Across three meetings on Saturday, Matty Sutcliffe has found a whopping seven value bets for you to follow and support throughout the cards.
1:10 Kelso – bet365 Handicap Chase (GBB Race) (Class 3) (5yo+ 0-135) – Kidman 16/1 0.5pt WIN
Real Stone is back up to a near career high mark after a surprising 33/1 win at Wetherby earlier this month and given he was beaten 43 lengths when last off this mark, he looks worth taking on given he would also prefer some give in the ground. Helnwein is one of two in here having his first run after a wind op and on the balance of his hurdles form, I’d have him clear favourite over Real Stone. However, he would want that wind op to work magic as he’s failed to see out his three races over fences this season and I’m surprised they’ve not stepped him up in trip yet. With a couple of nagging doubts regarding the top two, I’m happy to have a tentative selection on KIDMAN who is similar to Helnwein, as he’s another often flattering to deceive who could now improve off the back of a wind op.
The nine-year-old has seen little racing since making a promising hurdles debut when third at 125/1 in 2022, but he’s been steadily consistent in the main since without getting his head in front. He was a four length third here over hurdles next time out, and was beaten ve length by Git Maker at Newcastle thereafter. After breaks of 470 and 243 days, he returned with a two length second to Chasingouttheblues at Hexham over 2m4f the season when Charlie Maggs went awfully early o the bend, but the pair pulled some seventeen lengths clear of the third and the winner is now rated 119 after latterly placing in a Pertemps Qualifier at Haydock.
He was sent chasing after pulling up next time out, and similarly caught the eye travelling effortlessly around Newcastle on the outer, trading short in running but failing to stay on after an influent jump at the last. Not for the first time, he didn’t see out his race there so likewise to Helnwein, if a subsequent wind op can eke out further effort in the nish then I’d strongly fancy him to make a mockery of this mark despite being 2lbs out of the weights.
The good ground is the key for this speedy Arcadio gelding, and Danny McMenamin is evidently keen to retain the ride and it’s interesting they’ve declared him for this 10k contest despite being entered in a novice handicap at Doncaster on Sunday, which exudes further confidence.
2:05 Doncaster – Livescore Bet Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle (Listed Race) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (5yo+) – Miss Cynthia 13/2 1pt WIN
The former high class at mare MISS CYNTHIA had form such a four lengths to Trueshan and an eleven length fourth to Kyprios in the G1 Cadran over 2m4f for Sir Mark Prescott and that will stand her in good stead now stepping up into listed company over hurdles.
Lucy Wadham is a dab hand with these mares, and after a disappointing 11/8 second on debut air Fakenham, albeit to a subsequent winner, she caught the eye staying on well to the potentially smart That’s Nice at Warwick in first time cheek-pieces, before cosily winning next time out to win a mares handicap at Market Rasen. She was strong at the nish there and while she has something to find on ratings with a couple, this step up to three miles can easily unlock further improvement with the drying ground to suit her more than most.
Lucy Wadham is 17-4-9 in non-handicap company at Doncaster in the last five seasons and Gavin Sheehan takes the ride, who’s 4/15 since partnering up with Lucy Wadham this season.
2:40 Doncaster – Virgin Bet Every Saturday Money Back Handicap Chase (GBB Race) (Class 2) (5yo+) – Rare Edition 7/1 1pt WIN
David Bass and Doncaster tend to go hand in hand, as it can often be a front runners track, documented by his 23% all time strike rate here (£37.88+) and he’s 9-3-5 in handicap chases here in the last five seasons (25.50+).
He’s jocked up for his fourth ride on RARE EDITION here, who bolted upon here two seasons ago before going on to beat Rubaud at Kempton, putting him high in the ranks of the British Novices hurdles that season. He returned here last season with a 3/4; third on seasonal debut before taking a Kempton C3, proving his liking for a flat track. He went slightly off the boil in better company since, but Rare Edition then made a promising chase debut to win at Uttoxeter on good ground, with the second franking that form next time out. He improved on that effort next time out when second to Bucksy Des Epeires giving that one 16lbs for a two length defeat, wasn’t disgraced next time out when second to The Kalooki Kid here, with that one now rated 14lbs higher after taking the Scottish Champion Chase last time out. Bad was three-length behind Rare Edition that day and has since come its and bolted up at Kempton now rated 8lbs higher, so Rare Edition’s mark looks workable in that respect.
A subsequent wind op might’ve explained his poor showing when beaten sixteen lengths in G2 company at Ascot last time out, but he was sent o 100/30 there and he has to be considered dropping back into a handicap o 136, as he looks preferably treated on those initial two efforts over fences.
