13:20 Newbury

Steve Ryder runs through the key races on 1st March and names his best bets for the day.

There is jumps racing at Kelso, Newbury, Doncaster and Navan on Saturday 1st March while Newcastle and Southwell stage all-weather meetings this evening.

Today’s Best Bets from Steve Ryder 

Credo was given a peach of a ride by Harry Cobden last time but she is now 7lbs higher and I am willing to take a chance on SAM BROWN (best priced at 5/1) back at Newbury. The thirteen-year-old has a good record in 3 mile Veterans’ Chases with form figures of 112 in these contests and he now drops in class from hitting the frame in two Grade 2s this season. 

Beaten only 1 ¼ lengths by Copperhead on his penultimate start off a mark of 153, Sam Brown runs here off a 1lb lower mark with Chad Bament once again taking off a handy allowance. 

1:20 Newbury- Sam Brown 5/1 (0.5pt ew)

14:20 Kelso

This 2m5f handicap hurdle appears to have been a long-term target for ACE OF SPADES (best priced at 9/4) who was brought up to Kelso to win a novice hurdle under a penalty last time. The Dan Skelton trained six-year-old beat the now 127 rated hurdler Junker d’Allier in a bumper at Warwick last season and has progressed with each of his starts over hurdles this season. 

A comfortable 6 ½ length winner over 2m6½f here last time, Ace Of Spades now makes his handicap debut off a mark of 123 and can provide Harry Skelton with some valuable points in the Jockeys’ Cup.

2:20 Kelso- Ace Of Spades 9/4 (1pt)

14:55 Kelso

The Willie Mullins trained Chart Topper is respected in this Grade 2 contest but preference instead goes to VANDERPOEL (best priced at 7/2) for the in-form Ben Pauling stable who won this last season with Personal Ambition. With a current strike rate of 48% in the previous two weeks, they run the six-year-old in this contest following two victories over hurdles so far this season. 

An impressive 10 length winner over Champion Bumper contender Champagne Jury in a PTP in November, connections wasted no time in sending Vanderpoel over hurdles where he beat George’s Lad and Rubber Ball at Huntingdon in January. He jumped poorly late on in a weak contest last time under a penalty but running at a faster pace will help that improve and he is expected to make it 3/3 under Ben Jones.

2:55 Kelso- Vanderpoel 7/2 (1pt)