ITV Racing Saturday Warwick & Kempton Preview

The first selection of the afternoon on ITV comes in the Class 2 Handicap Chase over three miles and Tile Tapper for Chris Honour is interesting.

A winner on his final start of last season in a Handicap Chase at Chepstow on heavy ground when bolting up by close to eight lengths, this season he has been in very similar form.

Second on seasonal debut at Exeter behind the well handicapped Shakem Up'Arry, he then was stepped up in trip to three miles at Kempton over C&D last time out and again finished a narrow second to the superb Remastered.

Only up 1lb for that latest run to a mark of 126 he is still well in and in calmer waters this event presents itself as a good chance to get back to winning ways, especially if the rain continues to fall.

Warwick's first event of the day is the Grade Two Hampton Novices' Chase over three miles and Complete Unknown for Paul Nicholls should be tough to beat.

A decent hurdler last term before being sent chasing this season, his stand out effort over timber came when landing the 17 runner Grade Three Novices' Handicap Hurdle Final at Sandown over 2m4f on soft ground.

Rounding out last term at Perth he was a good second to Mahler Mission at Perth in a Listed Novices' Hurdle when trying three miles for the first time.

Starting his campaign off this season still over hurdles, he was a superb fifth on soft ground at Haydock in the Grade Three Betfair Exchange Stayers' Handicap Hurdle behind some talented performers including the winner Botox Has.

Complete Unknown was sent chasing last time out for the first time and it seemed to bring improvement once more when getting better the further he went and in the end got up late on to land a good Novices' Limited Handicap Chase at Ffos Las.

Soft ground and a trip are exactly what this horse thrives off and he gets both of them on Saturday.

The feature race of the afternoon at Kempton on Saturday is the Grade Two Silviniaco Conti Chase and in a race that slightly flatters to deceive, Pic D'Orhy for Paul Nicholls could be the best of a bad bunch.

A horse Nicholls has always liked, the gelding really does know what he is good at and it is Grade Two/Three races similar to this.

Never going to be able to mix it with the best, he has gone through his career to date picking up races like this and although being a bit quirky at his fences, does have enough class to win this event.

Landing the Grade Two Noel Novices' Chase last season at Ascot, he then tried it in Grade One company at Sandown in the Scilly Isles and was well beaten by L'Homme Presse, finishing back in third.

Back into Grade Two company at Kempton over today's C&D he got back to winning ways in the Pendil Novices' Chase, beating Grade One winner Millers Bank.

He rounded off last season when being pulled up in that Grade One won by Millers Bank at Aintree, but staying in his lane so far this season he has been hoof perfect.

Landing an Intermediate Chase at Newton Abbot on seasonal debut over 2m5f, he then went to Huntingdon in the Grade Two Peterborough Chase over 2m4f and beat Millers Bank again.

He makes these sorts of races his own and we expect him to go close again.

Another Grade Two follows on ITV, this time from Warwick and the horse we like for this is the Tom Lacey trained Ginny's Destiny.

A very progressive horse during his career to date the seven year old was second on rules debut in a bumper in February at Exeter behind a nice type for Harry Fry.

Finishing off last season he got off the mark at Chepstow in a bumper showing ground versatility when winning on good ground.

Seen twice this term, he made his hurdles debut over 2m4f at Aintree when fourth in a good Maiden Hurdle, with the second, third and fifth since winning.

Ginny's Destiny also franked the form next time out when running over C&D at Warwick, going on to bolt up by close to nine lengths, reversing the form with Mexico.

The way he travelled in soft ground that day was very taking and tackling similar conditions he should go close if improving again.

The final event from Kempton on Saturday is the big fielded Lanzarotte Handicap Hurdle over 2m5f and although the favourite Outlaw Peter is a big danger, we have gone for two against the field.

Our first selection is the Irish raider Green Glory for Charles Byrnes and he is a trainer that knows how to win these handicap events with horses who have plenty in hand.

Ran frequently at the start of the season in Maiden Hurdles, running to an average level, they looked to be setting up his handicap mark.

