Simon Holt best bets and tips for Ascot, Haydock and Taunton on Saturday

By Simon Holt

15:53 · SAT January 18, 2020

In-form tipster Simon Holt fancies Soul Emotion to strike for Nicky Henderson at Ascot and has four selections across three meetings.

Recommended bets:

2pts win Soul Emotion in 2.25 Ascot at 9/1

1pt win Imperial Knight in 4.15 Haydock at 11/1

1pt win Billingsley in 3.45 Haydock at 5/1

1pt win Tactical Manoeuvre in 1.05 Taunton at 7/2

NICKY Henderson's horses have been going well this week and SOUL EMOTION is fancied to provide another winner for the Seven Barrows team in the Matchbook Holloway's Handicap Hurdle at Ascot on Saturday.

This talented French import, who made a mighty impression on his first two starts in this country when twice hacking up at Sandown in the spring of 2018, looks to be returning to his best despite an unfortunate experience here last December when collapsing after the finishing line in the Long Walk Hurdle.

For a few moments, the outlook looked grim for Soul Emotion and doubly upsetting as he had run extremely well in that Grade One race, leading into the home straight and only weakening approaching the last over the three-mile trip before finishing fifth behind such luminaries as Paisley Park, West Approach (having a good day) and Top Notch.

Well beaten after an 11 month lay-off at Newbury in November, Jerry McGrath's mount ran much better on a return to the Berkshire course a month later when third behind two promising types in Dorking Boy and The Wolf who were both receiving a whopping 24lb.

If the unlucky Howling Milan had not fallen at the last that day, Soul Emotion would only have finished fourth but he looked much more like the horse who ran so well on this course just over a year ago, travelling well and jumping impeccably.

For me, he has a touch of class about him and, while last year's winner Ballymoy (just 2lb higher) deserves plenty of respect returning to hurdling and the Paul Nicholls French import Pic D'Orhy remains something of an unknown quantity over here, a big run is on the cards back at Ascot.

At Haydock, Scottish Grand National and Rehearsal Chase winner Takingrisks is bound to command plenty of attention returning to hurdles in the concluding Old Boston Handicap Hurdle, but he could be up against it conceding 11lb to IMPERIAL KNIGHT.

Ben Pauling's lightly-raced gelding was disappointing on his debut over fences at Chepstow in early December when making several mistakes before unseating, but looks potentially well handicapped over the smaller obstacles.

A 66-1 chance when far from disgraced behind the useful Dashel Drasher at Ascot in February 2019, Imperial Knight may have been unfortunate not to win at Southwell next time (2m4f), stumbling at the last and rallying well to be beaten just half a length by Larkbarrow Lad.

He looked all about stamina in that contest (his half brother Go Whatever won over three miles at Sandown last month) and, given that the winner is now rated 134 (and the remote third Accordingtogino 121), a mark of just 124 here could prove very lenient.

Earlier, BILLINGSLEY can follow up a bold jumping display at Hereford in the Cheltenham Preview Here in March Handicap Chase.

The still-unexposed eight-year-old went up 5lb for what was quite a dominant display dropped in class after chasing home Knight In Dubai and the aforementioned Ballymoy at Bangor first time out.

Billingsley is unbeaten in three races over two miles on heavy ground.

Spreading the selections around a bit this week, TACTICAL MANOEUVRE looks interesting in the opening Gold Cup and Grand National Lunches Handicap Hurdle at Taunton.

Having his second start for trainer Jeremy Scott, whose horses have been going well all season, the nine-year-old held on gamely to win at Exeter in early December, an effort which has since been boosted by the runner-up Bells Of Peterboro.

Tactical Manoeuvre was raised 7lb for that success but is still 9lb below his best winning mark which he defied over this course and distance in February 2018.

The Exeter victory was the first since then but he seems better over hurdles than fences and may have been revitalised by a change of yards.

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