talkSPORT have you covered with free horse racing tips and free bets on Saturday’s fixtures at Haydock, Wincanton and Ascot.
Tom Lunn has gone through the cards, form, going and much more to help guide your horse racing betting choices.
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There’s a huge chance of getting something each-way from this race of 14 hurdlers in the Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle over 3m.
There’s a few unexposed sorts either lightly raced in general or lightly raced over 3m that appeal to make a bit of a surprise.
Kilbarry Hill is one of those at a nice 15/2 each-way price, having placed close behind Uncle Bert last time out and now gets a slightly better chance in the weights as he was upped 3lb for that second place finish.
Sean Bowen is back on board though instead of 3lb claimer Lewis Stones, but with this being just his third start over 3m and his pedigree really suggesting this is ideal.
Kilbarry Hill has just seemed to get the hang of things now after being a maiden for so long and can keep the progression going.
Two wins from two now and both of those have come from being stepped up from a decent 2m race on seasonal debut in December.
I think this horse is top class and now has really revealed that he’s better suited to a longer trip.
He’s won six from 13 hurdle contests in his career but is unexposed over this trip and could be the surprise stayer given how he has won in the last two.
Down to a dangerous weight for this big contest, the Grand National Trial, having shown real ability at these kind of distances before.
She had a wind op which seemed to do the trick when placing a close second in listed company but hasn’t quite been up there in two contests over 3m2f+ since.
That being said it’s impossible for horses to be ultra consistent in those stamina testing contests.
She’s now 2lb lower than when a close second at Warwick in a Grade 3 3m5f chase in January 2024 so makes a huge appeal at this kind of a price.
As much as I like Burdett Road, an evens shot or even odds-on against these rivals who are also still very much improving is a tough price to back.
Brentford Hope was second behind Constitution Hill last time out, which is tricky to judge considering he barely even left 4th gear let alone going into 5th.
But it was still encouraging and this eight-year-old could have that bit of experience over the five-year-old Burdett Road, who did show a bit of naivety last time out making a mistake at the second last.
Golden Ace gets the chance at the weights but hasn’t been able to reap those rewards in similar circumstances against Lucky Place and Gowel Road last time out.
As a result Brentford Hope makes the best shot for me from a potential value standpoint.
This race has lots of interesting runners, like The Changing Man who hasn’t won since November 2022 but has placed a close second nine times since.
Most of those second place finished have come over fences too and will need a bit more to win here you’d have thought.
Jingko Blue has to carry 5lb more than his rivals, but did win off odds-on against Lowry’s Bar at Windsor in January quite comfortably.
Despite carrying that extra weight, the manner in which he wont last time would suggest that’s probably not enough to stop him if they have to battle it out.
That was his first go at 3m and a return to that here on what is just his third chase start will be his chance to showcase just how good he is/can be.
L’Homme Presse is returning pretty quickly from his victory at Cheltenham last month, but I’d be airing on the side of caution with backing him – as are many with him drifting from around 2’s to close to 3/1 at the time of writing.
He only just beat the unexposed Stage Star at that trip and would probably be up against it facing the two front runners.
Pic D’orhy has great form at Ascot winning this last year at a similar price ahead of L’Homme Presse.
Corbetts Cross is the big rival to both of these this year.
But it does seem this horse is even better suited to stamina tests and this looks just suited to the Paul Nicholls-trained horse.
All odds correct at time of writing
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