It’s the last Saturday before the ‘Big Day’ so horse racing fans will be getting their festive fix with top ITV cards from Ascot and Haydock.
We’ve four LIVE races from Ascot that include the Marsh Hurdle (Long Walk Hurdle) (2.25) – a good guide for the Stayers’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.
Then at Haydock, the Tommy Whittle Handicap Chase (2.40) headlines three LIVE races – did you know ALL of the last twelve winners failed to win last time out and had also run within the last five weeks.
As always, we’ll be highlighting our TOP FOUR trends to look for from the ITV Racing and putting them in a big-priced ‘Cracker Acca’ – plus, giving you the ‘best of the rest’ trends from around the other tracks this Saturday.
Plus – don’t forget, you can also get more help finding the winner for all this Saturday’s races on our Free Horse Racing Tips page.
1.15 Ascot: With four wins from the last eight runnings of this race then trainer Paul Nicholls is the man to follow. He runs the seven-year-old ADRIEN DU PONT this year. The horse also won around this time of the year twelve months ago and is also the only proven course winner in the field. Yes, he was pulled-up last time here but that came over three miles – this drop back in trip will suit – and was also his first run back after a wind operation.
1.50 Ascot: A super-competitive line-up, but the 2017 winner of this race – MR MEDIC – catches the eye. Okay, he’s rated 11lbs higher now, but has certainly progressed into a better horse and his last win came off only a three-pound lower mark. A recent spin at the track over further would have blown the cobwebs away – running well for much of the way and only getting tired in the closing stages.
2.25 Ascot: It will be a huge shock if the 2018 winner of this race – PAISLEY PARK – can’t land this prize again and continue his preparation towards defending his Stayers’ Hurdle title at the Cheltenham Festival next March. He’s rated a massive 14lbs higher than his nearest rival – L’Ami Serge – and returned last month with a top win in the Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury.
2.40 Haydock: Just the nine runners for this year’s Betway Tommy Whittle Chase and we could be looking at a repeat winner of the race. The David Pipe-trained DAKLONDIKE was the hero twelve months ago and off a seven-pound higher mark doesn’t look badly treated. We know he likes the track and also handles deep ground very well – in fact, he’s won all three of his previous outings when the conditions were described as ‘heavy’.
3.35 Ascot: The Dan Skelton-trained Mohaayed won this race last year.
12.25 Haydock: The Jamie Snowden yard are four-from-five (80%) with their chasers at the track.
1.00 Haydock: Trainer Jamie Snowden has a 67% record with his hurdlers at the track.
1.35 Haydock: The Donald McCain yard have a 28% record with their runners at the track.
12.00 Newcastle: Trainer Keith Dalgleish has a 33% record with his hurdlers at the track.
12.55 Lingfield: The Archie Watson yard have a 29% record with their two-year-olds at the track.
2.00 Lingfield: Trainer William Haggas has a 25% record with his 4 year-olds or older at the track.
2.35 Lingfield: Trainer Neil King has a 40% record (8-from-20) with his runners at the track.
Every LIVE Saturday race covered on ITV can be found on our ITV Racing Tips section, with runner-by-runner previews for each contest.