ITV Racing are live from three different courses on Saturday 1st November, with the action coming from Wetherby, Ascot and the Ladbroke's Champion Chase from Down Royal.
With graded and listed action on offer from Wetherby, some top competitive handicaps from Ascot and the Grade One feature from Down Royal, there's plenty to get stuck into for the weekend. We've gone through all the live races and picked out our tips and selections for the afternoon's action.
Lightning Flash 21
Won well over hurdles in a handicap at Perth in September before tackling fences for the first time at Chepstow and winning nicely at the first time of asking over the bigger obstacles.
Might have gotten away lightly with just a 5lbs rise in the weights for the 5 lengths success and faces a lot of rivals making their seasonal reappearance. Can put these to the sword from the front and can continue improving in this sphere. Should rate better than a 111 chaser in time.
Viroflay 7/2
A French recruit turned into a point to pointer, who went from winning between the flags to winning a Hunter Chase at Kempton in good style back in April. Ran well behind It’s On The Line in a Hunter Chase at the Punchestown Festival and rates some good form in the books.
Drops into a novice handicap chase here and with some good fencing experience in the books he should be better than a mark of 136 with usual pilot Olive Nicholls in the saddle claiming 7lbs.
Golden Ace 1/2
Only three runners are going to post for this listed mares’ race and it’s hard to look past Champion Hurdler Golden Ace on her return to action.
2 miles is absolutely her optimum trip and and she’ll likely have too much pace for Kateira and too much class for Dysart Enos. Is a skinny price at the top of the market but she’s clearly the best of these three mares and should be hard to beat despite her Grade One Penalty.
Martator 6/1
This is very much an ideal course and distance and underfoot conditions for Martator who goes well around Ascot on good ground, winning this race last year before taking a similar event later in the month off only 1lbs lower than he lines up off today.
There’s some more quality in the field this year, but he’s fallen to an attractive enough handicap mark and goes well fresh. Can put in another bold showing in this contest for Venetia Williams.
Strong Leader 15/8
Won on seasonal comeback last year and looks the one to beat again here in the West Yorkshire Hurdle.
These grade two events are very much his level, winning a grade 2 at Newbury last year before finishing the season with a good 2nd at the Punchestown Festival.
Olly Murphy has been flying this season already and will look to continue his strong vein of form.
Envoi Allen 2/1
He’s not getting any younger but Envoi Allen loves Down Royal and has won 5 of his 6 runs at this venue, his only defeat coming in this race 2 years ago to Gerri Colombe by a neck.
He scored in this last year, holding off the late charge of Hewick and although he’s now 11 years old, this is his favourite course and distance. He’ll have been trained with this as his “gold cup” and should be hard to beat if retaining his ability at 11.
Hewick 7/2
The ground’s stayed relatively quick at Wetherby and it plays to the strengths of fast finisher Hewick. The King George winner in 2023, he’s struggled to recapture that same kind of form since but conditions look ideal for him here.
Fit from a spin over hurdles recently where he won at Thurles, he can use his race fitness against his rivals here and put in his usual strong finish. Looks a good price at 4/1.
Moveitlikeminnie 7/1
A good hurdler on his day, a small experiment chasing didn’t go to plan for the Twiston-Davies trainee but a return to timber has seen him in decent form again.
His seasonal comeback at Chepstow was solid enough, just looking like he needed the outing and plugging along into 2nd. He lines up off an unchanged mark on nice quick ground. Race fit and on his second outing after a wind op, he should shape well for the yard again.
Max Of Stars 13/2
A really nice mare Max Of Stars who’s mixed it in both codes winning over hurdles and on the flat. After two spins on the flat recently she returned to hurdles over course and distance and won nicely.
Only nudged up 2lbs for that win, feasibly she’s still quite well treated off a mark of 117 and enjoys good ground. Fully fit, in good form and a decent price of 13/2, she can get right in the mix again.
Marble Sands 9/1
At the prices it looks a better play to side with Marble Sands over the favourite The Changing Man, with the two having some form in the Rehearsal Chase last season, Marble Sands giving The Changing Man 16lbs.
They meet now on level weights and although 17 lengths separated them at Newcastle last winter, the swing in the weights should see Marble Sands finish much closer. Flat from a recent run on the flat, he’s unexposed as a staying chaser and might just appreciate the stamina test now he’s older.
Below we've compiled some of the best bookmaker free bets and offers promotions ahead of Saturday's racing for you to get free bets ahead of the live ITV Racing.
Other specific tips available include:
