Our form expert has three selections for the ITV action at Newbury and Kelso on Saturday.
The Verdict: Saturday March 22
1pt win Bhaloo in 2.40 Newbury at 14/1 (Paddy Power, William Hill)
1pt win Surrey Belle in 3.00 Kelso at 11/2 (Paddy Power, Betfair Sportsbook)
1pt e.w. Sunset Marquesa in 3.15 Newbury at 12/1 (Bet365 1/5 1,2,3,4,5)
1pt win Calimystic in 2.05 Newbury at 8/1 (NON RUNNER)
In-form Hendo to strike at Newbury
Nicky Henderson didn’t have a bad Cheltenham Festival in the end, despite the absence of Sir Gino, the fall of Constitution Hill and the defeat of Jonbon.
While those big guns didn’t deliver he still won the Arkle, had the one-two in the Pertemps Final and had seconds in the Coral Cup and Triumph, so the Seven Barrows team ran really well as a whole and they’ve been firing since the Festival, too.
This Saturday he’s got a bunch of interesting horses running at local track Newbury and there’s a couple I want to back including CALIMYSTIC (NON RUNNER) in the Get Best Odds Guaranteed At BetVictor Novices' Handicap Hurdle at 2.05.
You can admittedly make a case for plenty in this race, but I do think we can look forward to a career-best from this horse off what looks likely to be a strong gallop, so he gets the vote at 8/1.
He’s a six-year-old who has only had the three career runs and they have all come in the last four months, so he’s learning quickly and improving with each start as he has shown at Doncaster the last twice.
In January he bumped into a nice horse in George's Lad, but he progressed from that run when easily accounting for his rivals on Town Moor last time where it was pleasing to see him have the gears for 2m3f on good ground.
He’s bred for a bit further really, but this looks the ideal next step for him and with a couple of his siblings, Angels Breath and Outofthisworld, progressing to a higher level there’s a good chance he can rate a fair bit higher than his current mark of 118.
Doncaster and Newbury are similar left-handed, galloping, flat tracks, so he looks well prepped for a good go at this under Nico de Boinville.
In the following BetVictor Home Of The Saturday Superboost Handicap Chase Henderson’s BHALOO is more chancy but I want to be with him at 16s.
You couldn’t be confident given he’s been pulled up on his last three starts but I think he’s well-handicapped and I think he’s a spring horse.
In the April of 2023 he won his bumper beating Dan Skelton’s Take No Chances (now rated 146, third in the Mares’ Hurdle) at Market Rasen, while last April he was way too good for Classic King (second last weekend, now rated 135) in a novice hurdle at Kempton.
This season he returned with a very good win over Bad (twice a winner since, now rated 140) at Ascot, rallying to the cause nicely after being headed, before he reverted to hurdles in December and things haven’t gone to plan since.
Pulled up at Cheltenham (three mile hurdle), Windsor (three mile chase) and Kempton (2m4f Grade 2 Pendil Novices’ Chase), he hasn’t kicked on from his reappearance, but he is back on his last winning mark of 130 now and he might just rediscover his mojo now the nights are getting longer.
If he does, he’s the most unexposed chaser in the race from one of the best yards in the land and the 16/1 could quickly look huge.
The Verdict: Back BHALOO in the 2.40 Newbury
Sunset to hit the Marq for Tizzard
Also at Newbury Joe Tizzard’s SUNSET MARQUESA can go well in the BetVictor British EBF "National Hunt" Mares' Novices' Hurdle at 3.15.
Tizzard won this race with a similar type in Ilovethenightlife two years ago as she was another daughter of Walk In The Park on her way up through the grades.
This six-year-old is doing the same and she is beginning to build on the promise of her good bumper form now she’s getting more experienced over hurdles.
Bar a minor blip at this track two starts ago, where she took on much more experienced mares in a good handicap, she has been progressing well and her win at Ffos Las last time, in a first-time tongue-tie, was a big step in the right direction.
She settled much better that day and recovered well from a stumble at the second last to power away for a convincing win under Brendan Powell.
That was over two miles, a trip she has tackled on all eight of her career starts, but she’s dead interesting stepping up to 2m4f for the first time as her pedigree suggests she might improve for it.
Related to Drumlee Sunset and The Jigsaw Man, who both stayed 2m4f well, now looks a good time for her to go out in trip and she’s worth an each-way bet in a good race.
The Verdict: Back SUNSET MARQUESA in the 3.15 Newbury
Belle of the ball at Kelso
Finally, the value could be at the top of the market in the Ladbrokes Herring Queen Series Final Mares' Novices' Handicap Hurdle where SURREY BELLE makes plenty of appeal.
Adrian Keatley’s mare is 11/2 favourite but I don’t think that’s a bad price at all as she could well outclass them here over a track and trip that looks sure to play to her strengths.
Her form stacks up as she was second to Siog Geal at Catterick, who has improved since and is favourite for the aforementioned mares’ race at Newbury, and Gibbs Island, subsequent winner of the Victor Ludorum, at Sedgefield.
Since then she won well at Uttoxeter and bolted up at Newcastle over 2m4f, but she has the gears to hold her pitch over two miles at this level and this has been the plan ever since she jumped so well in her qualifier two starts ago.
Brian Hughes has an excellent record when riding for Keatley (10 wins from 37 at 27%) and her usual prominent style of racing should lend itself well to this test at this track.
The Verdict: Back SURREY BELLE in the 3.00 Kelso
Preview posted at 1540 GMT on 21/03/25
More from Sporting Life
- Racecards
- Fast results
- Full results and free video replays
- Horse racing news
- Horse racing tips
- Horse racing features
- Download our free iOS and Android app
- Football and other sports tips
- Podcasts and video content
Safer gambling
We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.
If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.
Further support and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org.
