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Saturday Racing Tips
Ice In The Veins (Haydock, 14.12) – 1pt each-way @ 6/1 (Bet365)Heather Honey (Haydock, 14.46) – 1pt each-way @ 9/1 (BOYLE Sports)Filanderer (Haydock, 15.20) – 1pt each-way @ 15/2 (Bet365)Royal Zabeel (Musselburgh, 13.55) – 1pt each-way @ 12/1 (William Hill)Al Qareem (Musselburgh, 14.30) – 3pts win @ 5/6 (Betfred)There’s a packed racing programme on Easter Saturday and I’ve picked out out my best bets at Haydock Park and Musselburgh with the best odds from horse racing betting sites.
Pertemps Network Challenger Two Mile Hurdle Series Final Handicap Hurdle (14.12, Haydock)
It’s time for a few cards to be placed on the table in a race that sees some of the entrants who have perhaps been hiding their respective lights under a bushel.
Among them is ICE IN THE VEINS, who easily won a Warwick novices’ hurdle (2m3f, good) last November, before successfully defying a penalty when dropped back to two miles at Kempton Park next time.
Between then and when running no sort of race back at Kempton in February, he’d had wind surgery, while he was a market drifter before being comfortably beaten and never really placed in the race itself at Ludlow (2m, soft) last time.
Perhaps those conditions were too soft but they’re forecast to be less testing here, while the assessor has dropped him a handy 3lb since entering handicaps.
There should be plenty of pace on here and I think his proven stamina will stand him in good stead, so provided Harry Skelton can settle him, he can run a much bigger race than has been the case the last two times. He can be backed each-way with a solid price available on betting sites.
Saturday racing tip 1: Ice In The Veins (Haydock, 14.12) – 1pt each-way @ 6/1 (Bet365)
Pertemps Network Challenger Stayers Hurdle Series Final Handicap Hurdle (14.46, Haydock)
We’ve sided with the Skeltons in the opener and they combine with the ante-post favourite for this race in Blue Carpet, who has obvious claims. He is much respected but I think the value here could lay in siding with HEATHER HONEY on an each-way basis.
She’s 9/1 at the time of writing, she has a nice racing weight of 10st 8lb and this daughter of Getaway stays well. She’s already proven over C&D (good to soft), winning here last month when only pushed out hands and heels and I think there is still scope for more from her.
Joel Parkinson and Sue Smith have got a good record at this track and yet so often their runners seem to be taken lightly by the layers and I think that could be the case here.
Saturday racing tip 2: Heather Honey (Haydock, 14.46) – 1pt each-way @ 9/1 (BOYLE Sports)
Unibet Middle Distance Veterans' Handicap Chase (Series Final) (15.20, Haydock)
Another cracking contest on paper, this time for some seasoned pros and cases can be made for several. It’s easy to see why Genois has been made the favourite, having gone up just 4lb for beating the re-opposing Outlaw Peter (up 2lb) by a length at Exeter last month.
There may be more scope for the JP McManus-owned favourite from his current official mark of 125, while Guard Your Dreams and Le Milos are classy handicappers on their day and if Fugitif could get to within 7lb of his best form, he’d have a great chance from this mark.
However, I’m siding with second-favourite FILANDERER. He’s one of few jumpers trained by Hughie Morrison, who has placed this 10-year-old well to win five of his 11 chase starts.
He handles slow ground really well, usually jumps well and likes to race prominently, which is no negative around Haydock. He has been a bit in-and-out this season but when he’s been good he’s been very good, winning by 16 lengths at Ffos Las last October and by 11 lengths at Market Rasen on his penultimate start.
He was well beaten at Newbury between those successes and was never really going at all when tried over 3m1f in the Ultima at Cheltenham last month. I have no doubt he’s a better horse than he showed there and, based on his Market Rasen success, he is still well treated from a mark that’s 9lb higher here. This trip is his optimum and I think he looks a cracking each-way play, while he could prove up to winning again.
Saturday racing tip 3: Filanderer (Haydock, 15.20) – 1pt each-way @ 15/2 (Bet365)
LiveScore Bet Silver Arrow Handicap (13.55, Musselburgh)
They race on the level at Musselburgh and this £50,000 pot has drawn a competitive field of handicappers and pattern winners, with Midnight Gun heading the market ante-post.
In truth, there is little to choose between much of the field on their best form and I think there could be some value in the 14/1 on offer (at the time of writing) about ROYAL ZABEEL.
Mick Appleby trains and Kevin Stott takes the mount on this five-year-old, who has won six of his 19 starts, two of those in Listed company on All Weather surfaces. His form on turf is also good, if not quite at the heights he’s hit away from it.
He was last of 13, beaten 22 lengths when we last saw him at Riyadh in February but we’ll have to put a line through that form to back him here and I think we can. His peak effort on turf was his most recent win on the surface, at Newmarket last July (7f, good to firm).
He tends to race prominently although has come from off the pace to win before too, so there’s some versatility there and he’s drawn in six, which is okay. I think he’s better treated than his price suggests and he’s another we can get involved with on an each-way basis.
Saturday racing tip 4: Royal Zabeel (Musselburgh, 13.55) – 1pt each-way @ 12/1 (William Hill)
Virgin Bet Goliath Cup Stakes (Listed Race) (14.30, Musselburgh)
Although he’s not bombproof when fresh, the record of AL QAREEM’s first runs after a break reads pretty well, including a couple of wins and I’m siding with the likely market leader in this.
He’s got some good form at a higher level and I do think that, when he drops back into Listed company, he can race at his most comfortable. He is favoured by the race conditions, he stays well he is versatile regarding the ground, so he won’t mind if there is any rain between now and the off. He’ll be plenty short enough but I think he’ll win.
Saturday racing tip 5: Al Qareem (Musselburgh, 14.30) – 3pts win @ 5/6 (Betfred)
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