Free betting tips: Ante-post preview of Byrne Group Handicap Chase and William Hill Handicap Hurdle

Horse Racing

Tue October 31, 2017 · 7y ago

The National Hunt season steps up another notch on Saturday and we have 11/1 and 12/1 ante-post selections for the card at Ascot.

Ifs and buts abound in the Byrne Group Handicap Chase at Ascot on Saturday as is so often the case.

The free-running Marracudja appeals as a favourite to take on despite having been given a chance by the handicapper. He's gone back up 2lbs from a career low mark after a satisfactory return at Kempton but remains 6lbs below his peak.

Last year's first and third (Quite By Chance and Festive Affair) line up again but they are 9lbs and 15lbs higher in the handicap and of more interest is the unexposed, on these shores, Ballotin who made a winning debut for Philip Hobbs at Wetherby.

Venetia Williams' string appears more out than in at this stage of the season but the Herefordshire handler has saddled the winner in two of the last four and three of the last nine renewals. She has two entered and Calipto has always appealed as a horse with more to offer in this discipline.

He hasn't had a lot of racing in the last two seasons and the same is true of talented rivals Duke Of Navan and Chris Pea Green. The market could prove revealing in all instances.

Williams' other runner Zamdy Man may prefer easier ground than he's likely to encounter here and the same is true of the progressive Speredek whose winning spree came on soft.

It becomes easier to understand why Marracudja heads the betting but he doesn't appear to have that much scope to progress significantly beyond the form that he's already shown and while that may be enough to put him in the mix, it doesn't make him an attractive betting proposition.

Relative outsider Somchine is not dismissed but Max Ward appeals as the one to back at a double figure price. Tom George's horses appear to be well forward and there should be a good deal more to come from this second season chaser in this campaign.

He is on a career high mark after finishing fourth in a two and a half mile Grade One at Aintree but this strong traveller could enjoy reverting to a handicap over the minimum on decent ground that promises to be run at a decent clip.

He finished just over a length in front of Marracudja (off levels) when the pair clashed behind Altior at Sandown but progressed afterwards whether his rival arguably regressed. That is reflected in their respective ratings to some extent but Max Ward retains the potential for further progress and is a fair price to prove that at the first time of asking.

The William Hill Handicap Hurdle is usually a red-hot affair and this year's renewal looks no different.

Second season hurdlers have the upper hand more often than not and if Jenkins - one time favourite for the Supreme Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham - finally lives up to his reputation then the rest may be playing for place money.

He had a valid excuse when disappointing at Newbury and could easily prove to be in a different class but he's been chalked up at 7/2 and is one of three entries for the yard.

Elgin looks a rock solid second favourite at 6/1 with a run under his belt but a more adventurous play at twice those odds would be Don Bersy, trained by former Henderson assistant Tom Symonds.

Symonds' career hasn't taken off as many predicted but this horse has the potential to see his handler involved in the big Saturday races. He fell when travelling well (some way out admittedly) on his hurdling debut but then went on to win his next three, only missing out on the spring festivals due to connections desire to mind him at this stage of his career.

He was beaten on his handicap bow at Newbury but looked all over the winner before not getting home over two miles three and he certainly has more than enough potential to win from his current mark. Whether he will be allowed to take his chance on the ground is another matter but he hasn't looked like an out and out mudlark and is worth a small interest in the hope he lines up.