With the weekend approaching and markets beginning to take shape, I’ve taken a detailed look at the five horses proving most popular with punters on Oddschecker this week. These are the runners attracting sustained support across the bookmakers, but strong backing alone doesn’t always tell the full story.

In this edition, I’ve reviewed each of the five in depth, assessing their form, conditions, race setup and overall profile, before assigning a star rating to reflect how confident I am in their chances.

Some arrive with solid, dependable credentials, others are more speculative propositions with clear upside, but all warrant closer inspection given the level of interest they’ve generated.

The aim, as always, is to separate market momentum from genuine betting value.

HONESTY POLICY

14:25 Ascot - G1 Long Walk Hurdle 3m

I am really looking forward to the Long Walk Hurdle this weekend and I’ve taken a strong liking to Gordon Elliott’s Honesty Policy. He is a horse who, in my view, has the potential to develop into a Stayers’ Hurdle winner and reach the very top of the division based on what we saw from him last season.

Still only a five year old, Honesty Policy began last campaign having won a point-to-point in October, yet by the time Aintree came around in April, He became a Grade 1 winning hurdler,  a progression you rarely see in such a short space of time. Not only did he land a Grade 1 at Aintree, but he then went to Punchestown and finished just half a length behind Jasmin De Vaux, the Albert Bartlett winner. That run is very easy to upgrade when you consider how lightly raced Honesty Policy was at the time, and the fact it was his first start over three miles. All of that suggests there is plenty more improvement to come this season.

He looks set to follow a similar route to The Wallpark, who finished third in last year’s Stayers’ Hurdle, but I actually think Honesty Policy has the potential to be better than that. This won’t be an easy assignment first time out though. He takes on an in form Impose Toi, who was deeply impressive on his latest start, as well as Crambo, who is bidding for a remarkable third win in this race. Both rivals arrive racefit, having already had outings this season, which is an obvious disadvantage for the Gordon Elliott runner.

That said, Honesty Policy remains a horse with huge upside in the staying division, and one we clearly haven’t seen the best of yet. Fitness does have to be taken on trust, but I’m happy to take that chance. I’m already on at big prices ante-post for Cheltenham, and I firmly believe he will be the best of these come the end of the season. If he is ready to go first time out, he will be hard to beat in my opinion.

5/5 Star Ginger Joe Rating

VICTTORINO

15:00 Ascot - Silver Cup Handicap Chase 3m

It’s no surprise to see Victorrino so well supported for the Silver Cup Handicap Chase, given that he is already a two-time winner of the race. He is a very straightforward horse and clearly thrives at Ascot, as reflected by his outstanding course form figures of 11411. That is a significant positive, especially when you factor in that he is trained by Venetia Williams, a trainer renowned for targeting races with a lot of success.

Ascot also looks the perfect track for him. Any further in trip can stretch him, but a true three mile test around here plays exactly to his strengths. While the Venetia Williams yard hasn’t been firing in terms of winners recently, her better horses, notably Royal Pagaille and Djelo, have been running extremely well, and I’d put Victorrino firmly in that bracket.

As a seven-year-old, there is still every chance he is improving, and when conditions are right, he has already shown what he can do at Ascot. He has previously won this race off marks of 142 and 143, and the 146 he carries this year shouldn’t be a major concern.

He is by It’s Gino, a sire who consistently produces quality chasers, and there remains scope for further progression.

With a prep run under his belt to blow away the cobwebs, this has clearly been the plan for some time. He has to have a big chance of landing the race again, and I certainly wouldn’t put anyone off backing him here.

4/5 Ginger Joe Star Rating

MONDO MAN

15:35 Ascot  - Festival Handicap Hurdle 2m

Mondo Man has been very well supported this week for the Gary Moore team, and it’s easy to see why. He lines up off a mark of just 123 and has some strong form in the book, most notably his runner-up effort behind the current Arkle favourite Lulamba, when the pair met over hurdles last season.

On the face of it, that reads well. However, the question is whether he is mature enough to justify his position at the head of the market in a race like this. If you consider that Mondo Man was rated 105 on the Flat, you would naturally expect him to be ahead of his hurdles mark of 123. From a pure handicapping perspective, there is a strong case to be made that he is well treated. My concern lies elsewhere.

He is a short-priced favourite in a deep handicap full of smart, seasoned horses, and in races like this you want more than just a favourable mark. You need a horse with the right attitude and racing temperament, because without that, it’s difficult to unlock their full ability in a competitive environment. While Mondo Man may well be better than his current rating, he still needs to show the right attributes on the racecourse for that potential to be released.

When you watch him race, he is a very keen going type and tends to do a lot too early, which can leave him with little left for a strong finish. That is a notable negative in a field packed with proven closers. Horses like Alexei, Wilful and Fiercely Proud are not only more straightforward, but they also finish their races very strongly, something that cannot yet be said with confidence about the favourite.

So while Mondo Man is likely ahead of the handicapper on raw ability, until he learns to relax and conserve his energy, it’s far from certain that he will be able to deliver that potential in a race of this depth.

3/5 Star Ginger Joe Rating

JACK’S PARROT

14:05 Haydock - Tommy Whittle Handicap Chase 3m2f 

The Tommy Whittle market looks particularly interesting, with Jack’s Parrot attracting a fair amount of support this week. I can see the angle, given that he returns to the race off a mark of 119, the same mark he ran from when finishing second to Egbert in the contest last year. However, that alone doesn’t justify how short he is in the betting for me. His form since that run has been fairly underwhelming, and I don’t think it’s been through a lack of effort. While a repeat of last year’s performance would see him competitive, I actually think he would need to find a few pounds of improvement to be considered a genuine main contender this time around.

Both of his chase wins have come over this trip, but they were achieved off much lower marks back in April 2024, and there is little recent evidence to suggest he should be a clear favourite here. Stamina is not a concern, in fact, he looks as though he would stay further and could eventually be suited by a real marathon test even longer than this, but I’m not convinced he is a natural, ready-made handicapper at this level. His overall ability may not be quite as strong as the market suggests, and in what could turn into a messy race, he has plenty to prove.

At the prices, he looks far too short for my liking, and I’m happy to swerve him.

3/5 Star Ginger Joe Rating

JACKIE HOBBS

14:40 Haydock - Mares Novice Hurdle 2m3f

The Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle looks set to be a strong contest, with plenty of likeable types lining up.

Jackie Hobbs is the one who has attracted the most market support, and it’s easy to see why, as she has a very appealing profile on paper. She won her first two bumper starts before finishing down the field in a Grade 2 at Aintree, but that run may not tell the full story, as she looks the type who should improve when stepping up in trip, as she does at Haydock this weekend.

She was still good enough to win well on her hurdles debut over two miles, and if she can build on that performance, she has to be regarded as one of the leading contenders. She faces opposition with plenty of speed, so tactics will be important in order to see her to best effect, but the conditions look ideal with nice soft ground, and this longer trip should bring out further improvement.

Her collateral form stacks up well, and she ticks plenty of boxes for a race like this. While her price is on the shorter side given the strength in depth of the field, she still demands serious respect. By Jack Hobbs, whose progeny have made a solid start over hurdles, she has the potential to develop into a very smart mare, and it’s easy to see why she has been so well supported.

4/5 Star Ginger Joe Rating