ITV Racing Saturday Kempton And Warwick Preview

First up is the Class 2 Handicap Chase over two miles that only sees four runners head to post but it still looks a very competitive affair.

The horse we are siding with is the Venetia Williams trained Brave Seasca who still looks well enough weighted to stay under the handicappers grasp for another run.

A fair hurdles horse for the yard, winning on his final start last term at Huntingdon, seeing off the very expensive Interconnected for Dan Skelton.

Always bought to be a chaser, he was let loose over the bigger obstacles this term and finished sixth of 13 on debut behind some nice types, with many of them since franking the form.

Brave Seasca himself gave the form a boost next time out when winning over course and distance at Warwick by 10 lengths in a handicap chance.

He made it 2/2 last time out at Ascot in the a valuable handicap chase running off 7lb higher but taking it in his stride to see off Amarillo Sky by an eased down three lengths.

Up another 9lb for that win now on a mark of 137 it still shouldn't be enough to stop him landing the hat-trick.

Plenty of things in his favour.

One of our strongest bets at the prices across the cards comes in the Class 3 Handicap Chase over 2m 4 1/2f with Champagne Court for Jeremy Scott.

This nine year old has been rejuvenated this term switching back to hurdles, running to a very high standard on all three of his starts this term.

In October he went to Fontwell and finished a good second behind a nice type for Gary Moore and then backed that up next time out at Sandown when another close third.

Last time out at Exeter he managed to see off strong challenges from two well handicapped types to get off the mark for the season on soft ground.

He now reverts top fences where he used to run in much better races than this off a much higher mark and if converting his hurdles form to the larger obstacles, he could make a mockery of his mark of 130.

One of the best bets on the Warwick card comes in the Group Two Hampton Novices' Chase over three miles and we can't see past the smart front runner Threeunderthrufive.

The McNeilly owned gelding was a smart horse in bumpers that made the leap over hurdles last term and looked like a very talented stayer.}

Racing five times he went on to win four events in good style between 19f and 24f only suffering his first defeat in the Grade One Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham festival when a valiant sixth.

This season he has been sent over fences and has always looked the type to progress for fences and he has done just that

Needing his first experience at Chepstow behind a subsequent next time out winner, he has since landed a hat-trick of victories over the bigger obstacles, landing a nice race at Exeter before heading to Cheltenham in a good event where he won nicely.

Looking to land the hat-trick last time out he bolted up in a three runner event at Doncaster and back in a small field against lesser opposition he should get the job done again.

One of the big races of the day at Kempton on Saturday is the Grade Two Silviniaco Conti Chase and with only four runners set to got to post it is going to be a very tactical affair.

We are siding with the Nicky Henderson trained Mister Fisher, who does have to bounce back to form like many in the field, but looks to be the class angle.Mister Fisher sealed his first win over fences over at Cheltenham back in January 2020, having been sent chasing after a decent hurdling career.

He dropped back down to two miles to win the Lightening Novices’ chase on his next start, and then rounded out that season coming fourth in a strong renewal of the Marsh Novices' Chase behind Samcro.

Last season he started poorly with him failing to complete in the Paddy Power Gold Cup, before bouncing straight back to form to win the Grade Two Peterborough Chase over 2m4f at Cheltenham again.

Heading into the Ryanair Chase and tipped to go well, the gelding smacked nearly every fence and was pulled up before the finish, with his run to bad to be true.

The Seven Barrows team decided to try him over 3m1f next time out in the Grade One Betway Bowl at Aintree and although going well out in front, his jumping let him down again and he unseated Nico De Boinville.

He finished last term going down narrowly behind Frodon in the Grade Two Oaksey Chase, with that being one of his best runs of the season.

Keeping him at three miles for his seasonal return this term, he looked to need the run massively in the King George VI Chase when being pulled up.

Back in trip, in a much easier race and much fitter for his first run, he should go better here and looks the class angle.

Another Grade Two follows and it sees the 2m5f Ballymore Leamington Novices' Hurdle and we are siding with the Nicky Henderson trained.

The five year old Surrey Quest has been a great addition to the Seven Barrows yard this term, costing £50,000 as a three year old.

