Free Saturday Racing Tips: Jake Price's Best Bets for Ascot, Down Royal, and Wetherby

14:05 Ascot – Handicap Chase (Premier) – 2m1f

This is a fiercely competitive affair, and under ordinary conditions you could make a case for most. With the ground set to be quick however, those conditions very much suit two Horses in particular – and the first of those is Irish raider SPECIAL CADEAU.

This 7yo has been on the go over the Summer so clearly he will appreciate the quicker ground, but in his short chasing career thus far he has already run to a high level of form. On debut he was a shock 66/1 winner at Thurles in February when beating Wesport Cove (144) and What’s Up Darling (138), before connections then tried him in the Grade 1 Manifesto Novice Chase at Aintree where he was 5th, but only just behind Touch Me Not (150).

He's been exclusively kept to Novice company under penalties over the Summer, finishing 2nd behind Nurburgring (144) when attempting to give away a 5lbs penalty, before then going to the 2m2f Grade 3 at Galway and finishing a decent 5th. He was given a little break afterwards before returning in the Roscommon Grade 3 Novice Chase last month, and that saw him finish a good 2nd behind an improved Westport Cove, whilst also having King Of Kingsfield behind.

First time in a Handicap off a mark of 142 seems fair enough, and Mike O’Connor gets to claim 3lbs off his back – which he wouldn’t get to do in Ireland due to different thresholds for Conditional riders.

The other worth a small play is GENERAL MEDRANO, who will equally love the quick conditions. Last season he fairly bolted up at Newbury off a mark of 131 when receiving his ideal conditions, and his performance at Doncaster in January when 2nd to Petit Tonnerre reads well considering he will now be 13lbs better off with that rival. He ran okay in the Grand Annual before disappointing in the Red Rum, but that was at the end of a long season, and the Summer break will have done him the world of good. Emma Lavelle is flying along at the moment too.

SPECIAL CADEAU 0.5pts EW (4 Places) @ 9/1
GENERAL MEDRANO 0.5pts EW (4 Places) @ 8/1

14:57 Wetherby – Charlie Hall Chase (Grade 2) – 3m

The ground at Wetherby is showing no signs of slowing up, and as such HEWICK will be doing a jig in his box as he waits to contest this Grade 2 prize. A horse who’s last three victories who have come on Good ground (including the Grade 1 King George), he absolutely relishes these conditions.

You only have to go back 12 months to when he went out on his shield in the Grade 1 Champion Chase at Down Royal – where after a brilliant battle with Envoi Allen, he was only just beaten half-a-length. Connections decided to go for that race rather than sending him over to the Charlie Hall under a penalty that day, but this time around he does not have to carry that penalty.

Earlier in October this 10yo won a 2m6½f Conditions Hurdle race at Thurles so fitness will certainly be on side, and it is very interesting that Gavin Sheehan takes the ride despite Jamie Snowden sending Ga Law to the race.

HEWICK 1pt Win @ 7/2

15:10 Ascot – Handicap Hurdle (Class 2) – 1m7½f

This is a competitive Handicap Hurdle, but certainly not as classy as the Welsh Champion Hurdle last month – therefore ALEXEI is an automatic bet having finished a very good second. What’s amazing is that the handicapper saw it fit to leave him on his official rating of 127 too, despite splitting Celtic Dino (141) and Wilful (134). Joe Tizzard’s are all needing the run, but clearly fitness won’t be an issue for him having had that run 20 days ago.

The other Horse I want to play here though is DANCE AND GLANCE, who was very eye-catching on his return at Newton Abbot 14 days ago. At that time Anthony Honeyball’s horses just seemed that 1 gallop short, but this lad was smashed into 15/8f for a competitive 2m Handicap Hurdle at the Devon track.

He travelled extremely smoothly through that race, but having got to the girths of the front running Manuelito (130), he just hit the penultimate flight and that ended any remaining chance. The winner escaped on the front end, but this 5yo lost nothing in defeat. Considering he was also 5th in the Premier Swinton Handicap Hurdle at Haydock in May as well, I think he is ready to land a pot like this on decent ground, despite only having an official rating of 117.

ALEXEI 1pt Win @ 7/2
DANCE AND GLANCE 1pt Win @ 7/1

15:30 Wetherby – Handicap Hurdle (Class 3) – 2m

This certainly isn’t the strongest Handicap Hurdle, and conditions are probably to blame considering the initial entry was actually quite strong. The most exciting of those to turn up however is DON’T MIND IF I DO, who really should appreciate the ground.

Alan King very much gave him a light campaign as a Novice Hurdler, as after finishing a very close 2nd behind Castle Ivers on debut at Warwick, he then went and won by 15 lengths at Wincanton despite running quite green. He was last seen at Wincanton in January when not handling heavy ground in 3rd place, but despite being ready, connections didn’t get a 4th run into him in the Spring.

As such he turns up here on a lowly mark of 120, and that certainly doesn’t look beyond him considering his Bumper form which saw him finish 2nd behind Regent’s Stroll (143) at Newbury. Conditions should be ideal, and you would hope he has matured following his Summer break. Alan King is 3/7 with his recent Jumps runners, so fitness should not be an issue.

DON’T MIND IF I DO 1pt Win @ 11/4

14:40 Down Royal – Champion Chase (Grade 1) – 3m

The one who is surely worth a play at the prices in the first Grade 1 of the new season is FOUND A FIFTY, who is already rated the highest in the field (165) and has plenty of Graded form over 2m4f. The big question mark is will he stay, but he is already an Irish point-to-point winner and his trainer Gordon Elliott does not think it will be an issue for him.

He bookended his season with two victories over 2m4f last season, firstly on this card when taking the Grade 2 Chase for second season chasers, and then he went and won the Grade 2 at Fairyhouse when last seen – beating Saint Sam (160). On both occasions I thought he ground out victory over the trip, and as such he is definitely worth a try over 3m.

I like classy Horses who have shown a bit of pace in their careers going over 3m because they can be much more tactically diverse than an out-and-out stayer, so if this turns in a relative test of speed then he clearly is the one to be with. It’s also a huge vote of confidence that Jack Kennedy has chosen to ride.

FOUND A FIFTY 1pt Win @ 4/1