Best bets for the day from Steve Ryder and Oddschecker+ Premium tipsters, as well as key races to follow.
14:25 Uttoexter
Steve Ryder runs through the key races on 15th March and names his best bets for the day.
There is jumps racing at Uttoxeter, Kempton, Newcastle and Thurles on Saturday 15th March while Southwell and Wolverhampton stage all-weather meetings this evening.
Today’s Best Bets from Steve Ryder
Connections of JOYEUX MACHIN (best priced at 5/2) resisted the temptation to go to the Cheltenham Festival last week in order to target this valuable £52k handicap and it will hopefully be worth it. The Dan Skelton trained eight-year-old was given two quiet runs on his first two starts for the yard before catching the eye when 3rd at Wetherby on his penultimate start.
Joyeux Machin bumped into course specialist Altobelli at Ascot last time when he looked outpaced over the 2m3½f trip but was beaten less than four lengths at the finish. This step up to 2m7½f should bring about improvement and he gives the impression that he remains well handicapped off a mark of 135.
15:00 Uttoexter
Knockanore won the Eider Chase last time having stepped up over a mile in trip for the first time and I am hoping that that is the case for SAINT DAVY (best priced at 18/1). The Jonjo & A J O’Neill trained eight-year-old won three of his five starts over hurdles and has caught the eye on his three runs so far over fences. He was pitched straight into Grade 2 company on his debut when 3rd beaten only four lengths by subsequent Grade 1 winner Handstands before falling on his next start in a Grade 2 when looking outpaced over 2m3½f.
Well beaten on his latest start at Newbury, Saint Davy has been dropped 2lbs by the handicapper for that effort down to a mark of 135. He is now stepped up in trip to 4m2f for the first time in his career and it is interesting that he is now fitted with first time blinkers too. Jonjo O’Neill Jnr has chosen to ride him over Iron Bridge who was sent off joint favourite for the Welsh National last time and he can hopefully spring a surprise.
15:20 Kempton
Bad has looked a revitalised character in blinkers but a 9lb rise from the handicapper will make this more difficult and I prefer the chances of FLEGMATIK (best priced at 10/3). With form figures of 31102143 at the track, he finished 2nd in this race last season behind the reopposing Outlaw Peter off a mark of 140. He ran well to finish 3rd on unfavoured soft ground here on his penultimate start off a mark of 131 and now runs here off a mark of 130.
That means that Flegmatik meets Outlaw Peter off 18lb better terms and he can hopefully go one place better than last year.
17:30 Wolverhampton
The Richard Hughes trained ROAD TO WEMBLEY (best priced at 18/1) ran much better than expected when only beaten eight lengths at Kempton last time over a mile and this step back up in trip will suit him much better. The four-year-old won over 2 miles at Newcastle in August off a mark of 77 before running twice more on turf.
Road To Wembley has clearly been targeted at this race with two prep runs over inadequate trips and as a result he now races off a mark of 78. This should be an easy to race to ride tactically for Finley Marsh and he looks overpriced.