Making his rules debut in May 2021 when second to stablemate Russian Ruler over two miles at Warwick in a bumper, he has since been sent hurdling this term.

Starting his term off at Leicester he won a three runner event at Leicester in decent fashion, but last time out but up a massive career best to take a good Novices' Hurdle at Doncaster by close to eight lengths.

That run came in tricky conditions and the way he breezed away from the field was very taking and he now deserves his chance in this grade.

The feature event on the card at Kempton is the Listed Lanzarotte Handicap Hurdle over 2m5f and with a field of 20 runners heading to post we have picked out two horses at each way prices that might be worth following.

The first is the Paul Nicholls trained Gelino Bello, who now drops into a handicap having been running well behind the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle favourite in graded races.

A decent bumper horse last term being seen twice and winning on debut ahead of the smart Datsalrightgino before finishing a superb third in a bumper that has seen numerous winners come out of it.

Sent hurdling this term by Nicholls, the gelding made an impressive debut at Aintree in October winning a Maiden Hurdle over 2m4f by six lengths, with the second since winning again.

Looking to back that up he bumped into Blazing Khal at Cheltenham in a Grade Two event and had to settle for second over 2m5f.

Taking on the same rival again at Prestbury Park last time out over three miles this time, the same thing happened with him back in second, but that form looks extremely strong.

He now drops into his first handicap event off a mark of 138 which looks feasible enough to get involved.

At a similar price to our first selection, we think Green Book for Venetia Williams is a highly progressive animal that off a mark of 130 could get involved.

The five year old has come over from the flat for Venetia Williams this term having been a decent stayer for her on the flat and this term has extended that form over obstacles.

Making his seasonal debut in December on heavy at Haydock in a three runner event the front two pulled well clear of the third and he only went down by a length.

Learning a lot for that experience he got off the mark next time out at Haydock winning by close to five lengths in a decent handicap hurdle.

Up in trip at Ludlow last time out off the same mark of 122, he bolted up again revelling in the extra trip and only up 8lb he should go close.

With that, he is effectively off 120 with handy 10lb claimer Ned Fox taking the ride.

Following that form line for this race, we also think last year's winner in the race Notachance for trainer Alan King can make it back to back renewals in the race.

The eight year old landed this event off a mark of 139 last term and enters the race this term off exactly the same mark, having been less than impressive since this win.

Being pulled up twice after her win in this race, she was not seen again until November this term and once again she did not complete the race.

However, last time out she put up a much better effort to finish a fair sixth in the Tommy Whittle Handicap Chase at Haydock and having been dropping down the weights he is now back to a mark where he can get competitive.

The penultimate event of the afternoon is the Class 2 Handicap Chase over three miles and the horse that makes most appeal is the Smarty Wild for Philip Hobbs.

The eight year old is a horse that does his best work around this mark and at this time of year, winning at this meeting last term off a mark of 130 in a similar handicap event over 20.5f.

Since then he has put up some nice thirds off higher marks, two starts ago at Ascot behind some progressive types and then last time up to three miles for the first time.

Down to a mark of 131 which is only 1lb higher than his last winning mark makes him a big player at a track he likes and being unexposed at the trip could be in his favour.

He is a horse that you need to catch at a good time and we believe Saturday is it.

The final selection of the afternoon from us comes in the Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle Qualifier and at the bottom of the weights Riggs looks the one to beat.

The Dan Skelton trained seven year old has been a very smart hurdles horse for the yard over the last few years, knocking on the door in plenty of races without actually getting his head in front that often.

Last term saw some of his best runs to date, when needing his first outing but after that went on to run four more times, winning a nice event and then placing in three strong events at Kempton, Doncaster and Sandown.

Having fell on his final appearance of last term he was put away until his seasonal return in November like previous seasons looked to need the run.

However, he bounced back in a big way last time out at Haydock when stepped up to three miles for the first time in his career at Haydock in the Grade Three Stayers' Handicap Hurdle and he was a narrow second to a well handicapped Dans Le Vent.

He went up 5lb for that run which still leaves him on a very feasible mark of 132 and being unexposed at the trip is only a positive for him with big improvement still expected.