Matt Brocklebank and Ben Linfoot were both among the winners on Friday and Andrew Asquith has Saturday's best bets from around the tracks.
Saturday selections
Sky Bet odds | Paddy Power | Betfair Sportsbook
Today's Sky Bet Request-A-Bet
- JILAIJONE to place in 1.15 Ascot (6 places)
- COUNTRY PARK to place in 2.25 Ascot (5 places)
- APPLE AWAY to win 3.15 Haydock
LEADENHALL STREET – 6.40 Southwell (NAP)
This looks a good, competitive handicap for the grade, featuring several unexposed types, notably the James Fanshawe-trained LEADENHALL STREET who is making his handicap debut.
He looked to be carrying plenty of condition ahead of his debut in a newcomers’ event at Newmarket last summer and seemed in dire need of the experience. Leadenhall Street was gelded afterwards and offered much more to work on when midfield at Wolverhampton on his return from four months off in December.
That form worked out well, finishing just behind two next-time-out winners, and he progressed another chunk on his first try at six furlongs at Kempton last month. He did very well to finish as close as he did on that occasion, making up plenty of ground in the latter stages from an unpromising position in a steadily-run race, and this time he had two next-time-out winners in behind him.
His effort is backed up by his closing sectional, too, the only horse to dip under 35 seconds (34.8) in the last three furlongs, and with further progress on the cards, he can prove an opening mark of 74 a lenient one.
GOLDEN ACE – 1.36 Wincanton
Burdett Road is a short-priced favourite for the Kingwell, but GOLDEN ACE is fancied to prove a stern challenger now dropping back to two miles for the first time since beating Brighterdaysahead ahead in the Mares' Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival last season.
That form could hardly have worked out any better, with that rival now the biggest challenger to Constitution Hill in the Champion Hurdle betting, and Golden Ace has shaped promisingly in two starts over two and a half miles this season.
On both occasions, she has travelled well before succumbing to stronger stayers in the closing stages, shaping like she's crying out for a return to two miles. A sound surface over this trip round here should suit this strong-travelling mare down to the ground and, in receipt of 8lb from Burdett Road, there probably shouldn’t be so much between them in the betting.
PIC D’ORHY – 3.37 Ascot
PIC D’ORHY was put in his place by Shishkin in the Ascot Chase in 2023, but he comfortably beat the reopposing L’Homme Presse by five and a half lengths 12 months ago, and looks primed to make it back-to-back wins in this contest.
He warmed up for the defence of his crown when recording his second win in the 1965 Chase and third success over this course and distance on his return in November, not needing to be anywhere near his best form, but taking advantage of a soft lead and always looking like the winner.
Pic d’Orhy will have had this race as his main target this season before likely heading back to Aintree and he is sure to be cherry-ripe now. His main opposition on form, L’Homme Presse and Corbetts Cross, are both likely to find this trip too sharp, especially on the likely ground, and it looks tailormade for Pic d’Orhy to bounce out and make all of the running once again.
DERRYHASSEN PADDY – 3.50 Haydock
It looks a cracking renewal of the Albert Bartlett Prestige Novices’ Hurdle, with plenty of potential improvers on show, but the best prospect of the lot could well be DERRYHASSEN PADDY.
He showed a near-useful level of form when winning his bumper at Ayr last season and has looked a very good prospect over hurdles so far, making a winning start in this sphere over two and a half miles at Uttoxeter in November and improving a chunk when following up in a valuable event over three miles at Windsor last time.
Derryhassen Paddy is a big, strong gelding who will likely develop into an even better chaser in time, so the fact he was able to win at a sharp, tight and twisting track like Windsor pays testament to his natural ability.
He will love the switch back to a more open, galloping track and he should have much more to offer. More testing conditions would likely be preferable, but he looks a staying novice to keep on the right side, and is taken to concede weight all round before heading to the Cheltenham Festival.
SIBYL CHARM – 6.55 Newcastle
SIBYL CHARM goes particularly well at Newcastle, winning at this course three times around this time last year, and she also finished runner-up in this race from a mark of 70.
She went on to win twice after that effort, her best performance coming over seven furlongs when defying a mark of 77, before going on to be beaten just three lengths by Cloud Cover in the Fillies’ And Mares’ Championships on Good Friday.
That is solid form and a spell on turf last summer has resulted in her falling down the weights somewhat, now 11lb below her last winning mark, and she has left the impression she's building up to something in two starts over this course and distance since returning from a break at the end of January.
Sibyl Charm is eligible for lesser races than this, but she should get the strong pace she relishes now, and is just the type to excel herself in better company back down to her career-low mark.
Sunday selections
Sky Bet odds | Paddy Power | Betfair Sportsbook
REFLECTION OF YOU – 4.00 Musselburgh (NAP)
Lucinda Russell has her string in good nick and REFLECTION OF YOU could leave her previous form behind now she goes handicapping over a trip at Musselburgh on Sunday. The daughter of Jack Hobbs is a point-to-point winner who is bred for three miles and she won her bumper at this track last spring. She hasn’t impressed in three hurdling starts but wind surgery, cheekpieces and going up to three miles for the first time under Rules could see her in a very different light.
ARCADIAN NIGHTS – 3.52 Lingfield
ARCADIAN NIGHTS can go in again in the 10-furlong handicap at Lingfield (3.52). Mark Loughnane’s seven-year-old won at Chelmsford last time out after staying on well and a 3lb hike in the weights might not stop him following up while he’s in the groove. This seems to be his time of year these days, four of his last five victories coming on the all-weather in January or February.
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2025 winners
- Myretown 5/2 (NAP)
- Apiarist 11/2
- Sainte Doctor 4/1
- Plage De Lavre 5/4
- Aviemore 4/1
- Rey De La Batalla 11/2
- New Found Fame 6/1
- Pilgrims King 5/1
- Saint Anapolino 10/3
- Blue Anthem 5/1
- Buzz Box 5/2
- Dance In The Storm 8/11
- Northern Cracksman 9/4
- Kylian 9/4
- Sol Cayo 2/1
- George's Lad 10/11
- Beauty Generation 15/8
- Komedy Kicks 11/4 (NAP)
- Our Havana 6/1
- Manara 2/1
- Jimmy Knocker 13/2
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