Our form expert has tipped 5/1, 15/2, 10/1 and 40/1 winners this month and he has three selections for the ITV4 action at Kelso and Newbury on Saturday.
The Verdict: Saturday March 21
1pt win Captain Butler in 13:30 Kelso at 9/1 (bet365, 8/1 General)
1pt win Hercule Du Seuil in 14:25 Newbury at 10/1 (Ladbrokes, Coral)
1pt win Watamu in 15:00 Newbury at 11/1 (bet365, 10/1 General)
Wat a great chance for Lavelle
It’s back to the bread-and-butter stuff after the Cheltenham Festival and this is one of the quieter Saturdays of the whole year as we hit a rare lull with the Lincoln at Doncaster and then Aintree on the horizon.
Still, there are 10 races on ITV4 and Newbury is a good track for a bet, with the Grade 2 BetVictor British EBF “National Hunt” Mares’ Novices’ (Handicap) Hurdle taking centre stage.
Dan Skelton seems to have the favourite for every race going on Saturday afternoon and his Getawhisky has found herself at the top of the betting here, but at over three times the price I like Emma Lavelle’s WATAMU to confirm form against her.
Watamu beat Getawhisky at Market Rasen in February when typically travelling well and she had Saturday rivals like Trinity Street and Edith Pelham in behind, too.
She has three lengths to find with Charisma Cat but a 4lb pull helps on that score and she had earlier beaten the winner that day, Khrisma, with a gutsy performance at Huntingdon in December.
Both of those runs came on ground Timeform recorded as soft and the daughter of Crystal Ocean could improve again for better conditions, particularly now she steps up in trip to the extended 2m4f.
I like a strong traveller like her stepping up in distance on better ground and she is bred to get the trip, being out of Woolstone One who won a 2m5f Listed race at Warwick amongst five career wins.
She had a Newbury win to her name as well and Watamu gained her early hurdling experience at this track, so we could see the best of her now she returns more streetwise over a distance and on ground that should play to her strengths.
Harry Cobden, who is 23 from 97 at 24% for Lavelle, takes over in the saddle as well, so she has plenty going for her.
The Verdict: Back WATAMU in the 15.00 Newbury
Hercule-an effort from Mulholland
Earlier on at Newbury Skelton has another favourite in Heltenham for the BetVictor Home Of The Saturday Superboost Handicap Chase over 2m4f and the horse is going for his third win in this race.
On his previous two victories he won off marks of 123 and 136, so he has a new question to answer off 140 after he went up 6lb for his win over the course and distance three weeks ago.
He loves this track and trip so is obviously respected, but marks in the 140s have always caught him out before and given he’s a short price I’d rather take him on this time.
The one to be with is Neil Mulholland’s HERCULE DU SEUIL, who caught the eye on his stable debut last time when running on over an inadequate two miles at Doncaster.
That looked nothing more than a fact-finding mission and going back out in distance to 2m4f on better ground should help him enormously, especially with the handicapper dropping him 3lb to 147.
On his best form, including his victory in the Grade 3 An Riocht Chase at Killarney last spring for Willie Mullins, he’s got a fine chance off these terms and he’s a horse that goes really well on better ground.
That’s probably one of the reasons he’s arrived at his new yard from Ireland and Mulholland has a superb record for owner JP McManus, winning 34 races from 171 at 20% all in.
The Verdict: Back HERCULE DU SEUIL in the 14.25 Newbury
Captain can lead the way at Kelso
Finally, up at Kelso Ruth Jefferson’s CAPTAIN BUTLER can get his head in front again in the BetWright Handicap Hurdle over 2m5f.
He was a promising sort for Pauline Robson and won well at this track on his hurdling debut off a long absence before he was fifth here in the Grade 2 Premier Novices’ Hurdle.
This season he started encouragingly for his new trainer with a good second over hurdles at Ayr before he didn’t really take to chasing in two runs.
However, last time, back over hurdles at Haydock, I thought he ran really promisingly, and racing over a sharp two miles against solid handicap hurdlers should really have brought him on.
He didn’t lose any ground late on and wasn’t beaten far, so I’d expect he can improve back over a trip at a track he likes here.
The Verdict: Back CAPTAIN BUTLER in the 13.30 Kelso
Preview posted at 15:40 GMT on 20/03/26
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