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Ben Linfoot free horse racing tips for ITV racing at Kempton and Newcastle Saturday February 24
Our form expert has four selections at Kempton and Newcastle on Saturday afternoon including in the Coral Trophy Handicap.
The Verdict: Saturday, February 24
1pt win Major Dundee in 2.08 Newcastle at 10/1 (General)
1pt win Killer Kane in 3.37 Kempton at 12/1 (General)
1pt win Sea Invasion in 1.15 Kempton at 11/2 (Non Runner - going)
1pt win Secret Squirrel in 3.00 Kempton at 6/1 (Non Runner - going)
Killer instinct at Kempton
The Coral Trophy Handicap Chase is a race with a rich history and with a £150,000 pot to go for the likes of Dan Skelton and Anthony Honeyball have targeted the race in different ways.
Skelton comes with Kempton regular Flegmatik, riding on the crest of a wave after victory here last time out, while Honeyball aims a trio of staying chasers at the prize and all three have to come under consideration.
The problem is his Blackjack Magic, the most likely winner of the Honeyball trio, has been well found in the market, and so has last year's second Flegmatik, whose task has been made more difficult now he races from a career-high mark of 140.
On balance I’d rather take the pair on at the prices and Joe Tizzard’s KILLER KANE is the sort of course specialist I like to have on my side in this type of contest.
The nine-year-old has won two three-mile handicap chases around here off marks of 120 and 126, while he was fifth in this contest last year (off a 4lb higher mark under a penalty) and, crucially, he shaped encouragingly in third here last time on his first go since wind surgery.
He jumped really well last time on his first run for 69 days, hinting as though he’d come on for the run - and if he does he looks a big player from a perch of 131 at a track he loves.
Colin Tizzard won this race a few times with Theatre Guide and Mister Malarky, so Tizzard junior knows exactly what is required to land this contest and a slightly lighter prep than last year for Killer Kane might just work the oracle.
The Verdict: Back KILLER KANE in the 3.37 Kempton
Major chance in the Eider
Finally, MAJOR DUNDEE is worth backing now he tackles a marathon trip again in the Betting.Bet Eider Handicap Chase at Newcastle.
Alan King’s horse won the Midlands National last March over 4m2f from a mark of 129 and that’s the best he's ever travelled at a tempo that played to his strengths.
He hasn't raced to that level in three starts this season, but two of them were over trips around three miles and he was unsuited by the hell-for-leather nature of the Classic Chase at Warwick last time where he was taken off his feet early.
The good thing is he’s dropped in the weights to a mark just 3lb higher than his Uttoxeter win and King, who was struggling earlier in the season, is in much better form now.
This represents a drop in class from Warwick for Major Dundee and much better is expected now he should be racing at a tempo he’s comfortable with, in a race where being proven over the distance can count for so much.
The Verdict: Back MAJOR DUNDEE in the 2.08 Newcastle
Go nuts for Squirrel in Dovecote (NON RUNNER)
Earlier on the card Hughie Morrison's SECRET SQUIRREL could be the answer in the Grade 2 Coral Dovecote Novices' Hurdle.
This horse does not have much, if anything, to find with Lump Sum and Fiercely Proud on a line through Jeriko Du Reponet, yet he is twice the price of the pair and he’s well proven at this track.
I loved the way he tanked through his hurdling debut at Kempton back in November, clearly loving the test of speed this track provides on ground Timeform recorded as soft, and he still looked in good nick last time out when narrowly beaten by Fire Flyer over 2m3f at Taunton, the pair 20 lengths clear of the third.
Morrison has a tidy record at this track with his jumpers, winning six from 30 at 20%, and with the ground in his favour he could easily bustle up the market leaders.
The Verdict: Back SECRET SQUIRREL in the 3.00 Kempton
Sea the light in Kempton opener (NON RUNNER)
Chris Gordon traditionally does well at this Kempton meeting and it wouldn’t be a surprise if his SEA INVASION has plenty up his sleeve from the handicapper in the opening Coral Racing Club Handicap Hurdle over 2m5f.
The son of Sea Moon ran second to Henry de Bromhead’s Slade Steel in an Irish point, suggesting he’ll thrive over this trip having qualified for his mark of 113 by running in 2m maiden hurdles.
His fourth at this track at Christmas was his best run yet and with two of the horses that finished narrowly in front of him, Onethreefivenotout and Moon Chime, both winning since, his chance is there for all to see.
He's 1lb out of the weights, but that’s neither here nor there and he simply looks the best handicapped horse from all of those that are trading in single-figure prices in this race.
The Verdict: Back SEA INVASION in the 1.15 Kempton
Preview posted at 1550 GMT on 23/02/24
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