ITV Racing Saturday Preview - 05/11/22

The first selection of the afternoon on ITV comes from Wincanton in the Richard Barber Memorial Handicap Mares' Handicap and we are siding with last year's winner Wynn House for Alan King.

A fairly consistent runner for the yard throughout her career, Winning on bumper debut in 2019 at Uttoxeter and then finished second on her next two starts, her last bumper run at Huntingdon behind Vegas Blue in a Listed event.

Sent hurdling in September 2020, she got off the mark on seasonal debut at Bangor up to 2m4f and then at Ludlow up a further furlong made it back to back wins.

Sent to Cheltenham in December she was a fair fourth in Grade Two event on her first start over three miles and then at Doncaster over the same trip was fourth again at Doncaster.

Rounding out that season at Ludlow when second, she was back for another term in this event and off a mark of 122 landed the spoils.

Seen three more times since then when fourth in a Mares' Handicap Hurdle behind the likes of Martello Sky and Indefatigable, she was then back to back third at Ludlow and Ayr.

This has seen her drop back down the handicap to a mark of 122, the same as what she won this off last term and having won on her seasonal debut for the last three years, the time to catch her is fresh.

Big player.

Doncaster offer flat racing on ITV on Saturday and their first event of the afternoon is the Listed Wentworth Stakes and it sees a fairly decent field head to post.

Art Power for Tim Easterby drops out of Group One company into the Listed event and although giving away weight looks very tough to beat handling conditions well.

A superb horse over the years for the Yorkshire handler winning four races in a row at the start of his career including a big fielded handicap at Royal Ascot and the Group Three Lacken Stakes at Naas.

He then went to put up some superb placed/frame efforts as a three and four year old in races like the Sprint Cup Stakes, British Champion Sprint Stakes, Platinum Jubilee Stakes and July Cup.

He ended last year with a win at the Curragh in this race and then finished a good fourth in the British Champion Sprint Stakes again.

Seen four times this year when fourth over 7f at York in the Group Two Stakes behind Kinross who has franked the form, he then chucked in a poor performance next time out at Haydock in the Sprint Cup.

Back into much calmer waters in Ireland he kept his unbeaten record over on the emerald isle taking the Group Three Renaissance Stakes.

Last seen in the Group One British Champions Sprint Stakes at Ascot he ran a valiant race back in eighth and again dropping into a much easier race he should not be beat, regardless of weight.

The first race of the afternoon from Aintree sees the tricky Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle over 3m 1/2 and Milan Bridge for the inform Paul Nicholls could go close in this event.

A very smart recruit for the yard since going over hurdles, making his debut last term in November at Lingfield when seeing off the smart Smart Marble Sands, he then went to Kempton on his first try at three miles and ran below par.

Given an easy time of things with only two more runs at Hereford at Fontwell before the end of the season, he won both convincingly.

Running off a mark of 126 which looks to be well below what he can achieve throughout his career he looks extremely interesting at the weights.

One of our best bets of the day on ITV comes in the Grade Two Rising Star Novices' Chase at Wincanton with McFabulous looking to show he is head and shoulders above the opposition on his chase debut.

Starting over fences later than usual, if improving on hurdles form for the bigger obstacles he should be better than these lot.

A superb hurdler around 2m4f-2m5f, being tried over further aswell but not getting home and he runs over his optimum trip on Saturday.

Some very consistent performances over hurdles winning the likes of the Persian War Novices' Hurdle and the Grade Two Relkeel Hurdle at Kempton.

Set to start his life over fences at Chepstow he was a non runner and with this race targeted and having done plenty of work at home, he looks the one to beat.

Another interesting event on the flat from Doncaster sees Listed Gillies Stakes over 1m2f and on heavy ground Moon De Vega for Ralph Beckett takes the eye.

A winner on her final start of last term over a mile when racing on soft ground for the first time at Doncaster she was a nice winner of a maiden.

Sent up in trip for her three year old debut this term she was fourth of nine at Chester in the Listed Cheshire Oaks on soft behind some smart types including Above The Curve.

Tried in the Epsom Oaks over 1m4f she was outclass on the afternoon with the ground going against her, but in June at Newcastle she was a better fourth of nine when dropped to 1m2f.

