A bumper £100,000 Jackpot is up for grabs in the ITV7 on Saturday 1st March for those that can pick seven winners from the seven selected races from Kelso, Doncaster and Newbury. The usual £50k is up for grabs, but if the ‘Jackpot Jumper’ horse Grey Dawning can win the Premier Chase at Kelso at 1:45pm then the prize will be doubled and in the free-to-play game you can win a hundred grand! Here at GG we try to point you in the right direction of a few winners and pick our seven selections for the ITV7 this weekend.
Race 1 – 1.45pm Kelso – bet365 Premier Chase
Only four horses line up for the Listed Premier Chase at 1:45pm and the betting would suggest it’s a two-horse contest between GREY DAWNING and Iroko. A Grade 1 winning novice at last season’s Cheltenham Festival over fences, Grey Dawning is the proven class act in this contest and while he’s not fired on all cylinders this season he should get the better of 2023 Martin Pipe winner, who is being targeted at the Grand National in April. Not only should Grey Dawning outclass his main market rival, but being the Jackpot Jumper horse then a win for him will see the ITV pot rocket up to £100,000.
Race 2 – 2.20pm Kelso – bet365 Handicap Hurdle
Progressive over hurdles last season as a novice, NAB WOOD has failed to get his head in front this season for Nicky Richards, but the eight-year-old can bounce back to winning ways in a competitive-looking 2:20pm contest. He has course winning form and shaped with promise two starts ago when second at Ayr, but he unseated his rider early last time out, so it’s not known how he will cope with his current mark of 124. He’s worth another chance and he could be still potentially ahead of the handicapper and is a solid option for this 2m 4f 189y event.
Race 3 – 2.40pm Doncaster – Virgin Bet Every Saturday Money Back Handicap Chase
Homme Public won this race 12 months ago, so has to be respected, but the one that can topple him in the 2:40pm contest at Doncaster is Charlie Longsdon’s RARE EDITION, who is still yet to show his best over fences. A winner on chasing debut at Uttoxeter, he’s since put up a brace of disappointing runs at Ascot, but his last outing was in Grade 2 company, so the drop back to handicaps here should suit. He’s been dropped 1lb and going back in trip as well should aid his chances. Headgear is set to be applied as well, so everything shouts of a solid run here.
Race 4 – 2.55pm Kelso – bet365 Premier Novices’ Hurdle
Willie Mullins continues to send the odd contender over from his Closutton base and he will unleash CHART TOPPER in the Grade 2 Premier Novices’ Hurdle at Kelso, and the Irish raider can claim glory. With the Cheltenham Festival on the horizon Mullins will be ready to unleash his team of stars, but in Chart Topper he has a progressive performer that has won two from two over hurdles and was last seen cruising to victory at Wetherby. This is much tougher, but he could be more than capable of landing the hat-trick and is a solid selection here.
Race 5 – 3.15pm Doncaster – Virgin Bet Grimthorpe Handicap Chase
Sent off favourite for this race 12 months ago, SOME SCOPE was denied by Does He Know and had to settle for second place. However, the Richard Hobson-trained seven-year-old can finally get his head in front in the 2025 edition of the Grimthorpe Handicap Chase and is the pick for the 3:15pm at Doncaster. A winner of the Rowland Meyrick at Wetherby two starts ago, he failed to land any sort of blow at Cheltenham last time out, but only 2lbs higher than last year’s mark he can bounce back from that effort and get his head in front here.
Race 6 – 3.30pm Kelso – bet365 Morebattle Hurdle
The Morebattle Hurdle at 3:30pm is hugely competitive and the Emmet Mullins-trained hat-trick-seeking Vischio is of interest, but the Jonjo & A J O’Neill-trained TELLHERTHENAME is the one to side with in what is a cracking betting heat. Very useful last season in novice hurdles for Ben Pauling, the six-year-old has since switched to Jackdaws Castle and was last seen taking on Sir Gino in the Grade 1 Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle. This is a whole new task for him here, but the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle 10th could be attractively handicapped off a mark of 137 and could well look to use this as a stepping stone to the County Hurdle in a few weeks.
Race 7 – 3.45pm Newbury – BetVictor Greatwood Gold Cup Handicap Chase
We end this week’s ITV7 with another cracking handicap chase and the Greatwood Gold Cup has long been a happy hunting race for the Paul Nicholls team and their team will saddle Kandoo Kid, who was a fine winner of the Coral Gold Cup earlier in the season. Dropping back in trip the Ditcheat raider could be vulnerable and the one to take him on with his Dan Skelton’s MIDNIGHT RIVER, who is very smart on his day and has some top notch form. A winner off 151 earlier in his career, he takes his chance off 145 here, so while he may not be the force of old he could be than capable of getting his head in front here at decent odds.
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