Jake Price's Free Racing Tips for Saturday's Action

Tip 1: IN D'OR - 1pt Win

Last year in this race IN D’OR recorded a very comfortable success under David Maxwell when racing off an official rating of 125, so whilst his new mark of 134 demands more, it can only be a positive that Jonathan Burke takes the ride this time around.

Having changed hands for £220k at the David Maxwell dispersal to join Fergal O’Brien, connections are very quickly going to want to start seeing some sort of return on their investment – and I thought he ran a really nice race on his first start of the season at Sandown in the early part of December. Contesting a 3m Handicap Chase, he looked to take a bit of a blow at the bottom of the hill. After jumping the second last he started to run on again however, and despite a weary jump at the last he was only beaten two lengths into third place.

Welcome To Cartries won that race on the nod, but he now reopposes on 3lbs worse terms with our selection, so that combined with race fitness should be enough to see the placings reversed. Importantly the form of that Sandown contest has been working out quite nicely however; with the second New Order finishing a close third at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day, the fourth Ideal Des Bordes finishing second to King’s Threshold at Newbury on the 29th December, and the 5th Java Point winning at Ludlow on Thursday.

Despite having to defy a career high mark here, IN D’OR should be spot on fitness wise for a return to this contest, and you would have to imagine that connections have much loftier future targets in mind considering the price tag paid – perhaps even the Grand National being a dream target. Ascot seems to be a track which suits him well, and he shouldn’t have any troubles with the ground based upon his third-place finish behind O’Connell in the Masters Handicap Hurdle on Heavy ground last season.

IN D’OR 1pt Win @ 7/2

Tip 2: VINCENZO - 1.5pt Win

Having been tasked with two rather lofty assignments during his campaign thus far, a return to Class 2 company should be exactly what VINCENZO needs in order to return to the winners enclosure – and the Sam Thomas bandwagon refuses to let up with the trainer currently operating at a hugely impressive 36% strike rate during the whole 2025/26 National Hunt season.

Going into the season connections knew this lad ran a belter at Newbury in the Greatwood Gold Cup when splitting Booster Bob (141) and Saint Segal (155), but what they didn’t know was just where his ceiling lied. That meant that they decided to chuck him straight into the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham in November, and he ran anther brilliant race when chasing home immense improver and dual subsequent winner Panic Attack (147).

With that good run under his belt, connections sensibly took their chance in the December Gold Cup next, and once more I thought he ran a lovely race. This time around the race developed into a bit of a mess with Glengouly (131) making all of the running despite racing from outside of the handicap, but VINCENZO was still the best of the rest in second place – just holding off the fast-finishing Jagwar (149). Changing tracks to Ascot and dropping in class should be just what he needs to pick up a deserved success however, and although he is now rated 140, to me he is the horse with by far the most upside. Hitman running means he only has to carry 10st13lbs too, which is a bonus.

VINCENZO 1.5pts Win @ 2/1

Tip 3: PHANTOMOFTHEPOINTS - 0.5pts Each-Way

This is by no means a strong race, and I can see why they have installed Dan Skelton’s Dalston Lad as favourite due to his unexposed potential as a Novice Hurdler. Being chucked into making his Handicap debut at Haydock over a trip not raced over since his point-to-point days could mean he just finds it all a bit much however, and as such I thought that the more experienced PHANTOMOFTHEPOINTS had strong claims at a bigger price.

This David Pipe 8yo was actually a winner at Wincanton on this week last year, where having shaped with significant promise on his first two starts of the campaign, he finally got his head in front off an official rating of 129 in tough fashion. He found life a bit tougher afterwards, but it is notable that he went off for wind surgery at the end of the season.

Seemingly that operation has worked its magic, as on his return to action he was thrown straight back into the ever-competitive Premier Stayers Handicap Hurdle – a race in which he had finished third the season prior. Running another huge race at a track he clearly enjoys, he filled the same position once again in November, beaten 4 lengths by Electric Mason (139) and Hartington (128) whilst also having Ace Of Spades (134) and Horaces Pearl (135) behind.

