Free horse racing tips: Best Bets for Saturday at Ascot and Haydock
Our man hit the target with a 7/1 shot last weekend and is back with two more bets at Ascot and Haydock on Saturday.
Weekend View betting tips: Saturday January 20
1pt win Ailie Rose in the 1.50 Ascot at 8/1 (General)
1pt win Punta del Este in the 2.40 Haydock at 6/1 (General)
There is a bleak forecast up and down the country this week, and sub-zero temperatures may play havoc on this weekend’s racing. At the time of writing, Haydock is described as frozen and currently under an inch of snow, which doesn’t look promising considering it isn't likely to get warmer anytime soon.
Ascot were ahead of the game and put down fleece covers last week, while it is forecast to be quite mild on Saturday, which will obviously give them a better chance of racing. Aside from the weather, Lingfield are set to stage their Winter Million Horse Racing Festival, including valuable National Hunt cards on Friday and Sunday, which has resulted in many horses receiving multiple entries given the substantial prize money on offer, so it is a tricky week to say the least in regards to choosing horses to back this coming weekend.
Admittedly, Haydock may not survive the weather, but if it’s abandoned we will at least get out money back, and one horse who I’m interested in on Saturday is the Dan Skelton-trained PUNTA DEL ESTE.
Skelton enjoyed a fabulous day last on Saturday just gone, recording a 3318/1 six-timer, confirming the yard is in rude health, and Punta del Este looks a young handicap hurdler to follow judged by his run-away victory at Haydock last month.
He is a French recruit who shaped better than the bare result in three runs for this yard last season, notably in the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, where he was beginning to make headway three from home, but soon after was short of room, suffering interference and losing his position.
Punta del Este still looked rough around the edges on his return at Wetherby this season and wasn’t disgraced when finishing third to two very well-handicapped rivals at Sandown next time. He was stronger in the betting when opening his account on these shores at Haydock more recently, and duly showed much improved form under a more proactive ride, while he also relished the step up in trip to an extended two and a quarter miles.
He easily went clear of his rivals from the third-last and was well in control when producing an untidy leap at the final flight. Punta del Este continued to clear away from his rivals on the run-in without being subjected to too much pressure in the style of a horse well ahead of his mark.
Punta del Este will face a much longer trip on Saturday up against better opposition, but he clearly has a big engine and the way he galloped to the line in testing conditions suggests the step up to three miles is well worth exploring. The five-year-old is 10lb higher in the weights, but is still relatively unexposed, and that latest victory made a good impression on me, while he also represents a yard in flying form.
The handicaps at Ascot have an interesting look to them, but given the amount of multiple entries horses who interest me have, I’m finding it difficult to put one up for selection given the prize money is inferior to what is on offer at Lingfield.
However, I’m prepared to take a stab at one in the Grade 2 Warfield Mares’ Hurdle where West Balboa, also trained by Dan Skelton, has been put in a short-price favourite. It is easy to see why as she was sent off favourite for the Long Walk Hurdle at the track last time, has the best form on offer and will find this an easier assignment back against her own sex, but she was very disappointing that day. Skelton has won the last two renewals of this race, so despite her also holding an entry in a more valuable race at Lingfield on Friday, she is probably an intended runner here.
However, the horse which interests me at the prices is AILIE ROSE, who would be a bit better off at the weights if meeting either West Balboa or Marie’s Rock in a handicap, but she recorded a career-best effort when successful in a handicap at Ayr earlier in the month and looks a mare on the up.
That wasn’t a deep 0-140 handicap but she created a favourable impression, always towards the head of affairs and the horse who was taking her on for the lead – and her closest market rival – finished tailed off, finishing in last position, so Ailie Rose deserves extra credit for maintaining the gallop all the way to the line.
I also liked how her jumping became slicker when the race began in earnest, much lower and attacking her hurdles better than she had in the first half of the race, and she had the measure of a solid handicapper approaching the last before extending away on the run-in with her rider only using his whip once.
Connections are now on the hunt for black type and this race has the potential to cut up with several having other options. Another small field moving up in grade ought to suit her well – she often leads – and though there is other pace angles amongst the entries, she proved at Ayr last time she isn’t fazed by rivals harassing her in front. Ailie Rose appears to go on any ground, is clearly a mare at the top of her game, and I can see the current 8/1 shortening as the race nears closer.
Preview posted at 1300 GMT on 16/01/2024
More from Sporting Life
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.
Next Off
Most Followed
MOST READ RACING
