ITV Racing serves up a substantial nine-race programme from Bangor, Kelso and Newbury this Saturday and while the card features an array of head-scratchingly-competitive handicaps there are at least two very backable favourites to be found.
They both run at the Scottish track, while south of the border there’s an each-way play boasting a 16lbs weight pull with a potential market leader despite losing to her by less than three lengths two runs back.
ITV Racing Tips – Saturday March 22
1.50 Kelso – Wyenot to win @ 5/6
3.00 Kelso – Surrey Belle to win @ 5/1
3.15 Newbury – Betty’s Tiara to win @ 13/1 (each-way)
Bet on the latest horse racing odds at Betzone
Daly mare has been found ideal opportunity at Kelso
Henry Daly’s WYENOT is trading at around even money at the time of writing but seems certain to go off shorter as punters cotton on to what amounts to a nice bit of placement from the trainer.
The six-year-old is at least 9lbs clear of each of her rivals on official ratings yet must give no more than 4lbs in weight to any of them. She also comfortably disposed of Ottizzini, next best according to the handicapper, by nine lengths two starts ago off level weights.
A 4lb pull with that rival won’t be enough to reverse the placings on that evidence and the unexposed selection has confirmed her class with a good third in a Grade 2 mares outing at Doncaster on her sole start since.
Tip: 1.50 Kelso – Wyenot to win @ 5/6
Upwardly-mobile joint-top-weight can make her class tell
Theoretically Rula Bula and SURREY BELLE are joint-top-weights in the Ladbrokes Herring Queen Series Final Mares’ Novices’ Handicap Hurdle (3.00), but in practice the latter alone will shoulder 12st as the former benefits from Benjamin Macey’s 7lb claim.
Preference is still for Surrey Belle, who has the north’s best jockey Brian Hughes in the plate and looks the most progressive mare in the field on what we’ve seen to date.
A winner in each of her last two starts, she was hit by a 7lb weight hike for smashing a field that included a maiden winner by 57 lengths last time out.
Surrey Belle had started her career over timber with a pair of close seconds, including a half-length defeat to Gibbs Island in she which conceded 6lbs in weight to a conqueror that won his next start by six lengths and is now rated 132 having been considered good enough to contest the Triumph Hurdle.
The selection runs off a mark of 121 here, suggesting she should still be well ahead of the handicapper.
Tip: 3.00 Kelso – Surrey Belle to win @ 5/1
Betty’s too big on Jasmine Bliss form if wind-op has worked
Jasmine Bliss is certain to be contesting favouritism for the BetVictor British EBF “National Hunt” Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle (3.15), having beaten the re-opposing La Pinsonniere, I Am The Moon and Jakana by 11 lengths and more last time out in what was her second successive victory.
As a result BETTY’s TIARA is worth a second look on her first run after a wind operation, having finished just two-and-three-quarter lengths behind Jasmine Bliss off level weights in the latter’s previous outing.
When the pair renew their rivalry our pick will be in receipt of a whopping 16lbs and could well find improved form for having her breathing looked at in the interim.
Tip: 3.15 Newbury – Betty’s Tiara to win @ 13/1 (each-way)