Given his Doncaster form and preference for a at track, this will likely have been the plan for him o a seventy one day break, and he has to be considered in that respect given his record fresh reads 111301.
2:55 Kelso – bet365 Premier Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 2) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (4yo+) – Captain Butler 33/1 0.5pt EW 3 places
I’ve been waiting for CAPTAIN BUTLER to get right for what seems like an age now, as he went into the notebook after bounding away in a Newcastle bumper in 2023, giving over a stone away to one subsequently rated 130 over hurdles.
Issues have presumably kept him off the track, but Pauline Robson is a fantastic operator with these types, and her patience paid off with a smart training performance to get Captain Butler to comfortably win a maiden hurdle over C&D from 593 days off the track, with a couple of subsequent winners in behind.
While he would have to improve on the bare form to live up to some of these, he’s scarcely had a chance to prove it but visually, the way he travels through his races suggests he’s an above average type, and for a three mile P2P winner he boasts plenty of speed. He’s by Mount Nelson out of the exceptional dam sire Old Vic, from the family of smart two miler Real Steel and the yard know when they have a smart one. It’s a deep ask pitching him in here, but he evidently goes well fresh and this C&D winner looks overpriced given the potential he brings.
3:15 Doncaster – Virgin Bet Grimthorpe Handicap Chase (GBB Race) (Class 2) (5yo+) – Moroder 20/1 0.5pt EW 4 places
This is likely to have been the long term plan for the again MORODER, who was a game winner of this contest in 2023 off a 6lbs higher mark, having pulled up on seasonal debut and beaten four nine lengths at Wincanto en-route. It’s been a similar path this time around, having pulled up at Exeter on seasonal debut and beaten sixty seven lengths at Sandown next time out, but it was only three starts prior that he was second at Cheltenham in first time blinkers o 2lbs higher and that race has worked out very well. Stumptown was a head back in third who’s won three times since, and Some Scope was two lengths back in fourth who’s since come out and won the Rowland Meywrick at Wetherby.
The blinkers which perked him up there return for the first time having struggled in cheek-pieces at Sandown, and if they continue to have the desired eect, then this former Grimthorpe winner and Sandown Gold Cup second can put up a bold bid, with the yard two from three in chases here in the last five seasons.
3:30 Kelso – bet365 Morebattle Hurdle (A Handicap Hurdle) (GBB Race) (Class 2) (4yo+) – Aucunrisque 33/1 1pt EW 5 places
Fresh and drying ground can see the admirable AUCUNRISQUE in a better light here, who hasn’t been seen to best effect the last twice in ground soft enough for him. He became well handicapped enough to win at Ascot on good ground in November under an excellent Freddie Gordon ride, who returns to the saddle for the first time since that success. The form of that race has worked out seriously well, with the second now rated 6lbs higher after winning next time out, the third is rated 9lbs higher after bolting up by five lengths in a Cheltenham class two next time out, the fourth is rated 136 now having finished second in the G3 Red Mills for her new yard, and even the twenty seven length sixth won cosily last time out now rated 4lbs higher.
The former Betfair Hurdle winner has a plethora of smart back form and 5lbs lower than that peak success, and the sharp nature of Kelso paired with a strong gallop in this eld can see him bounce back to form on his beloved drying ground.
3:45 Newbury – BetVictor Greatwood Gold Cup Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (5yo+) – Saint Segal 9/1 1pt EW
I’ve given up playing SAINT SEGAL this season, but immediately after his staying on ten length fifth over C&D having blown the start I thought there’s enough ability left to consider playing him again this season. That was this first time he looked to settle well in a race, and he showed enough speed late on to suggest the 2m4f trip is worth persisting with.
That was certainly the case when they popped him out in front over c&d, which saw him belatedly return to the winners enclosure to post a career best RPR when bolting up eleven lengths eased down, jumping fluently in the main. I refrained from playing him in the Scottish Champion Chase last time out, but I thought he again posted a smart effort over 2m4f when a two length second to The Kalooki Kid, who looked to have been chucked in off 131 and certainly going the right way. Despite making the run and being pestered throughout, setting the race up for the winner, he stuck to his task well and I think in this bigger field, he’ll be able to sit in behind the leaders off a strong gallop and the return to Newbury can see him perform well again.
I still think he has some wiggle room in his mark, particularly given his form behind Boothill at Ascot last season, and he looks a rock solid each way bet to at least fill the frame providing his jumping and settling continues to improve.
Looking For More Racing Info? Check Out Our Racecards & Top Tips Sections
Make sure you’re following us on all our social media platforms to keep up to date with all the latest horse racing news and the best tips.