Ben Linfoot guides you through the ITV main channel action on Saturday afternoon and he has two recommended bets at Ascot.
Racing betting tips: Saturday October 29
2pts win Samarrive in 1.30 Ascot at 11/4 (General)
1pt win Gumball in 2.40 Ascot at 15/2 (bet365)
SAMARRIVE - 1.30 Ascot
Former 160-rated hurdler Goshen makes his chasing debut in the ITV opener on Saturday – the Ascot Underwriting Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase - and his presence in the line-up forces his three rivals out of the weights.
However, even with SAMARRIVE 3lb wrong he looks a dangerous rival to the likely favourite getting 11lb as he looked a top prospect over hurdles, especially going right-handed, after wins at Kempton and Sandown (twice).
He looked well suited to the new trip when stepped up to 2m4f on his latest start and this looks the ideal starting point over fences at a track where Paul Nicholls always seems to have the Johnny de la Hey horses primed to the minute.
It’s not a two-horse race by any means with Cobblers Dream and Gowel Road threats on their best form, but the latter will have to jump loads better than he did on his chasing debut if he’s to play a part here.
LEARNTALOT - 1.50 Wetherby
LEARNTALOT will have hopefully just done that after three runs in novice hurdles and he can start his campaign with a win in the bet365 Novices’ Hurdle at Wetherby.
Olly Murphy’s horse was sent off the odds-on favourite for a novice hurdle at this track in March but he could only finish second to Dan Skelton’s Reilly.
That horse had plenty of experience, though, including at the trip, while the twice-raced Learntalot was stepping up in distance for the first time and that seemed to be a factor.
He can improve on his second go over the course and distance and prove himself too good for Prairie Wolf who could be the one to bit stepping up himself on his second hurdles start.
HIGHWAY ONE O TWO - 2.05 Ascot
Chris Gordon’s yard have hit the ground running and with a recent outing under his belt HIGHWAY ONE O TWO appeals in the Bateaux London Handicap Hurdle at Ascot.
The seven-year-old has one handicap hurdle win to his name since an aborted chasing campaign but he’s run some big races in good company including a second in the Lanzarote in January.
His reappearance second at Fontwell hinted at an imminent return to the winners’ enclosure and with that run in mind he could have a fitness edge over plenty of these.
He can expose any chinks in his opponents in that regard with an aggressive run from the front and he’s got a good pilot in Gavin Sheehan considering this particular mission.
MOLLY OLLYS WISHES - 2.25 Wetherby
MOLLY OLLYS WISHES was well primed for the bet365 Mares’ Hurdle at Wetherby last year and she can go back-to-back in the race on Saturday.
It ended up being one of the best performances of her campaign so now may well be the time to catch her as her other win also came after a two-month break.
She needs further ideally, but showed in this race last year the bare two miles is absolutely fine for her at this point in the campaign and she should have too much speed for Martello Sky, who really is at her best over 2m4f.
GUMBALL - 2.40 Ascot
GUMBALL looks well-handicapped over fences now and with a recent spin on the Flat to work from he looks a good bet in the Byrne Group Handicap Chase at Ascot.
Formerly trained by Philip Hobbs, his finest hour came at this track in the Sodexo Handicap Hurdle where he made all to win off a hurdles mark of 139.
Things haven’t gone to plan for him since that day, but he was rated in the 150s straight away over fences and it’s taken time to get him down to a competitive mark.
Off 137 we’re there now and Fergal O’Brien gave him a nice run out at this track on the level last month, where he showed a bit of his old spark in finishing second.
PROSCHEMA - 3.00 Wetherby
It’s a really good renewal of the Grade 2 bet365 Hurdle at Wetherby and that fact alone puts me off Sporting John at skinny prices, for all that I’m a big fan of the horse over hurdles.
He could well develop into a leading Stayers’ Hurdle contender, but the Philip Hobbs yard have been quiet and this is a tough first assignment of the season, so he’s passed over in favour of Dan Skelton’s PROSCHEMA.
This horse ran a cracker in this race last year when he ran second to Indefatigable on the back of a seasonal reappearance at Chepstow and he had a run out in South Wales again in preparation for this.
He had to give Indefatigable 7lb last year and was beaten less than three lengths, but that weight concession is only 1lb this time and that could be a crucial factor in the final analysis.
TEA CLIPPER - 3.15 Ascot
I like another horse coming out of the Chepstow meeting and that’s TEA CLIPPER in the Bateaux London Gold Cup Handicap Chase.
Tom Lacey’s seven-year-old has improved since the application of cheekpieces and he travelled best of all in the Ultima Handicap Chase before he was fourth at the Cheltenham Festival.
Fourth at Aintree, too, he returned at Chepstow and should have won, again travelling with zest before Peregrine Run edged him by a neck.
There’s a chance he flatters to deceive, but he’s still unexposed enough to be given the benefit of the doubt and if he’s straighter for Chepstow he should have a fitness edge on the bulk of these rivals.
BRAVEMANSGAME - 3.35 Wetherby
It’s round 3 (over fences) of the BRAVEMANSGAME vs Ahoy Senor mini-series and it’s Paul Nicholls’ horse who can come out on top in a super renewal of the bet365 Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby.
The score is 1-1 between the two after Bravemansgame’s decisive win in the Kauto Star at Kempton last Christmas and Ahoy Senor’s Aintree win where the selection was below his best.
He should be fit and firing for this, though, on the back of wind surgery, and while Ahoy Senor looks the obvious Gold Cup prospect between the pair Bravemansgame can excel in the first part of the season.
This looks the ideal starting point for him and he can set up a tilt at the King George with a second victory over his old foe.
Published at 1415 BST on 28/10/22
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