Matt Brocklebank has two horses on the radar ahead of Saturday's competitive action at Ascot and Haydock.
Value Bet tips: Saturday January 18
1pt win Hitman in 2.15 Ascot at 9/1 (General)
1pt win Uncle Bert in 3.05 Haydock at 16/1 (Paddy Power, Betfair, William Hill)
1pt e.w. Spirit d’Aunou in 2.50 Ascot at 18/1 (NON RUNNER - going)
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Bet the Hitman with head ruling heart
I’ve sworn at least once that I’d never want to be backing HITMAN again but this is proof that every horse has its price and he’s entered the ‘too big’ bracket around 9/1 for the bet365 Handicap Chase over two miles and five furlongs at Ascot.
Frankly, he’s looked one who might not really want to win on a couple of occasions since the last time he did actually taste success in a graduation chase at Haydock in November 2022, but his best form is outstanding in this sort of company.
The Ryanair Chase third in 2023, second to Shishkin in last year’s Denman Chase at Newbury and even this season’s sole start - when splitting Minella Drama and Ahoy Senor in the Old Roan at Aintree - would give him good claims of winning this weekend from a mark of 156.
Not many trainers can match Paul Nicholls’ impressive record with highly-rated chasers landing valuable handicaps, the likes of Frodon (164) and Greaneteen (168) springing to mind though there have been plenty others down the years.
Hitman badly needs a confidence-boosting win at some stage soon and this race, on drying ground with Harry Cobden back in the saddle, could be a master piece of placement.
Uncle can be relied on to run well
Despite the conditions at Haydock likely to act as something of a ‘leveller’, it’s still very hard to oppose Grade 1 performer Royale Pagaille back down in class as he goes for a third career win in the Sky Bet Peter Marsh Handicap Chase.
The one I came closest to putting up in opposition was stablemate Chambard, whose Becher Chase success in the grim weather at Aintree last season still sticks in the mind.
Not many horses will handle the ground as well as him if back on song, but that's the major issue really as he’s started to look his age all of a sudden and is still 2lb higher than for the Becher, while I’m not sure the return of cheekpieces will be enough to perk him up sufficiently.
The one who looks potentially a bit over-priced at Haydock is UNCLE BERT in the Sky Bet Cheltenham Non-Runner No Bet Handicap Hurdle.
He's another horse with a very tidy record over hurdles, having been first or second in half of his 16 starts in this sphere (featuring four wins), and he obviously didn’t quite take to chasing as well as connections might have hoped earlier this season.
A fine, big sort who is made for jumping fences on the face of it, he wasn’t totally disgraced when second to Haiti Couleurs at Aintree in November but was still making jumping costly errors, as he had done first time up at Uttoxeter and when pulled-up at Carlisle.
The switch back to timber came as no real shock at Aintree on Boxing Day, the eight-year-old barely visible for much of that race run in thick fog but eventually passing the post in third having seemingly been close to the pace throughout.
That two and a half mile race probably wasn’t enough of a stamina test for Uncle Bert and I like his claims back up to three here, especially as he's been dropped a pound and therefore only 5lb higher than when hacking up at Bangor on bad ground last March.
Get into the big-race Spirit (Non Runner)
Jonbon against Energumene is must-watch material at Ascot on Saturday but the BetMGM Holloway’s Handicap Hurdle represents a much more appealing betting race and that’s where the focus of this column lies.
Jonbon’s trainer Nicky Henderson has three lined up for the handicap he's won a couple of times in the past decade, including Bo Zenith, who was among the top juveniles for Gary Moore a couple of seasons ago and made a very encouraging return to action when third at Cheltenham last month.
Near the back of the pack and still miles off the gallop set by eventual winner Mirabad at the third-last flight, Bo Zenith's turbo kicked in late up the hill and he ended up a never-nearer third, beaten six lengths. The handicapper has nudged him up 3lb which looks manageable and the extra couple of furlongs on offer this weekend should be right up his street.
However, that one has been well found in the market all week and it's tempting to take him on with former stablemate SPIRIT D’AUNOU (Non Runner) at a much bigger price.
The Moores – Gary now officially partnered by son Josh on a joint-licence – also have a trio of runners in this event and they control the weights to some degree seeing as Goshen tops the lot off a mark of 141. He's not out of it by any means but it's the six-year-old Spirit D’Aunou who catches the eye under Freddie Mitchell taking off an extra 5lb in the saddle, as he did at Newbury over Christmas.
This horse obviously got a bit of a hammering from the handicapper after bolting up in a Sandown handicap last winter (went up 10lb to 139) but at the same time he also got a reputation for wanting heavy conditions which I’m not entirely sure is true. He has won a couple of races on ground described as 'good to soft' by Timeform.
Either way, he struggled to cope with the ratings rise but, after half a dozen subsequent starts, now finds himself right back down to 129 which should give him every chance of being competitive if back on song. And for the first time since finishing a creditable fifth to Kateira in a quality race at Aintree in April, Spirit D’Aunou looked on good terms with himself when fitted with cheekpieces (retained) at Newbury most recently.
It was definitely a big step in the right direction, having fallen on his comeback and been well beaten at Sandown, and he clearly appreciated the return to an intermediate trip after the two spins over two miles.
So, it could all be slotting back into place for what is essentially still a young horse with a very good strike-rate (5-13), while the big meetings on right-handed tracks around this time of year are traditionally a good time to get the Moore stable on side.
It had been a quiet enough period for them lately but a winner in midweek suggests the tide is turning and I’m keen to play the selection each-way in a race this competitive.
Published at 1600 GMT on 17/01/25
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