Not seen since then she should be fresher than most these runners and back into an easier Listed event on ground she will handle better than most, makes her very interesting.

One of the big events of the afternoon at the Somerset track is the Badger Beers Handicap Chase over 3m1f and Frodon looks the horse to beat.

A winner on four of his six seasonal debuts in his career, he is a horse that has won in handicaps off top weight before that overall has been a star for the yard over the years.

A multiple Grade One winner taking the King George back in 2020 whilst last year on seasonal return landed the Grade One Ladbrokes Champion Chase at Down Royal.

Trained and set to head back to Northern Ireland this weekend to defend his title, the rain has gone against him and he has been diverted to this event.

This looks a much easier task with the horses he is running against and if being wound up for a Grade One and now trying to land a handicap, especially 6lb lower than his mark when last seen in the Ultima Handicap Chase.

He has to go close.

A horse always thought of highly by Christian Williams when winning in November 2020 at Newbury off a mark of 123, he then went up 10lb and took on Royale Pagaille and was narrowly beaten by the Gold Cup fifth.

Up to mark of 139 he was third in the Listed Sky Bet Handicap Chase and then in the February put up another good effort to finish fifth of 17 at Kempton off 142 and then he finished the season off in the bet365 Gold Cup and was a solid fifth again.

Poor in May 2021 in France and then again on seasonal debut at Chepstow, he then ran in this race last year off 135 and was a good fourth behind winner Rocco.

Another poor run at Kempton at Christmas saw his mark drop to 129 and at Doncaster in January he was a better third in the Listed Sky Bet Handicap Chase.

Dropped another 2lb to 127 he got back to winning ways at Kempton in a good Grade Three Handicap Chase and he then rounded off last season when a strong fifth in the bet365 Gold Cup.

making his seasonal debut at Chepstow when needing the run as usual he is now down to a mark of 132 and this looks to have been his early season target being 3lb lower than his fourth in the race last term.

A tricky event but a great spectacle from Aintree on Saturday is the Grand Sefton Handicap Chase and we have two each pokes that could hit the frame.

The first is the Irish raider Lifetime Ambition for experienced trainer Jessica Harrington who last season was known for running to a decent level in graded events and now dropped into a handicap could profit.

Showing a good level of form as a hurdler in races around the 2m4f mark, he was sent chasing in October last real at Down Royal and he got off the mark in good style, seeing off Grade One winners Beacon Edge and Vanillier.

Fourth in the Grade One Drinmore Novices' Chase next time out, he was then second to Blue Lord at Naas in a Novice Chase in January.

Quickly turned around at Punchestown he ran no race behind Bob Olinger and Capodanno, but was a better second of four in March back at Naas behind Delvino.

Stepped up to three miles for the first time over fences he got back to winning ways at Limerick in a Grade Three event and he then finished the season at the Punchestown festival in the Grade One Champion Novice Chase when second to Capodanno.

Showing he wants a bit of a trip he gets that in this event and into handicap company off 151, he could be better than that and looks an interesting contender holding some smart novice form.

Another one in the race that has caught the eye as a potentially smart type that could go close is the Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero trained Gesskille.

Making his debut for the yard in a Hunter Chase at Ludlow in March this year when beating a decent horse, he then went to Kempton and made it back to back wins.

Sent to France in May up to 2m 6 1/2f he was a narrow second to a next time out winner and then backed that up himself next time out when making it three wins from four for the yard at Auteuil again in a Listed Chase.

The key to this horse is rain and with the forecast set to be in his favour and the ground set to be testing, he could be a live contender off a mark of 133.

The only Grade One event of the afternoon comes from Down Royal with the five runner Ladbrokes Champion Chase seeing a decent field of runners go to post and we can't get away from the favourite Galvin.

A superstar for Gordon Elliott being a Cheltenham festival runner up in 2020 and then put things right back in 2021 when getting up late to land the Grade Two National Hunt Chase.

Last season the yard had the Grand National in mind as the big aim but having won nicely at Punchestown on debut and then finishing a narrow second in this race behind Frodon, they set their sites on the Gold Cup instead.

