ITV Racing Tips: Saturday Each-Way Double for Wincanton & Aintree

In the Grade 2 Elite Hurdle, I am pinning my hopes on Gary Moore’s HANSARD (best price 7/4) to defeat Rubaud, who is likely to set the race up for the former and is in receipt of six pounds, which could make a huge difference.

A winner of his first two starts over hurdles, the five-year-old was behind the former when the pair met in the Dovecote, but the latter wasn’t beaten far when fourth in a Grade 1 race at Aintree last time and has a much better chance than his rating suggests.

This course should suit him; he returns to the racecourse on the back of a new personal best and is down in grade. I know the former has the advantage of fitness, but this promising youngster should go very well and can hopefully prove his latest effort to be no fluke.

Over at Aintree, in the BoyleSports Acca Boost On Horse Racing Hurdle, the outsider of the three MILLERS BANK (best price 4/1) is a huge price back at the scene of his Aintree Hurdle third and Manifesto win over course-and-distance.

The nine-year-old drew a blank over fences last season, but he was set with some daunting tasks, such as three consecutive Grade 1 events, and won a Grade 1 last year in April at this course too.

Without a shadow of a doubt, this course plays to his strengths, and his third in the Grade 1 Aintree Hurdle here reads the best form in the race.

This is a major ease in grade on his first run over hurdles since, and with a good first-time-out record, the only Grade 1 winner in the field has a serious chance of beating his two rivals. I think he will exploit any fitness issues in the other two participants and extend his fine record here.

Extra ITV Racing Tips

The obvious standout candidate in the Grade 2 Boodles 'Rising Stars' Novices' Chase is Paul Nicholls’ Knappers Hill. He shaped very well when second on his chase debut at Chepstow and is no doubt the class act in the field.

That said, the Gary Moore-trained GIVEGA (best price 8/1) might have gone under the radar to most and looks like a very interesting alternative at much bigger odds despite being thrown into the deep end on his chase debut.

The seven-year-old is a bit of an all-or-nothing character, given his form reads 11P1P, but he is likely to be fully equipped ahead of this tough task, and the way he fluently operated a hurdle last season suggests he should come into his own over the larger obstacles.

After all, he won his only point-to-point impressively, and if he does get into a rhythm with more to come, he might end up being the biggest threat to the market leader. This course often influences a horse who can jump well, and there’s no fault in that department with the selection.

He could have found an easier opportunity elsewhere, so the fact that he is turning up in this race provides a clear indication that he has been showing all the right signs at home and is worth consideration at value odds

In the feature race on the card, the 62nd Badger Beer Handicap Chase, SAM BROWN (best price 8/1) is one of two suggestions who has a good record when fresh and might emerge as a serious player under the services of Johnny Burke with four places widely on offer. 

The 11-year-old enjoyed a productive last season and was unlucky not to collect a valuable pot in Ireland on his final start, where he showed some real class and looked set to beat some good horses under a big eight before he came down at the second last.

That is now his second fall in succession, but he is generally a good jumper, often travels well, and finished a close-up third in last season’s Charlie Hall Chase. He was only beaten by around four lengths behind Bravemansgame, and that is a quality piece of form in the context of this easier race. 

It is likely he will pester last year’s winner Frodon from flag-fall, and while the latter has a good chance, given his good first-time-out record, the former would have turned in a career-best winning performance last time if he stood up, while most of the remainder are hard to warm to on recent evidence. 

Anthony Honeyball has a good record at this course, and Burke should be able to get a nice tune out of this grand servant, who will encounter ideal conditions and won at this course on his debut many moons ago. He gets the first nod to record his first win since claiming a Grade 3 at Aintree last year

The other one I want to back in the Badger Beer is THE BIG BREAKAWAY (best price 6/1) who has often reserved his best performances first-time-out, and a repeat of his reappearance second last year at Haydock would see him go well.

The eight-year-old fits the right age bracket for this contest, and his second in last year’s Welsh National is a quality piece of form. Likewise with the former, he too fell in the Grand National but is no doubt a good horse on his day. 

