The Christmas festivities will be in full swing at Ascot and Haydock on Saturday. The two historic racecourses host their big pre-Christmas meetings and both are putting on a host of entertainment to tempt families.
There is more than enough quality racing at both tracks to make it worth hardened punters turning out on Saturday though. Four of Ascot’s races and the big two races from Haydock will be broadcast by ITV Racing for those not making the trip to either course so why not sit back, enjoy the action and hope to profit from the bookies with our Saturday racing tips?
Ascot
Ascot hosts the best horse racing this side of Christmas on Saturday. It’s the Christmas Racing weekend with the ITV Racing cameras tuning in for four high quality contests that will attract a lot of betting action.
The Long Walk Hurdle is the highest profile race of the lot, with all eyes on the exceptional Paisley Park, but the other three provide much more interest from a punting perspective, albeit they pose a tougher puzzle to crack.
1:50pm Plymouth Gin Handicap
The Plymouth Gin Handicap has only been run four times before but it’s already developing a reputation as an entertaining race. Each of the previous four winners went in at 5/1 or longer which is a record that Espoir De Guye may just break for Venetia Williams.
The favourite holds pretty strong claims for this 2m3f race as he heads to Ascot on the back of a fairly comfortable win at Exeter. However, it’s well worth complimenting a bet on Espoir De Guye with an each way option. On The Slopes fits the bill very nicely indeed at chunky odds of 16/1 with Coral and other bookies. The five-year-old may well run at a higher level than this and represents the in-form Chris Gordon yard so expect a big run.
2:25pm Marsh Hurdle
It may say Marsh Hurdle on the Ascot racecard but for racing fans this will always be known as the Long Walk. This prestigious Grade 1 is up there with the biggest long distance hurdles of the season and carries a healthy prize fund of £100,000. The expectation is that the bulk of that prize pot will be heading to connections of Paisley Park who is the firmest of favourites at 2/9 with bet365.
The supporting cast at Ascot is fairly strong. The experienced and very consistent L’Ami Serge in particular stands out in the betting at 12/1 and is worth each way support. Betting against the favourite would be a fairly brave move though. Paisley Park is the best long distance hurdler currently in training and should remind everybody of his qualities by defending his Long Walk crown.
3:00pm Silver Cup Handicap
The Silver Cup Handicap is never an easy race to predict. Just last year we saw a winner go in at the highly rewarding price of 33/1 and there are many horses in Saturday’s field who can provide a big win for their backers. Connections of Belami Des Pictons will hope that he can become the third winning favourite in 10 years and he is fairly clear at the head of the betting but this is a race where each way betting is surely the way forward.
Both Give Me A Copper (8/1 with Coral) and Yalltari (8/1 with bet365) are worthy of serious consideration but it’s Regal Encore, who always seems to save his best for Ascot, who gets the nod at 16/1 with bet365. Anthony Honeyball’s 11-year-old still has plenty left in the tank and he can leave most of his younger rivals in the shade by claiming a place at least.
3:35pm – Betfair Exchange Trophy
Saturday’s card at Ascot comes to an end with the Betfair Exchange Trophy. This Grade 3 hurdle usually goes the way of a younger horse and always to a horse with previous experience of winning over at least the 2m trip. There are several promising young hurdlers in the field for the 2019 renewal.
The depth of talent in the field suggests we may see a sixth double figure winner in the last 10 years. Whoshotthesherrif is one of those who excites at a big price and may prove popular purely on the name. Philip Kirby’s five-year-old faltered on his first start out of the novice hurdling division but was much better last time out at Haydock. The drop back in trip should suit and it wouldn’t take too much of a step forward for Whoshotthesherrif to claim a big win at nice odds of 10/1 with BetVictor.
Haydock
Haydock hosts its ever popular pre-Christmas meeting on Saturday. Tommy Whittle Chase Day is a big draw for families as well as hardcore horse racing fans.
The ITV Racing cameras will be in attendance on Saturday to broadcast the two big races on the card – the Tommy Whittle Handicap and the Betway Heed Your Hunch Handicap Hurdle and we’ve got tips for both.
2:40pm Tommy Whittle Chase
This is the feature race of the day at Haydock. The Tommy Whittle Chase is named after the man who served as director of Haydock Park for 30 years so is an important race for everybody connected with the course. It’s also an important race for connections of those in the field as a number of horses have used this as part of their preparations for the Grand National.
One of the quirks of this race is that none of the last decade’s winners came into the Tommy Whittle Chase on the back of a win. Don’t think that means this regularly goes to an outsider though. Horses in the top three or four of the betting have a decent record and that’s where we find Lord Du Mesnil.
This promising six-year-old has already proven his suitability for this 3m1½f trip and hasn’t finished outside of the top two in his three starts this season. He’s still fairly well treated by the handicapper so is more than interesting at 8/1 with Coral.
3:15pm Betway Heed Your Hunch Handicap Hurdle
The two horses at the top of the weights for the Betway Heed Your Hunch Handicap Hurdle – Chti Balko and Poetic Rhythm – are also the top two in the betting for this 2m3f contest. Horses at the top of the weights don’t have a particularly strong record in this race however, so we may see a bit of a market mover. Indeed, half of the last 12 winners had 10st 13lb or less to carry and it’s the horse right at the bottom of the weights who appeals most from a betting perspective.
Off The Hook’s seasonal reappearance wasn’t much to write home about. She finished sixth of nine at Ayr but those who have followed her before weren’t surprised about that. This powerful mare often needs a run or two under her belt before finding her best. Connections and punters alike will hope that sole run is enough to coax a much better performance from Off The Hook on Saturday. At 14/1 with bet365 it’s certainly worth finding out.