ITV Racing has a real bumper offering on Saturday, with two programmes carrying jumps fare from Britain and a bonus from Dubai World Cup night at Meydan.
Kelso and Newbury are the venues of choice for the domestic action, with seven live races including four from Scotland and three from the Berkshire circuit.
ITV Racing is on air from 1.10pm to 3.55pm with the jumps races, while three contests from Dubai follow – and selections for those are available in our Dubai World Cup Night preview (link once live).
ITV Racing predictions – Newbury and Kelso, Saturday March 25
Enda McElhinney has recommendations for all seven races on Saturday. You can read the analysis behind his selections below.
Odds correct at time of publishing and subject to change.
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1.30 Newbury – Bet In-Play On Racing With BetVictor Novices’ Handicap Hurdle (2m 3f)
A hot race where Toothless, Blow Your Wad, Atlanta Brave and Inneston all merit plenty of consideration. But MACLAINE was a novice hurdle winner at Fontwell (2m 1½f, good) in November for Oliver Sherwood and has undergone a wind op since running below expectations at Doncaster in January. He is now back from a short break and it is too soon to write him off.
Selection: Maclaine @ 16/1 with Paddy Power
1.50 Kelso – BetVictor Go North Cab On Target Handicap Hurdle (2m 5f)
Coral Blue had SOCKS OFF behind when scoring at Ayr last month and the winner comes here with strong claims again, but the Rebecca Menzies-trained fourth may find that this less galloping track plays more to his strengths. He has been doing well since joining this stable and on the revised terms has each-way claims.
Selection: Socks Off @ 16/1 with Paddy Power
2.05 Newbury – Run For Your Money At BetVictor Handicap Chase (2m 4f)
Messire Des Obeaux is full of ability but fragile and so cannot be implicitly relied on to back up his win at Warwick six weeks ago. The hat-trick-seeking Heltehnam did not beat a lot at Ffos Las 44 days ago and so SUPER SIX is the choice for Nigel and Sam Twiston-Davies.
He won with plenty to spare at Haydock over this trip last month – and if he is about to put the pieces of the jigsaw together now that he is getting the hang of things, a mark of 129 surely will not stop him.
Selection: Super Six @ 6/1 with Paddy Power
2.25 Kelso – Schloss Roxburghe Hotel Handicap Hurdle (3m 1½f)
The long-absent Pym needs a close market check starting out for new handler Nigel Twiston-Davies. He is on a lenient mark compared with his best chase form and Finn Lambert takes off a handy 5lb.
A few of these have questions to answer, but last-time-out Wetherby winner JET LEGS is not in that category. With the excellent Patrick Wadge taking off 5lb, he may well find this increased trip a bonus.
Selection: Jet Legs @ 11/4 with Paddy Power
2.40 Newbury – British EBF BetVictor ‘National Hunt’ Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle (2m 4½f, Grade 2)
A minefield here with Ilovethenightlife, Ruby Island, Moviddy and Aubis Walk just a smidgen of those with potential for better. Jamie Snowden has compared EBONELLO favourably with his recent Cheltenham Festival-winning novice hurdler You Wear It Well,and the trainer suggests this has been a long-term target.
She is progressing well over timber and can possibly outrun a big price on her handicap bow.
Selection: Ebonello @ 25/1 with Paddy Power
3.00 Kelso – BetVictor Herring Queen Series Final Mares’ Novices’ Handicap Hurdle (2m)
Bonttay is a clear contender for the Fergal O’Brien team here with an opening mark of 110 in reach and first-time cheekpieces potentially going to bring about improvement.
The market reflects her chance and NOTNOWLINDA is no forlorn hope against her at a price. Dan Skelton’s mare is 2-2 at this trip hurdling and can be forgiven her most recent start over further at Market Rasen.
Selection: Notnowlinda @ 10/1 with Paddy Power
3.35 Kelso – Make Your Best Bet At BetVictor Handicap Chase (3m 2f)
Sandy Thomson’s pair are headed by the potentially well-handicapped Doyen Breed, who has a clear chance from this mark if finding his best stuff, while course specialist Big River is never one to cross off here.
That said, the obvious answer is progressive FORWARD PLAN for trainer Anthony Honeyball. He stays well and is 2-2 this calendar year after a convincing success at Southwell 19 days ago. He is up 10lb but retains plenty of scope for better.
Selection: Forward Plan @ 5/2 with Paddy Power
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