He is only a pound higher than when second at Chepstow and will get the race run to suit. His trainer has firmly been among the winners of late, which adds a bit more confidence, and he makes plenty of appeal at the odds.

Last year, I tipped the winner, Al Dancer, and I am confident about repeating the dose twelve months later. I have two strong fancies, with the first one being MINELLA TRUMP (best price 16/1), who has an excellent win strike-rate over fences and has been aimed at the race.

The nine-year-old has a first-time-out record of 1311 and ran with credit in the Grand National last time on his first go over these fences. His jumping was pretty good for a debutant over these unique obstacles before he failed to see out the distance.

This shorter trip will suit him better, and the handicapper has reacted to his last run by dropping his mark a couple of pounds. He is back on the same mark as when winning the Perth Gold Cup, and given the history of the yard’s success over the National Fences, he is worth the roll of the dice at double-digit odds with four places widely available.

He might be the lowest-rated runner in the field, but bottom-weight HALF SHOT (best price 9/1) is one of the best jumpers in the field and will have fitness on his side, courtesy of his close second on his return at Kelso last month, and gets an interest with four places widely on offer.

He remains nine pounds above his last winning mark, but he will be up with the early pace, which is essential, and he ran well when seventh in the Scottish Grand National two starts ago. Sean Quinlan has bags of experience around this course, and if he can get Iain Jardine’s charge into a rhythm, he must be a threat to all in the line-up.

GENTLEMAN AT ARMS (best price 8/1) could go very well off this mark of 124. Rated as high as 143 last year, the six-year-old has predominantly been competing in tougher assignments than this over hurdles.

Let’s not forget that his Grade 1 second over course and distance last year is by far the best form in the field. He still has plenty more to come, will be spot on in terms of fitness now, and makes plenty of appeal against these.

OMAR MARETTI (best price 20/1) has had his issues, given his lightly raced profile for his age, but he is two-from-two in this sphere, and his last win came off an eight-pound mark, in which he won by more than eight lengths.

He goes well when fresh, is unexposed over hurdles, and could easily outrun his double-figure odds. He stays very well and will love the ground, too.

DJELO (best price 7/2) has to concede experience to Master Chewy, but he is very well-treated on his chase debut, especially on the pick of his form, such as his third at Sandown when just behind Iceo. He was third in that race off a pound higher mark, and the winner is now rated in the mid-140s.

He could only finish midfield in the Imperial Cup last time, but this presents a major ease in grade, and his team is hitting form, so he is very appealing here and should prove to be a lot better than this mark and grade.

COOPER’S CROSS (best price 15/2) won the Grade 3 Sky Bet Chase back in January and took to this course very well when still going well before he was badly hampered and fell in the Topham over course-and-distance in his penultimate start.

Nevertheless, he produced a career-best performance when last seen to take second in the Scottish National and has only been nudged up three pounds. This has been the plan for a while, and I am confident he will run a huge race with plenty in his favour.

A great each-way bet with four places generally available. 

In the November Handicap, CHILLINGHAM (best price 13/2) gets a strong vote to potentially land the spoils, given he has been kept fresh for the race. 

This four-year-old has won three of his seven starts and ran really well at Royal Ascot when fourth of 16 in the Copper Horse Handicap behind Vauban. 

He was beaten about 10 lengths but had some good horses in behind and raced keenly throughout that race, so his performance can be upgraded. 

He was marginally denied at Ripon next time under a big weight, and whilst that form wouldn’t be enough to win this, he ran a monster race carrying top-weight when fourth at Hamilton last time.

He caught the eye in his only previous all-weather start when third, and, being open to more improvement than most, he’s one to strongly consider from his high draw.

At an each-way price, don’t be put off Brian Ellison’s ONESMOOTHOPERATOR (best price 12/1), who has plenty of smart form at this course and wasn’t beaten far here last time in a race that wasn’t run to suit again. 

The fact that this race has been moved here from Doncaster can only benefit his chances, and if he can roll up his sleeves and produce his best, this could be the time he ends his two-year losing spell. I am hopeful he will outrun his odds, with four places widely on offer.