouraging performance on Merseyside.

There is very little to separate BOYNTON (Best price 5-2) and Victory Bond on their duel at Chelmsford last month when the latter narrowly prevailed following a sustained battle. That was Boynton’s first outing for 443 days and he has since gone on to run particularly well from the front at Newmarket on ground which was arguably softer than ideal. His breeding suggests fast ground or a synthetic surface will the selection better than easy conditions so he could be poised to avenge his Chelmsford reverse if his talented rider can gauge the tempo correctly from the head of affairs.

The combination of Caspian Prince and Mythmaker should ensure the prospect of a frenetic gallop and that could play to the strengths of MAZZINI (Best price 9-2) who has the toe for six furlongs and the stamina to win over seven. Although this is the selection’s first trip to the Surrey venue in competition, his run style suggests it shouldn’t be an issue and the fitting of cheekpieces and use of the in-form George Wood in the saddle make him appear a fair bet in this field. Spring Loaded is 2-2 at this venue and found the five-furlong trip too sharp at Doncaster so appears a huge threat.