Connections decided to send him chasing at Uttoxeter when he was last seen on track in December, but having fallen at the third last it seems that connections have quickly taken the decision to abort mission and revert to Hurdles instead – which looks a sensible enough move. With his two runs at Haydock both being extremely good efforts in Premier company, I can’t help but feel that dropping all the way down to Class 3 level means he has to have outstanding each/way claims.

PHANTOMOFTHEPOINTS 0.5pts EW @ 13/2

Tip 4: CAME FROM NOWHERE - 2pt Win

I absolutely loved what Jeremy Scott’s CAME FROM NOWHERE did at Hereford 28 days ago, and having missed his engagement at Kempton due to the ground being too quick, he surely can continue his progression in a race like this off a nice weight considering his Maiden Hurdle form suggests that there is still plenty of mileage left in his handicap rating.

That run which makes him still look so well treated came at Stratford the October before last, where on his first start after a summer break he finished a narrow 1.5 length third behind Glynn Brae (132) and Lud’or (139), despite trying to give them both a bit of weight. He unfortunately missed the rest of that campaign however, and did not return to the track until November when running well for a long way before weakening into third behind The Blue Room (129) and Double Measure (125) – but he was entitled to take a blow after a 382-day absence.

I took a chance on him at a massive price at Wincanton in early December where he tried to make all over 1m7f, and he ran a blinder off a mark of 115 when mowed down very late in the day by Non Stop. Only put up 2lbs for that run, it interested me greatly that he was stepping up in trip to 2m3½f at Hereford just 16 days later, and everything truly clicked that day. It was a decent enough race with Marsiac (128) sent off the 2/1f, but Jeremy Scott’s 7yo travelled all over them, and absolutely hacked up off 117 whilst wearing a first-time tongue-tie.

I thought a 7lbs rise for that performance to a new official rating of 124 was very lenient considering the ease of his 2.5 length success, and as such I think he can continue his progression despite stepping up into Class 2 company. Ascot should be a track which suits him well, and the rain he thrives in duly arrived this week with 15mm on Tuesday and a further 9mm on Thursday. I don’t think there is anything to be afraid of in this field considering Tripoli Flyer is aiming to give our selection 16lbs.

CAME FROM NOWHERE 2pts Win @ 11/4

Tip 5: BREWIN’UPASTORM - 1pt Win

My final selection on Saturday is a bit of a wildcard, but I just can’t have BREWIN’UPASTORM as the outsider of the field in this Handicap Hurdle for Horses who are at least eight years old. It is actually quite bonkers that he first won this race 5 years ago now when rated 148, and whilst he obviously can’t be the same horse now aged 13, this race has always been his target for the campaign.

I don’t need to tell you too much about the Horse as he was a multiple Grade 2 winner back in the day when peaking at an official rating of 158, but despite being off the track for 588 days he returned to action for Olly Murphy in early December – where he ran a really promising race in 5th place despite being sent off a 33/1 shot and clearly needing the outing for fitness.

Having come out of that race so well however, connections decided to give him another run at the same track on Boxing Day, and again he was sent off a rather unfancied 25/1 shot. Despite having to shoulder top weight I thought he ran a race filled with even more promise, as he stayed on nicely from the rear of the field to only be beaten 10 lengths into fifth by his impressive stablemate Indeevar Bleu – and he ended up finishing just a neck behind the favourite Bear Market.

Presumably because of his age, the handicapper has handed connections a gift – as he decided to drop the selection a massive 4lbs for that latest outing at Aintree, meaning he is now rated just 139. That is actually his lowest ever rating since being given his opening mark of 140 as a Novice. Clearly due to his age he will need to give everything to win this, but he is reunited with stable jockey Sean Bowen for the first time this season which can only be a positive. Looking at his four rivals who line up in opposition, he just cannot be a 12/1 shot in this race.

BREWIN’UPASTORM 1pt Win @ 12/1