talkSPORT have you covered with free horse racing tips and free bets on Saturday’s fixtures at Haydock for the Betfair Chase, Ascot for the 1965 Chase and Punchestown for the Morgiana Hurdle.
Tom Lunn has gone through the cards, form, going and much more to help guide your horse racing betting choices.
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Looks a great hurdler for Sam Thomas, who really has caught the eye on previous runs.
His form has only been franked more and more too, after placing a neck second to Doyen Quest at Newbury in March before going close out of 20 to Helnwein at Sandown in April.
He was then placed yet again behind Lump Sum just one length off of the winner despite carrying 5lb more.
Despite not winning since February his places have been impressive and all worked out very well, which is why he’s been upped 13lb since March.
He arrives here at a nice price albeit carrying top-weight but strikes me as a gelding that can only progress further as a six-year-old especially as he’s by Doctor Dino.
Hard not to fancy the top-rated horse in this field on what is a return for the first time this season for all runners.
Hillcrest is back after a staggering 981 days away and it’s hard to imagine him coming back winning as a nine-year-old in this tough competition.
Tahmuras has great form from last season but will likely need a lot more if Iroko is on song.
The JP McManus-owned horse was last seen at Aintree in the Grade 1 Mildmay Novices’ Chase where he finished just second to Inothewayurthinkin.
That form in itself is great and steps back to 2m5f and can confirm his ability over fences this season with a great summer of progression.
He’s the type to come on from his noteworthy runs, like when a close third to Apple Away over hurdles, beating all in the Martin Pipe at Cheltenham Festival in 2023.
He’s still dangerously unexposed over fences like much of these but is the only one to have top Grade 1 form.
Though he was disappointing in the Turners Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham last season, it really just seemed that Grey Dawning was just that good, while also having a poorer run than he’s capable of.
The Stayers’ Handicap Hurdle features 16 runners and could well be the best race of the day despite the other graded contests.
Doyen Quest could still be well-weighted and is the choice of stable jockey Harry Skelton over Catch Him Derry, who has Tristan Durrell up.
The latter could also still be at a dangerous weight as he was second to Gwennie May Boy and confirmed that franked form when winning two in a row since, including over this distance at Ayr in April.
He’s dangerously unexposed over these longer distances and is fresher than Doyen Quest who is set to make a quick return to the track after winning at Cheltenham last Saturday.
He’s been upped 10lb for that victory but only carries 5lb more at Haydock, so does make a solid case.
He was a close third back in November 2022 when returning from 332 days off, all the way back when he was rated 76 – now upped 49lb in total.
Kerryhill is dangerously unexposed too despite being amongst the top-rated after being upped 13lb for a wide margin success at Doncaster in the Grade 2 Albert Bartlett River Don Novices’ Hurdle in January.
Makes a highly anticipated return and is one of a few that could make all which is why rather than opting for one we can put all three of: Doyen Quest, Catch Him Derry and Kerryhill into a combination tricast/trifecta for a small stake but with a potential high reward even if it is a bit of a long shot.
The Grade 1 Betfair Chase is up next with over £100k going to the winner.
The extended 3m1f chase is a tough race and as such it attracts the best chasers, including those looking to confirm their step up to these Grade 1’s amongst some already experienced stamina-tested jumpers.
Grey Dawning is only seven-years-old but it’s his time to show what he’s capable of.
It probably couldn’t come at a better time with his trainer Dan Skelton in incredible form this season.
The grey has won three times over fences including the Turners Novices’ Chase before placing third behind Il Etait Temps at Aintree the month after.
I was keen on this horse going for the Brown Advisory due to his clear stamina ability, so it’s great to see him over 3m again and as such is an easy bet here, albeit at 9/4 which is a little bit too skinny amongst this field.
Especially for a horse that is making his reappearance for the first time up against some of the best chasers over this distance.
It’s difficult not to side with Hewick as I often do, including for the King George last year as he’s placed in the top three in each of his last two races back this season.
After placing just half a length off of Envoi Allen earlier this month, he could be once again underestimated and overpriced to show off his stamina in this.
The odds had been suggesting Grey Dawning would be one to beat and the fact he’s even around 9/4 to win against these rivals says a lot, the rain should also help him out to rule out Hewick who likes good ground and it could be the Skeltons on top once again.
These races are notoriously difficult to predict, but with respective form it could be the more unexposed horse who rises to the challenge.
This antepost price on Pic D’Orhy still looks like value at this stage with only eight runners still in contention at this stage before the declaration on Thursday morning.
If they all enter it wouldn’t be surprising to see Pic D’Orhy go further into odds-on favourite which he certainly will with anymore withdrawals.
Some might be put off but the fact he pulled up last time out but that was on soft ground and may well just not enjoy Aintree as a track.
He’s still by far the best-rated chaser in the field and only gives a small amount of weight away.
The now nine-year-old gelding has won nine times over fences including twice last year over this course and distance.
He seems to enjoy running at Ascot now having struggled here initially, but since winning in 2021 a Novice Grade 2 ahead of Faivoir has gone 211, only beaten by Shishkin in the Ascot Chase.
Harry Cobden rides who’s in great form for all that he rides for not just the Paul Nicholls stable, who are also getting plenty of winners at this stage of the season.
This one may be best to wait for the full declarations before betting as the ten runners alone are enough of a headache, as there’s clear chances from the unbeaten over hurdles Golden Ace, Blueking d’Oroux, Jango Baie, Thunder Rock and Salver.
The former and favourite, gets plenty of weight from her rivals but is still up there in the ratings.
She gets 6lb from gelding Salver who was looking at staying unbeaten until the Triumph Hurdle won by Majborough.
He was only beaten by a few lengths and did stay on in testing conditions and looks interesting at an each-way price stepping up in trip beyond 2m for the first time.
Lucky Place appeals the most given his form last season, the five-year-old did really well to place behind Golden Ace in January, then Gidleigh Park at Cheltenham 19 days later, before a valiant effort 4th in the Coral Cup at Cheltenham Festival.
He was a massive price at 12/1 with the field yet to be confirmed, and could well have more to give this season after a summer break.
The key thing is too that Lucky Place was giving Golden Ace a stone in weight back at Taunton and though they’ve both progressed in the races since, it’s very much in his favour now only giving 4lb away.
Venetia Williams is finding some form now and her gelding Martator was certainly overpriced for his first run back this season.
He won nicely ahead of some top rivals in the Grade 3 at Ascot and can return to this track with another win as something of a course specialist, having won here in March too.
He’s continually been upped in the weights but keeps finding more and more.
Beating Outlaw Peter by seven lengths at Sandown in April and has now won four in a row.
Latest 6lb rise doesn’t look like it will be enough to stop him on his second run this campaign against some similarly rated chasers.
It could end up being a small field for this race on Saturday but even with 20 runners, State Man would still be odds-on and favoured to win this race with ease.
He’s unbeaten in his last six races at Punchestown, Cheltenham and Leopardstown only ever beaten by Constitution Hill since 2022.
Each win has been as comfortable as it could be and shouldn’t find this any tougher albeit against some stablemates who could be looking to find another gear this year.
One being Lossiemouth who at just five-years-old is a mare who could win everything she goes for this season but could be unfortunate if she bumps into the likes of State Man and Constitution Hill in the process.
Distance betting would be the play here ability wise but in reality he’s only ever really winning by less than five lengths as Paul Townend judges it right and doesn’t push the horse too much to win by the maximum.
All odds correct at time of writing
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