The Timeform and Sporting Life racing experts with their best bets for this Saturday's action.
David Johnson - MASHAAN (4.40 Lingfield)
Mashaan had a good time of things around this time last year for Alice Haynes and though his form tailed off somewhat in the second half of the season, it ensures he’s dropped back to a good mark and recent efforts suggest he’s running himself into form. He ran well for a long way when second over C&D last time behind Inaam, and though that rival reopposes, the turnaround at the weights suggests Mashaan has sound prospects of coming out on top this time.
Matt Brocklebank – CONISTON GEORGE (5.20 Kelso)
It could be worth waiting for the lucky last at Kelso and CONISTON GEORGE in the bumper. Nicky Richards’ charge was easy to back on debut at Haydock in December, going off at 12/1 having been much shorter earlier in the day, but ran a big race in second.
He clearly learnt a lot from that half-length defeat as he skipped to victory when returning to action at Ayr last month, despite still showing some signs of greenness. There ought to be a lot more to come from the five-year-old and while the ground will be much softer this weekend, the son of Flemensfirth shouldn’t be overly inconvenienced by underfoot conditions.
Andrew Asquith - WALK IN THE STORM (1.58 Bangor)
WALK IN THE STORM didn't need to improve on her previous form when opening her account in a bumper at Newcastle last year and she didn't show much on her first two starts over hurdles this season. However, she was much shorter in the betting, and caught the eye on her qualifying run at Uttoxeter last month, given too much to do but doing all of her best work at the finish even under considerate handling.
Walk In The Storm was surprisingly easy enough to back on her handicap debut last time, but she relished the step back up in trip and left the impression she is more than capable of winning races from this sort of mark, once more doing all of her best work at the finish. The step up to three miles now could be the making of her and, based on her bumper form and what she has achieved over hurdles, she is a horse to keep on the right side from this sort of mark.
Kieran Clark - ESPOIR DE GUYE (2.05 Newbury)
Fresh from a productive Cheltenham, the Paul Nicholls bandwagon rolls into Newbury this weekend and ESPOIR DE GUYE can defy top weight in the handicap chase at 2.05. He shaped quite encouragingly on stable debut last time, seeming to find the lack of a recent outing telling only late on following a four-month absence behind The Big Bite and meets that rival on 8lb better terms on this occasion.
The return to testing conditions will also suit and he looks to have been primed for a return to winning ways, making plenty of appeal at 5/1.
Josh Brame - HELTENHAM (2.05 Newbury)
My idea of Saturday’s banker is the Dan Skelton-trained HELTENHAM, who bids for the hat-trick as he runs off bottom weight in the (14:05) Run For Your Money At BetVictor Handicap Chase at Newbury.
A progressive type, he finished runner-up on his first two starts over fences, but has struck twice since at Newcastle and Ffos Las respectively, winning with plenty in hand on that most recent outing. Back from a short break, Heltenham looks set to gets his favoured conditions once more, and there’s a good chance that there is more improvement still to come from him.
Ben Linfoot - WALK OF NO SHAME (3.00 Kelso)
Jonjo O’Neill’s mare WALK OF NO SHAME is worth backing in the BetVictor Herring Queen Series Final Mares’ Novices’ Handicap Hurdle up at Kelso. The Walk In the Park mare came out of finishing fifth in a novice hurdle at Warwick by winning by five lengths at Lingfield, before she was beaten at 4/7 at Wincanton when the emphasis was on speed.
She’s a strong-staying two-miler and will appreciate the likely solid gallop in this better contest, especially with Never No Trouble, Jane Du Berlais and Midnight Shuffle likely to make it a test at the trip. Jonjo likes a spring winner at Kelso – he’s 7/24 at 29.17% at this track in March and April – and this mare is the only horse making the 600 mile round trip from his Jackdaws Castle yard on Saturday.
Adam Houghton - HILL SIXTEEN (3.35 Kelso)
HILL SIXTEEN is on a losing run stretching back to November 2020, but he’s run a couple of really good races in defeat at Kelso in the interim and it was only in October that he finished third over this course and distance behind the classy Sounds Russian (who was conceding him 5 lb).
That appeals as strong form in the context of this race and Hill Sixteen is now 2 lb lower in the weights as he makes his first appearance since an underwhelming display in the Becher Chase at Aintree in December.
He’s had a breathing operation during his time on the sidelines and should be thereabouts if that can eke out any improvement at all, with no better man than Sandy Thomson when it comes to targeting a valuable pot at his local track.
Billy Nash - INSINUENDO - (Curragh 3.57)
Backing horses in turf Flat races at this time of year should probably come with some sort of Government health warning given the number of imponderables involved. However, from a ratings point of view, it is very hard to ignore the claims of INSINUENDO in the Park Express Stakes. She was unlucky to bump into Mother Earth in this race last year and was then a shade unlucky not to beat Luxembourg when next seen in August.
Willie McCreery's mare was also placed in the Blandford here and the Fillies & Mares Stakes at Ascot on Champions Day but the fact that she didn't win a race last year means that she gets in here without a penalty. Insinuendo goes well fresh, is proven on testing ground and the emphasis on stamina at this trip will suit her much better than likely main market rivals Agartha and Star Girls Aalmal.
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