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Free horse racing tips: Best Bets for Newbury on Saturday


Andrew Asquith returns with his latest ante-post column and has one recommended bet at Newbury on Saturday.


Weekend View: Saturday February 8

1pt e.w. Washington in the 3.35 Newbury at 16/1 (1/4 1,2,3,4 - Sky Bet, Paddy Power, Betfair, William Hill, 888)

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It was another tough day last Saturday, the well-backed French recruit, Maitre En Science, not meeting expectations in the Scottish Triumph Hurdle, Afadil narrowly failing to defend his crown in the Scottish County Hurdle, having traded 1.05 in-running on Betfair, and Saint Segal bumping into a progressive, well-handicapped rival in the Scottish Champion Chase.

A new week beckons, though, and there is surely light at the end of the tunnel!

Racegoers attending Newbury on Saturday will be elated that Nicky Henderson is set to run Sir Gino in the Game Spirit Chase. He also ran Altior in the same race as a novice in 2017, but he had already won three races over fences, including at Grade 1 and 2 level, so it really is a bold move for Henderson to pitch him into open company on just his second start over fences. Sir Gino is also in the Kingmaker at Warwick, but Henderson mooted the option of the Game Spirit after impressive success at Kempton over Christmas.

It is pretty slim pickings this week from an ante-post standpoint, but the William Hill Handicap Hurdle is the big betting race of the weekend, and the horse who looks quite a bit too big in the betting for me is the Harry Derham-trained WASHINGTON.

Admittedly, we were on the wrong end of a gamble from this stable last week, but I’d be very surprised if Washington wasn’t a fair few points shorter in the betting come Saturday afternoon.

I liked this horse as a novice a few seasons ago where he won a couple of times and finished in and around some horses who have gone on to bigger and better things since. For whatever reason, he didn’t quite progress as expected for Olly Murphy, while he was pulled up on his sole start and chasing debut for Paul Nicholls.


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That resulted in Derham inheriting a particularly well-handicapped horse, especially on his novice form, and he was backed off the boards to make a winning start for the yard off a mark of 118 at Chepstow in October.

Washington only narrowly prevailed, but he beat a well-handicapped rival in Gin Coco who bounced back to his best after five months off and a breathing operation, and that pair pulled clear of the remainder.

The bare form of that success is nothing special, but Washington took a big step forward when following up in a valuable event at Fairyhouse at the beginning of December, and there was plenty to like about that performance.

He was always well positioned tracking the leader, going with plenty of enthusiasm and fast and accurate at the majority of his hurdles. He was asked to go and win his race when the leader started to tire in the home straight and was soon clear, fiddling over the last two flights but still having plenty in hand.

The runner-up, who reached a smart level of form over fences, and is a useful operator on the Flat, franked the form when going one place better in a handicap hurdle at Leopardstown over Christmas.

Washington is now up to a career-high mark of 133, but he proved better than ever last time, and still hasn’t got too many miles on the clock for a nine-year-old, while he may have even more to offer for this yard.

Derham earmarked this race as his next target after his latest win in Ireland and a likely well-run race over an extended two miles round Newbury will be perfect for him. The weather forecast looks fairly dry at Newbury this week, so there may be some good in the going description by the time the weekend arrives, which will also suit the strong-travelling Washington.

Preview posted at 1355 GMT on 04/02/2025


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