Sent to Leopardstown at Christmas on his final run before the festival he managed to land the Grade One Savills Chase, narrowly seeing off the Gold Cup winner A Plus Tard.

Only fourth at the festival and maybe not having as much class as the horses ahead of him, he then put in a poor run at the Punchestown festival when sixth behind Allaho in the Punchestown Gold Cup.

A horse that seems to perform to his best before the turn of the year, he got back to winning ways at Punchestown in the same race he won last year and looking a class above the entries left in this race, he should go one better than last year.

The final event at the weekend from Aintree on ITV is the Boylesports Best Odds Guaranteed Day Before Hurdle and Langer Dan with youth on his side gets the tentative nod.

Having not been seen for 11 months after his second to Galopin Des Champs, suffering a small setback, he returned in February this year when running at Taunton in a Handicap Hurdle off 140.

It was an obvious prep run for Cheltenham finishing last of the sixth, but still running a decent race and strangely the handicapper dropped him 3lb for that run.

Heading into the Cheltenham festival off a mark of 137 which is only 2lb higher than his run in the Martin pipe last year, he was backed off the boards but was bought down at the second hurdle.

None the worse for that he went straight to Aintree off the same mark and showed just how much he had up his sleeve to land the Grade Three Handicap Hurdle with ease.

This is stiffer test going against some proven graded performers but being lightly raced and much younger than these runners, he should have the edge.

The feature event from Wincanton on Saturday is the Grade Two Elite Hurdle and although the favourite Sceau Royal is very admirable looking for his fourth win in the race, we are going with the young buck Knappers Hill for the inform Paul Nicholls.

A smart horse for Nicholls over the last few years, showing big potential from his bumper days when a winner on all three of his starts, rounding off his season with a win in the 18 runner Grade Two bumper at Aintree, seeing off Grade One winner Stage Star.

Sent hurdling in October 2021, he landed his first two events with ease at Chepstow and then at this meeting under a penalty, but lost his unbeaten record at Ascot in the December when third behind the superstar Jonbon in the Grade Two Kennel Gate.

Sixth of 14 in the Betfair Hurdle when running a decent race, he then lost the plot slightly when only beating two home at Sandown in the Grade Three Handicap Hurdle Final.

Knappers Hill has got back on track since then, rounding off the season with two nice wins at Newton Abbot and Sandown, with the latter being in the Championship Final, with the form taking a boost.

Back for another year, stepped up in trip he got off the mark on seasonal debut for a third straight term at Chepstow in the Silver Trophy Handicap with ease.

The second and seventh have since won some nice events and Getting weight off both of Knight Salute and Sceau Royal is a big factor for this horse.

The November Handicap at Doncaster rounds off ITV's show on Saturday and with a whole host of runners heading to post we have picked out two players.

The first is the favourite Israr for John & Thady Gosden who is extremely hard to get away from off the back of what he has done this season.

A smart juvenile winning on debut at Doncaster from Savvy Victory and Frantasticand as then second at Salisbury when under a penalty.

Making his debut this term at Newmarket he was third of seven stepping up to 1m2f behind Educator for William Haggas, but then went to Newbury and got off the mark for the season in the London Gold Cup Handicap.

Up to a mark of 95 he was third in the King George V Stakes Handicap at Royal Ascot over 1m4f behind big improvers Secret State and Deauville Legend.

Sent back to ascot in July he was third of three in a small fielded handicap and something was amiss that day.

Given a break he returned at Doncaster in October off a mark of 99 and readily got back to winning ways on heavy ground.

Back over the same course distance only 7lb higher, being unbeaten at the track and showing he handles the conditions, he has everything in his favour.

Drawn well.

Another horse that is drawn well is the Irish raider Teed Up for Emmet Mullins who is being bought over off a very lowly mark.

A jumps horse by trade that has been dropped back to the level for this event makes big appeal, especially for this trainer who has a great record when coming over to England.

Given one prep run on the flat before this event when ninth of 16 in a big fielded handicap at Leopardstown, he has not been penalised by the English handicapper and races off the same mark of 82 for this event.

He should be better than that mark and getting heaps of weight off the field, drawn in stall 20, he is a left field shout but ticks a few boxes.