ITV Racing Saturday Musselburgh & Haydock Preview

The first race of the afternoon at Haydock on ITV this weekend is the Challenger Two Mile Series Final Handicap Hurdle and Bubble Dubi still looks to have plenty in hand.

Running to a fair level in defeat this season, most noticeably back in November when a good second at Chepstow behind Grade One Tolworth winner Tahmuras, he was first seen in a handicap in February at Warwick when a close fifth of 10 in a decent event off 113.

Dropped 1lb for that effort on his second start in handicap company, he got off the mark over hurdles for the first time at Stratford last time out when easily beating a rival in this race again Word Has It.

Only upped 5lb for that event he looks to be on the up and with conditions to suit and it unlikely for that second to reverse the form, we did not think much could beat the favourite.

Musselburgh's first event of the afternoon on ITV is the Royal Mile Handicap and the horse that takes the eye is the Richard Fahey trained Gincident.

A fairly consistent horse on the all weather since October finishing second at Southwell in a Class 5 Handicap off 66 and then getting off the mark off 2lb higher at Wolves when upped in trip to 8.5f.

Bumped up to a mark of 74 he made it back to back wins at Newcastle in a four runner handicap and was penalised another 6lb to a mark of 80.

Sent to Southwell at a mile he was a close third of six upped in Class and then when last seen at Wolves in a similar Class 3 event he got back to winning ways.

Only upped 2lb to a mark of 82 for his return to the turf he looks very progressive and is weighted to go well.

Staying at Musselburgh for the next event on ITV and it sees the Silver Arrow Handicap and Abduction for Jim Goldie should not be far away.

Moved from Grant Tuer to Jim Goldie in September last year, he has been superb for the new yard, winning on stable debut at Ayr over 7f in September off 77 and then just 10 days later made it back to back wins off 3lb higher.

Upped a further 6lb to a mark of 86 when last seen he was a good second on good to soft ground at Musselburgh over course and distance and only 1lb higher in a similar race, he has to be taken seriously.

That second came behind the market leader in this race Autumn Festival but with that run being off the same weight and Abduction now receiving weight, he looks the wrong price in the market.

The second event of the afternoon from Haydock over the jumps is the Challenger Staying Chase Series Final Handicap Chase over 3m 1 1/2f and we are siding with Feivel, who is weighted to go well.

A horse with a bit of up and down form having unseated his rider in two of his last four runs, but when jumping properly has big potential.

Three starts ago at Wetherby over three miles he got off the mark for the term in a Handicap Chase off 114 in decisive fashion.

Up 6lb for that win he then went to Sandown on soft ground and finished a good second behind the favourite in this race Mucho Mas.

Unfortunately unseating his rider when last seen at Wetherby when in contention to go close, he runs here off the same mark of 122 and nearly double the price of the fav holding some close form with him, getting 7lb off him.

Feivel can go close at 8/1.

Another decent event from Musselburgh on Saturday is the Sprint Cup Handicap over 5f and we are giving a chance to Came From The Dark now on a mark of 97.

A good horse earlier on in his career for Ed Walker winning similar handicap events off higher marks and back in July 2021 took the Group Three Coral Charge on good to soft ground.

However, since then his handicap mark has been far too high for him to get involved in any of his races and having now ran poorly on his last five outings, he has seen his mark of 108 drop 11lb to a mark of 97.

These now sees him more feasibly treated and getting back to conditions he performs best on he can't be ruled out to bounce back to form.

The final event from the Merseyside track is the Challenger Stayers Hurdle Series Final Handicap Hurdle over 3m 1/2f and Itso Fury for Jonjo O'Neill holds some extremely classy form.

A decent horse last season in bumpers without ever winning, not finishing outside the top three in his four races bumping into the likes of Dark Raven and Rare Edition.

Sent hurdling this season he made an impressive debut when stepped up to 2m5f at Warwick in September landing a four runner event by 14 lengths, he then backed that up in a similar event at Ludlow under a penalty.

Seeking a hat-trick he was dropped to 2m3f at Taunton next time on handicap debut off 124 and he finished a good second behind the progressive Irish Hill, only going down by four lengths giving 9lb away.

Last time out at Ascot off 126 he finished a good third on the step up to 2m 7 1/2f behind the smart Thomas Mor and Loup De Maulde.

The form of that race has worked out extremely well with the second, Loup De Maulde and fourth Ivaldi have both won since and Itso Fury off the same mark looks to have a big chance.

The final event of the afternoon on ITV is the feature event at Musselburgh which is the Queens Cup Handicap over 1m6f and we are siding with a horse switching back to the flat having ran well over hurdles.

Pleasant Man for Paul Nicholls was a bright flat horse reaching a peak rating of 101 before being sent over hurdles when switching from Roger Charlton's yard in November 2021.

A good jumps horse for Nicholls this season getting his act together in January at Taunton when third of 12 in a Novice Hurdle over 2m3f, he then went into Handicap company at Exeter off a mark of 105 and was a short head second when he really should have won the race.

Second twice more since then over similar trips at Taunton and Exeter, he is a more battle hardened horse that returns to the flat on a mark of 95.

When last seen on the flat back in September 2021 he was a winner off a mark of 93 in a Class 2 Handicap at Yarmouth.

Only 2lbs higher and much more experienced horse that handles juice in the ground, the switch back to the flat might be a clever move.