Saturday’s ITV Racing broadcast from Ascot, Haydock and Wincanton is a nine-race bonanza headlined by the Grade 1 Clarence House Chase (3.37), with a quality undercard featuring three Grade 2 events as well Haydock’s Grand National Trial (3.15).
A field day could be in the offing for favourite backers – all three of our TV selections heading their respective markets at the time of writing.
ITV Racing Tips – Saturday
1.50 Ascot – Jingko Blue to win @ 6/5
2.40 Haydock – Beauport to win @ 7/4
3.37 Ascot – Pic D’Orhy to win @ 13/8
Bet on the latest horse racing odds at Betzone
Weight hike won’t stop Henderson hotpot with headroom to improve
Nicky Henderson’s JINGKO BLUE renews hostilities with Lowry’s Bar in the Ebony Horse Club Reynoldstown Novices’ Chase (1.50) having given the second-named a two-and-quarter-length beating off level weights at Windsor in January.
Repeating the dose will be tougher for the 5lb penalty he must shoulder this time around, but the six-year-old will be making only his seventh career start over obstacles having won four of the first six and should be open to a good deal more improvement.
The expected good-to-soft ground at Ascot will also favour the selection (twice a winner on the going), whereas Lowry’s Bar was beaten 15 lengths the only time he’s raced on ground faster than soft.
Tip: 1.50 Ascot – Jingko Blue to win @ 6/5
Well-treated Beauport can lead Rendlesham field a merry dance
Nigel Twiston-Davies narrowly failed to pull off a 16/1 Grade 1 coup in the Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot before Christmas when BEAUPORT was reeled in 110 yards from home.
That run was all the more impressive for being his first run over the smaller obstacles since April 2022 and he’s weighted to gain Grade 2 recompense for that near miss in the Rendlesham Hurdle (2.40).
Officially rated 154 over hurdles on the back of that effort, Beauport has the highest BHA mark in the field, yet receives 6lbs in weight from next best Nemean Lion (151) and Botox Has (149).
The first of those rivals would prefer the likely good-to-soft going to be soft or heavy and has never raced over further than 2m5f, while the latter’s two wins from as many runs at Haydock both came on heavy ground.
Tip: 2.40 Haydock – Beauport to win @ 7/4
Nicholls’ Ascot middle-distance specialist can land Grade 1 feature again
The mantle of favourite for the Clarence House Chase (3.37) is likely to pass back and forth between Corbetts Cross, L’Homme Presse and PIC D’ORHY between now and the off but the latter is a confident pick.
Paul Nicholls’ 10-year-old has won four of his five runs at Ascot over trips from 2m3f-2m5f, including when beating L’Homme Presse by five-and-a-half-lengths in this race last term.
That Venetia-Williams-trained rival arguably needs further these days, having required virtually every yard of the nearly 3m2f Cotswold Chase trip to reel in Stage Star last time out and staying trips also appear to bring out the best in Corbett’s Cross – winner of the 3m6f National Hunt Chase last year.
Pic D’Orhy proved this trip remains right up his street when adding to his enviable record at the Berkshire circuit when landing a second successive Grade 2 1965 Chase over course and distance in November.
