Steve Ryder's three free racing tips to follow on Saturday.
12:55 Haydock
Macktoad (0.5pt ew)
Best price 15/2 at the time of publishing.
This looks a strong renewal of the Victor Ludorum with both Malaga and Pourquoi Pas Papa bringing good form into it but preference instead goes to MACKTOAD (best priced at 15/2) who beat the latter in impressive style by 3 ¼ lengths at Sandown in December. He disappointed on faster ground at Chepstow over Christmas when he never travelled or jumped after getting hampered at the first hurdle.
The Moore stable have a superb record in this race. Won it with Porticello in 2022, Bo Zenith in 2023 and Salver in 2024 and then had Give It To Me Oj finish 2nd in it last year. Sean Bowen takes over on board and first-time cheekpieces are fitted, I thought he could concede weight to his rivals.
1:50 Ascot
Western Knight (1pt)
Best price 4/1 at the time of publishing.
With Thomas Mor an early NR, this race has changed complexion. The Jukebox Kid holds solid claims as a previous course and distance winner but I am willing to take a chance on WESTERN KNIGHT (best priced at 4/1) at a bigger price. The stable have won this race in 2019, 2020, 2023 and 2025 and this seven-year-old looks a similar type as a better chaser than hurdler.
Western Knight has won his previous two starts over fences including on soft ground at Doncaster last time and he should relish this return to 3 miles.
BresBet
2:25 Ascot
Captain Teague (0.5pt ew)
Best Price 13/2 at the time of publishing.
The Paul Nicholls stable are in fantastic form recently and I am hoping this means that CAPTAIN TEAGUE (best priced at 13/2) steps forward from his reappearance run last time. The eight-year-old was a high class novice hurdler who beaten the 153 rated chaser Resplendent Grey in the Grade 2 Persian War Novices’ Hurdle before beating the 139 rated Lookaway, the 168 rated The Jukebox Man, the 146 rated Johnnywho and the 150 rated Masaccio in the Grade 1 Challow Hurdle in December 2023 on soft ground.
Captain Teague now runs in this handicap hurdle off a mark of 138 so he looks extremely well treated and should run well with up to five places on offer.
2:50 Wincanton
Mutley Crew (1pt)
Best price 9/4 at the time of publishing.
A 7lb rise for winning a race where there were only two finishers at Exeter last time seems harsh for Saint Cyr De Pail and preference instead goes to MUTLEY CREW (best priced at 9/4) who should relish these testing conditions. Her three career victories have come on soft and heavy ground including when bolting up by seven lengths over this course and distance last time from a thriving rival who had won twice previously including on heavy ground.
The handicapper has raised Mutley Crew 8lbs for that success which is fair and it will be disappointing if she couldn’t follow up.
3:00 Ascot
Joyeux Machin (1pt)
Best Price 11/2 at the time of publishing.
JOYEUX MACHIN (best priced at 11/2) looked set to win the Great Yorkshire Chase last time, travelling strongly and holding a five-length advantage when falling at the fifth last fence. He gets to run here off the same mark of 133 which is the same as when 2nd at this meeting in a handicap hurdle behind Altobelli last season.
Hopefully Tristan Durrell adopts the same front running tactics in cheekpieces this time at a track which suits those tactics and he looks the one to beat if none the worse for that fall.
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4:00 Wincanton
Saladins Son (1pt)
Best price 2/1 at the time of publishing.
The Anthony Honeyball trained SALADINS SON (best priced at 2/1) has won both of his starts at this track and should prove hard to beat in this. The first of those victories was by 6 lengths in this race last year on soft off a mark of 115 before following up by 56 lengths here on his next start.
Saldadins Son has run well in Class 2 handicaps at Haydock on both of his starts this season including when finishing 4th to Grand Geste in the Tommy Whittle Handicap Chase last time. He now drops in grade to this Class 4 handicap off the same mark of 122 and he should get back to winning ways off top weight.
4:55 Newcastle
Spartan Fighter (1pt)
Best price 7/2 at the time of publishing.
The Antony Brittain trained SPARTAN FIGHTER (best priced at 7/2) has been a model of consistency since returning from a break with form figures of 2211121 over this course and distance. The nine-year-old coped with a step up in grade when winning a Class 5 0-70 last time off a mark of 59 and he now runs here in a Class 6 0-65 under a 4lb penalty in theory off a mark of 65.
Spartan Fighter proved he could win without making the running last time and he looks worth keeping onside in this weaker race.
