Expert Panel: Weekend Racing tips including Newbury and Kelso

Have you got a fancy on the Friday Night Live card at Wolverhampton?

Ben Linfoot: I don’t mind MADE ALL in the SBK: Betting Without The Bull Handicap over 1m4f at 17.30. He has not pulled up any trees over hurdles but at least he should be fit enough and he was progressive over this trip last season on the level. There looks a strong gallop on here which will suit this hold-up merchant and he’s unexposed over this trip on the all-weather. Beaten a nose in second over 10 furlongs on the Newcastle Tapeta the last time he ran on an artificial surface, the combination of this track and trip should suit him well.

John Ingles: We were spoiled by Constitution Hill turning up to the last such meeting at Southwell but there are no A-listers this time. Still, there are some useful types in the handicap over an extended mile (19:00) where James Tate’s CITY OF POETS brings an unexposed profile into the race. He signed off last year with a win over course and distance which was his third victory last year, getting up on the line to beat Zryan, who he meets on similar terms here, by a short head. That race looks strong form as it threw up plenty of winners over the winter, and City of Poets looks capable of continuing on the up.

Tony McFadden: Like John, I think CITY OF POETS looks to have a strong chance given how well the form of his win over the same course and distance in November has worked out. The runner-up, Zryan (who reopposes here), has won twice since and is now 7lb higher with the BHA, while the third home, Brasil Power, has added four wins to his tally and increased his official rating by 15 lb. City of Poets, therefore, still looks fairly treated after edging up only 3 lb on the BHA's ratings, and he could still have a bit more to offer after only three starts in handicap company.

A low-key Saturday but who takes your eye in the ITV races at Newbury?

Ben Linfoot: BAILLY’S COMET ran a good third in what looked a decent enough Cheltenham bumper on New Year’s Day and it looks significant trainer Anthony Honeyball has saved him for this. He landed this race with Crest Of Glory in 2023 and this horse is of obvious interest being a half-brother to Romeo Coolio. He looked likely to take his record to 2-2 at Cheltenham when he came there swinging on the turn for home and he was in front two out, only to lose a few positions late on up the hill. A flatter track could suit him well and could even be the catalyst for further improvement, while Harry Cobden (24% strike-rate for Honeyball) takes over in the saddle.

John Ingles: Several of those in the handicap chase (14:25) need to bounce back from a poor run last time, though not Heltenham who has won this race twice before and won the Greatwood Gold Cup for a second time back over this course and distance three weeks ago. He seems sure to go well again but at longer odds HERCULE DE SEUIL has to be of interest too. J. P. McManus recently switched him from Willie Mullins to Neil Mulholland, and he really caught the eye on his first start for his new yard when finishing with running left under tender handling over two miles at Doncaster last time. He’s on a 3lb lower mark here.

Tony McFadden: HELTENHAM is a big player in the two-and-a-half-mile handicap chase (14:25), a race he won in 2023 and 2024. He also added to his tally when landing the Greatwood Gold Cup here last month, taking his record over the course and distance to four wins from six starts. The placed horses in the Greatwood have both run well since, giving the form a boost, so a 6lb rise in the weights shouldn't stop Heltenham from giving a good account around a track that clearly suits.

And what about the card north of the border at Kelso?

Ben Linfoot: Fergal O’Brien has a superb record at Kelso with an overall strike-rate of 36% and he takes one up to Saturday’s meeting, SLEEPING SATELLITE. He runs in the BetWright Novices’ Handicap Chase and looked progressive with the tongue-tie applied as a second-season novice earlier in the campaign. He returned from 75 days off over an inadequate two miles at Newcastle last month, but he was entitled to need that and better is expected here back out in trip.

John Ingles: There’s often a Lucinda Russell and Michael Scudamore winner to be found at Kelso, so it might be worth chancing last year’s winner CADELL to bounce back off top weight in the handicap chase (15:13). He’s not the most consistent, admittedly, but he has run some of his better races at this track, including when winning from the front again here in November under Jack Power who takes 5lb off his back again. Cadell has been pulled up the last twice over marathon trips, including in the Edinburgh National last time, but his stable was badly out of form at the time and he did that in the same race last year prior to winning this contest, so that’s not too concerning.

Tony McFadden: BROOKSIDE LA was four lengths behind Judicial Deference when third at Haydock in January but could be capable of turning that form around on 9 lb better terms in the 21-furlong handicap hurdle (13:30) at Kelso. Brookside La hasn't been seen since that creditable effort but the form has been boosted by Judicial Deference winning here last month and the Haydock runner-up, Below The Radar, finishing placed on his next couple of starts, including in a useful handicap at Uttoxeter on Saturday. Brookside La had made a successful handicap debut at Wetherby prior to his creditable third at Haydock, and he remains open to further improvement.

Finally, give us a horse for Aintree please that caught the eye at Cheltenham?

Ben Linfoot: It’s a Dan Skelton one, obviously. BOOMBAWN. While all eyes were on Madara tanking away with the Plate, stablemate Boombawn tootled round very nicely for ninth and he’s starting to look well handicapped, certainly with Aintree in mind. He’s won a handicap hurdle in Liverpool, was a close-up fourth in the Grade 1 Manifesto and ditto the Old Roan earlier in the campaign. He’s in the Topham, I’d imagine he’ll be entered in a handicap chase over the Mildmay fences, too, and whichever race he runs in at Aintree he’s going to be of interest.

John Ingles: REGENT'S STROLL should make a bold bid in one of the novice chases at Aintree and even though he’s quite a keen sort, he looks worth a try stepping up in trip for the Mildmay. He didn’t get to take up his usual front-running role in the bigger field for the Jack Richards at Cheltenham, but he settled better as a result getting a lead and stayed on for third behind Meetmebythesea as though further might suit, being from the family of Denman after all. His sound jumping will make him hard to peg back around Aintree, and he only just failed to make all when caught late by Honesty Policy in the Mersey Novices’ Hurdle at last year’s meeting.

Tony McFadden: I thought JAGWAR ran a remarkable race to finish within half a length of Johnnywho when runner-up in the Ultima Handicap Chase and is now a leading contender for the Grand National. His jumping let him down at Cheltenham, and back in the day that would have had alarm bells ringing with Aintree in mind. But modifications mean that the Grand National course is no longer the formidable jumping test of old. The way Jagwar stormed up the hill, despite failing to jump fluently and forfeiting ground going wide, marked him out as a very talented horse who is still some way ahead of the handicapper.

More from Sporting Life

• Racecards
• Fast results
• Full results and free video replays
• Horse racing news
• Horse racing tips
• Horse racing features
• Download our free iOS and Android app
• Football and other sports tips
• Podcasts and video content

Safer gambling

We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.

If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.

Further support and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org.