ITV Racing Saturday Preview Ascot and Wetherby - 04/11/23

Samuel Drinkwater's 10 year old arrives with a decent course record around Wetherby and scored in a similar event back in March off a mark of 109.

He wasn't disgraced in his final outing of the season when coming 2nd off his revised mark of 116 and probably found 2 miles a little sharp for him. Moving back up to 2.5 miles at a course he's proven himself well at he could go close again.

He has a decent record fresh, handles soft ground and can be competitive off this mark, James Bowen takes over in the saddle.

There looks to be plenty of pace on here with Youwearitwell likely to bound out in front and set the fractions. Over this 2 mile flat track, she might just lack the pace to keep herself in front in the late stages and might just leave herself susceptible to the pace of Kateira.

Dan Skelton's charge gets weight from Luccia and might just prove herself to be the better of the 2 mares here and is right at home on soft ground.

A good race, Katiera could just have this tee up nicely for her to come off the pace.

A ever classy operator, Thyme Hill was sent chasing last season and although he managed to chalk up Grade One win over fences, he didn't quite have the consistency over the bigger obstacles that connections would have liked.

He drops back to hurdles here and represents a bit of class in a smart looking field. Although he hasn't won a Grade One over hurdles for some time, he was still running to a high level over hurdles consistently until the switch was made to fences.

Despite facing the in form Dashel Drasher, that rival tends to find one too good and might just find Thyme Hill too classy to deny here.

A shame that only 4 line up for this year's renewal, most will have been scared off by the presence of Bravemansgame.

The Nicholls staying star bolted up in this race last year with an incredibly display of jumping before winning the King George in fantastic style. Only beaten by Galopin Des Champs in the Gold Cup.

If revved up like he was last year, he should turn away his three rivals here easily.

Took a major step forward after being stepped up to 2.5 miles. Eventually breaking his maiden on soft ground at Sedgefield in an impressive 22 length rout.

Despite a long break off the back of that he managed to defy the penalty to win again on deep ground at Taunton at the end of the season.

He now goes handicapping off a lowly looking mark of 118 and with ground conditions in his favour, might just have some more to offer over 2.5 miles.

A multiple winner over fences, connections look to have found another good opportunity for Red Rookie to get his head in front in this handicap chase.

Scoring last season on soft ground at Warwick smartly off a mark of 137, he beat a rival who went on to run well in 4th at Aintree's Grand National meeting in a big handicap.

Off the back of a pipe-opener for this season which has seen him be dropped 1lb in the weights, he's match fit and looks well enough handicapped to have a say here.

Dan Skelton's charge scored a couple of times as a novice hurdler before being sent chasing last year. Despite winning on his first outing over fences, he found himself beaten when a warm favourite on his second outing over the bigger obstacles.

Dropped to hurdles off the back of that he went close in the Imperial Cup behind Iceo off a mark of 129, before doing too much in front at Aintree and wilting back into 9th in a big handicap in April.

Still off a mark of 130, he might get an easy time of things up front here and still looks well enough handicapped to have a say if fully tuned up.

It's hard to escape just how good the form is from the Ultima at the Cheltenham Festival. The first place Corach Rambler went on to win the Grand National, the 2nd Fastorslow beat Galopin Des Champs and Bravemansgame in the Punchestown Godl Cup.

The 3rd was Monbeg Genius who still looks well handicapped off a mark of 147 with how well that form has stacked up. A progressive novice chaser last season, this should be a nice stepping stone for him tackling deeper races this season.

He doesn't have to shoulder top weight in this contest and looks classy enough to defy his big rating. Surely the one to beat.