Weekend View: Saturday February 15

1pt win Altobelli in the 2.25 Ascot at 6/1 (General)

1pt win Famous Bridge in the 3.15 Haydock at 12/1 (Bet365, 10/1 Sky Bet, Betvictor)

Sky Bet odds | Paddy Power | Betfair Sportsbook

It’s a busy day of racing on Saturday with Ascot, Haydock and Wincanton all set to feature on ITV and I’m going to start at the first-named track in the Betfair Exchange Handicap Hurdle.

Joyeux Machin has attracted support in the ante-post market this morning and you can see why, given he’s only had three starts for Dan Skelton and caught the eye somewhat under a patient ride at Wetherby earlier this month. He appears to be building up to something for one of the best target trainers around.

However, I thought ALTOBELLI won well over this course and distance last month, and I prefer his claims at the prices. He beat the now very smart chaser Ginny’s Destiny by five and a half lengths in a bumper at Exeter three years ago and looked promising sent over hurdles the following season, winning his first two starts in this sphere, impressively so over a similar trip to this at Chepstow (recorded a very good timefigure).

Altobelli lost his unbeaten record in the Grade 1 Top Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree afterwards, his jumping not passing the test in much deeper waters, but the fact he even contested that race tells you a little bit about the regard he’s been held from an early stage.

Admittedly, he didn’t quite meet expectations last season, only running three times but proving expensive to follow, though barring his below-par effort in the Betfair Hurdle, he did run creditably in a couple of handicaps over two miles at this course.

He finished runner-up to the useful Knickerbockerglory who made all of the running, whereas Altobelli was ridden with much more restraint and should be given extra credit for pulling clear of the remainder given how that race was run.

He ran another good race when third to Nicky Henderson’s smart mare Luccia, with Impose Toi in second when Altobelli was giving him 1lb. That rival has improved since but Altobelli is still weighted to reverse that form if they meet on Saturday.

He was beaten on his return when a strong favourite at Doncaster in December, but that was again over two miles and he did look a little rusty after 10 months off, while he was also outpaced in a steadily-run race before rallying well in the latter stages.

Connections fitted him with first-time cheekpieces and moved him back up in trip which worked the oracle last time and he had plenty in hand at the line. He briefly looked outpaced when the pace increased entering the straight, plenty still in with a chance but once he was pulled out into the clear he responded very well for pressure.

Altobelli also jumped well on that occasion – has let him down in the past – and it is worth noting he’s now two from two at this trip. He shapes as though he’ll stay further in time, too, but he has a solid record at Ascot, is totally unexposed at this trip and he’s just 5lb higher in the weights. Harry Fry is in good form, too, and it is hard to see him not running another big race under conditions which should be similar to last time.

The Oddschecker Grand National Trial Handicap Chase takes place at Haydock on Saturday and there are plenty of familiar faces amongst the entries, including last year’s winner Yeah Man, while if Royale Pagaille takes his chance he will keep plenty of these out of the weights.

That includes FAMOUS BRIDGE, who will race from 2lb out of the handicap if so, but he still appeals to me as a horse who remains with untapped potential over marathon trips.

His jumping hasn’t always been fluent, prone to making the odd mistake – including when still travelling well on the inner when unseating his rider at the seventeenth fence in this race last year – but he progressed nicely last season and did particularly well at this track.

Famous Bridge won a handicap chase over an extended 25 furlongs at this track and followed up in good style over the same course and distance in the Tommy Whittle from a mark of 135, proving never stronger than at the finish in gruelling conditions.

He ran no sort of race back on better ground in the Great Yorkshire Chase at Doncaster next time, an early mistake seeming to unsettle him, but as previous mentioned he still looked threatening when departing in this race 12 months ago.

Famous Bridge wasn’t disgraced when hitting the frame in the Ultima at the Cheltenham Festival on his final start last season, handling a stiff test of jumping in a competitive field well, and he proved at least as good as ever on his return at Kelso in October.

He was beaten only by a back-to-form course specialist on that occasion, doing all of his best work at the finish while also leaving the impression he would come on a good bit for the run. His latest run when attempting to defend his crown in the Tommy Whittle in December wasn’t as good, his jumping again not always fluent and he was a spent force in the straight.

Famous Bridge did start favourite that day, though, and he is much better than he could show on that occasion. He was a non-runner at Doncaster recently on account of unsuitable good ground and, while it doesn’t look set to be all that testing at Haydock this weekend, there should still be soft somewhere in the description.

The angle with him is moving back up to a marathon trip, as stamina has long since looked his forte, and at a double-figure price I think he’s worth taking a chance on. Nicky Richards has also hit top form of late, the majority of his horses hitting the frame in the last three weeks or so with several winning. Famous Bridge arrives a fresh horse and at a track he clearly likes I think he’ll run a big race over this trip, where the likely slower tempo should help his jumping.

Preview posted at 1530 GMT on 11/02/2025

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