Having four weak runs, he then went handicapping over Christmas at Leopardstown and off a lowly mark of 111, he won well in a Novice Handicap Hurdle.

He has gone up 16lb for that run by the English handicapper but he could still have bundles in hand and looks one to watch on Saturday.

At a slightly bigger price, Dubrovnik Harry looks very interesting from an each way angle with the Harry Fry trained seven year old switched back to hurdles for this event and looks potentially well handicapped.

Sent hurdling in December 2021 when third of 18 at Exeter, he then got off the mark at the same track up 2f when beating American Gerry by 25 lengths on heavy ground.

A close second next time out at Leicester under a penalty, he was then sent into the Grade Three Novices' Handicap Hurdle Final at Sandown and finished a narrow third behind Complete Unknown and Marble Sands in the 17 runner event.

That was one of his best performances to date on soft ground off a mark of 125 and for his seasonal debut this term he was only upped 3lb for his Chase debut.

Sent back to Exeter to tackle the bigger obstacles he finished a fair third behind much more experienced horses.

Racing off the same mark of 128 back over hurdles, getting his ideal ground conditions and the form of his last hurdles run last term working out well, he could be overpriced.

Always a big race at Warwick every year is the Classic Handicap Chase over 3m5f and with such a big field going to post as usual we have played two.

The first and our idea of the winner is the Charlie Longsdon trained Guetapan Collonges with the seven year old very unexposed at this trip and off a mark of 126 could be extremely well in.

Getting off the mark at the third time of asking over fences last season in January when bolting up on heavy ground at Wetherby by 14 lengths.

Up to a mark of 116 at Market Rasen in February he went on to win well again this time up in trip to three miles, but he unfortunately rounded off the season with a fall at Sedgefield.

Seen once this season off a mark of 120 he resumed his progress at Warwick in a competitive Handicap Chase over 3m 1 1/2f and only 6lb higher it should set him perfectly for a crack at this extended trip.

His pedigree is full of stayers and this race was won by connections two years ago with Kimberlite Candy, they will be hoping to go close again.

At a similar price is another thorough stayer that will love the soft conditions and that is 2021 Welsh Grand National winner Iwilldoit for Sam Thomas.

A winner of the Welsh Grand National Trial over 2m 7 1/2f at Chepstow back in December 2021 by 24 lengths off a mark of 130, he was bumped up 10lb to 140 for the Welsh National and in attritional conditions went on to land the 20 runner event over 3m 6 1/2f.

Not seen for over a year he makes his reappearance in this event off 7lb higher and if in the same form has the form and staying ability to go close.

The final event of the afternoon from Warwick is the Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle over 3m1f and we have picked out two that should hit the frame.

The first is the obvious shout of Ashtown Lad, who was a good fifth in the Scottish Grand National on his final run of last term and then came back this season and finished a stellar third at Aintree in another Pertemps qualifier behind the talented Remastered and Milan Bridge.

The form of that hurdles event has worked out with the first two since winning and Ashtown Lad next time out was stepped over fences and went on to take the valuable Becher Handicap Chase at Aintree off a mark of 138.

He is dropped back over hurdles for this event, 3lb lower than his mark over fences and that makes him a very big player if handling the soft ground.

Another horse of interest in the race at a big price that has been very progressive this term and will love the soft conditions is the Charlie Longsdon trained Glimpse Of Gala.

Seen four times this term she made her seasonal debut at Warwick over 2m5f when a close third in a Handicap Hurdle and off the back of that only 1lb higher was a close second at Aintree up in trip in another decent Handicap event.

Sent over a similar trip at Ascot in November into a Mares Handicap she played second fiddle again behind the progressive Coquelicot who went on to frank the form.

This saw her mark increase slightly to 127 for he final start at Kempton over Christmas where she finally broke her duck for the term, reversing the form with Anthony Honeyball's horse to score by four lengths.

Upped 5lb for that win, she is obviously still progressing and getting her soft conditions again makes her a player.