Owen’s monster 675-1 soft ground Saturday double

After an exhilarating Cheltenham Festival, the action doesn’t slow down on Saturday! There’s no less than seven meetings to look forward too, including Fontwell, Kempton, Wexford, Uttoxeter, Newcastle, Thurles and Wolverhampton. We’ll have horse racing tips for all the action, but as always, I’m trying to replicate that monster 1065-1 soft ground double from back in January!

Uttoxeter is my venue of choice, with the venue currently soft as of Friday afternoon. Staying will be the name of the game, with the feature contest being the Midlands Grand National. I’ve found  a pair of horses who will relish the soft surface and can out-run their monster Saturday odds.

1.50 Uttoxeter – Solstice Star (25/1)

This season’s form has been well below his best, but Solstice Star won this race twelve months ago by seventeen lengths after an equalling disappointing campaign. Many of his best starts have come at this venue and there’s plenty to like about his chances.

Last year’s victory came on heavy ground and he was ridden by a seven-pound claimer, like he is twelve months on. This time Kai Lenihan takes the ride and he’s effectively two pounds below last season’s winning mark as a result.

Many will be put off by this season’s form, but as previously mentioned, he was in woeful form prior to last year’s blowout victory. He’s been given a break since we last saw him and if he can bounce back to something like his best, he’ll be very tough to beat.

3.35 Uttoxeter – Prime Venture (25/1)

Staying is the name of the game in the Midlands Grand National and that’ll suit Prime Venture down the ground. Evan Williams’ charge has reached the frame in the last two running’s of the Welsh National, with his most recent attempt seeing him finish fifth. Beaten just eight lengths, he arrives to Uttoxeter off the same handicap rating.

He did pull up in this race twelve months ago, but that was in first-time blinkers and is a forgivable effort. He’s without headgear for this renewal and the soft ground, rather than heavy, is a big positive for him. Isobel Williams takes the ride and her five-pound claim is another feather in his cap and as a marathon stayer, he’s relatively unexposed.

Granted, he doesn’t win often, but this will be an ideal test for him and he deserves a victory in one of these Grand National contests.

If you back any of our selections you can watch them live on the free Racing Post app or racingpost.com. Simply log in to one of your bookmaker accounts and click ‘Watch live’ on the racecards.