talkSPORT have you covered with free horse racing tips and free bets on Saturday’s fixtures at Ascot, Wetherby and Down Royal.
Tom Lunn has gone through the cards, form, going and much more to help guide your horse racing betting choices.
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Saturday racing tips
- ASCOT
3.45: Chianti Classico 3/1 (1pt) & Highstakesplayer 10/1 each-way (1pt) - DOWN ROYAL
2.40: Hewick 11/2 each-way (1.5pts) - WETHERBY
1.50: Luccia 5/6 (2pts)
2.22: Dashel Drasher 5/1 (1pt)
2.58: Bravemansgame 11/8 (2pts)
Chianti Classico & Highstakesplayer
The Sodexo Live! Gold Cup Handicap Chase over 3m is the feature race of the afternoon at Ascot, with Chianti Classico the big favourite.
The seven-year-old won the Ultima at Cheltenham Festival back in March and followed that success up when raised 11lb with a respectable fourth place of six at Aintree’s Milmday Novices’ Chase.
The Kim Bailey-trained star has won three of his five chase starts and after a summer break will likely have improved a lot.
He will of course have to do it off top-weight which is where some each-way potential comes from.
Neon Moon who has been tipped a few times before has reached new heights after a successful wind op and now reaches his highest mark yet, with potential for more improvement as he loves this kind of trip.
Solo trained by Paul Nicholls also has a solid chance back from a break on his first run since a wind surgery, having won the Grade 2 Pendil Novices’ Chase back in February 2023 and placing in Grade 2 company behind Elixir De Nutz in November.
He only had one run in 2024 which confirmed something was amiss and has had the summer to sort out his breathing.
The now eight-year-old gelding has lots of potential but probably best watched on return for now.
Highstakesplayer is another on the up with four wins in his last five races and continues to defy his rise in the weights.
When backing a tough 3m handicap you need the horse to be consistent over this trip, like the ground and any course form is a bonus.
The weights play a huge part of course which is where those like Neon Moon and Highstakesplayer can pay huge dividends.
Our Power has exceptional stamina, placing 11th in the Grand National, but hasn’t been seen since December after two poorer efforts since the Aintree feature race.
Chianti Classico is hard to ignore which is why backing two in this could be a great approach.
He’s been seen in top form and wasn’t disgraced in Grade 1 company last time out so has the ability to win this, especially with course form.
While Highstakesplayer who has been seen twice 3m over fences has won both times and could still yet to be near his ceiling mark getting 17lb from Chianto Classico which could be enough to take advantage of.
Hewick
I did fancy Gerri Colombe for the Charlie Hall at Wetherby but he has of course gone for the Ladbrokes Champion Chase instead.
Now at a better price I’d probably snap him up given his consistent form in big races, but at 8/11 in a race like this I’d have to go with one of my favourite horses, and King George VI Chase winner Hewick.
He’s a nice price at 11/2 and we know he stays and stays over these trips.
And as tipped in the King George last December, is always underestimated.
Since that win ahead of Bravemansgame, he’s gone over hurdles twice but been right up there in chases just beaten in Auteuil by over length and should return to his best here.
Luccia
Luccia has seemed to really improve after winning in December of last year at Ascot in Grade 3 company she went on to go a close third in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham Festival.
It wasn’t quite on the cards that she’d run that well as the 33/1 shot and confirmed that ability when a decent enough fourth of eight in the Grade 1 Aintree Hurdle a month later.
She comes up against the five-year-old promising mare, Brighterdaysahead, trained by Gordon Elliott.
The Gigginstown House-owned horse was a narrow second at Cheltenham Festival in the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle when 5/6 favourite, but went on to score the Mersey Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree in style.
Over an even 2m though Luccia, who will have likely improved even further over the summer will be tough to beat, with her speed and grit while only giving away 1lb to the Grade 1 winner.
Her form to go close to the likes of State Man and compete with the likes of Langer Dan, Bob Olinger and the winner at Aintree, Impaire Et Passe.
Dashel Drasher
This looks to be a great renewal of the Grade 2 bet365 hurdle as it’s now so wide open in the betting between just the seven runners remaining.
Dashel Drasher is once again a great price for this race having placed third here last year off 6lb higher.
He’s 11 now but given his form last season he’s got to still have more to offer his fans, of which there are many based on his attitude and winning ability in the last few years.
Gaining even more popularity when placing a close second at 40/1 in the Stayers’ Hurdle at Cheltenham Festival in 2023.
He’s not quite been at it in his last two runs but he should be great back from a break.
Bravemansgame
The Charlie Hall Chase may be a Grade 2 but it’s attracted all the very best of chasers and may as well be a top Grade 1 with the lineup expected on Saturday.
Bravemansgame could well lineup amongst the field for his first outing of the season but has yet to win since the King George in 2022, but has placed second on four occasions close up in other graded contests, including in this last year behind Gentlemansgame.
He certainly improved after in the King George VI Chase in 2023 but was denied by an incredible run by Hewick.
Grey Dawning could be going up in trip to 3m again which wasn’t the route at Cheltenham Festival earlier this year, but was clearly the right choice as the grey stormed home to win the Turners Novices’ Chase over 2m4f.
His ability over 3m has always been there and I’d tipped him in the antepost rather hopefully for that meeting to opt for the Broadway Novices’ Chase.
So he appeals greatly as another unexposed sort over this distance, especially after a dominant performance over 3m at Warwick in January beating Apple Away by 14 lengths.
The likes of Gerri Colombe and Hewick entering the Champion Chase at Down Royal on Saturday instead opens it up a bit too.
Conflated has come in, in the odds as a result of those movers and is the top-rated horse in the field, but has struggled on his last two races.
For that, Bravemansgame is the best choice as his superiority still remains despite having not won in a while, he’s been placed in the best possible races and will be fresh to strike here.
Tom Lunn’s Profit/Loss
- October ’24: +21.57
- From May ’24: +155.99pts
- From July ’23: +368.55pts
All odds correct at time of writing
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