Horse racing tips: Five horses to look out for on Saturday

The busy Festive period may almost be upon us, but we still have some competitive racing action to look forward to this weekend and a final chance to boost punting funds ahead of Boxing Day.

There will also be some Cheltenham Festival clues on offer over the weekend, including at Haydock and Ascot on Saturday where I have five selections. Hopefully at least a couple of them will hit the target and provide us with an early Christmas bonus!

Best of luck, and please remember to gamble responsibly.

Race: 2.05 Haydock - Virgin Bet Handicap Hurdle

Best odds: 9-2 (Sky Bet).

It’s a big day for the Olly Murphy team on Saturday, with Thomas Darby seeking Grade One glory in the Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot, and Mackelduff looks to hold strong claims of getting their day off to a flying start.

Murphy’s five-year-old showed bundles of promise last season and impressed on his seasonal debut when successful in a useful handicap hurdle at Aintree, despite still showing signs of greenness, and was strong at the finish. The form of that contest has also worked out nicely and he was entitled to strip fitter for the outing.

I don’t think the way the race was run, or the track, suited Mackelduff at Cheltenham last time out as he travelled well before getting outpaced and stayed on again towards the finish.

The return to a flatter track will be beneficial to him here and testing conditions should bring his stamina into play. It’s also worth noting his nearest market rivals all return from lengthy absences, so he has the advantage of race fitness, too.

There is surely more to come from this strong-travelling grey who has only had five starts, and Murphy continues in good form having operated at a strike-rate of 19 per cent in the past fortnight.

Race: 2.25 Ascot - Howden Long Walk Hurdle

Best odds: 11-4 (General).

This looks a red-hot renewal of the Long Walk Hurdle, and a potentially tricky puzzle to solve with some of the leading contenders having question marks to answer.

However, Thyme Hill remains a stayer with a considerable amount of potential, and I think it is best to forgive his run in France on his seasonal debut.

He was set a tough task against race-fit rivals in testing conditions there, and the combination of those factors, as well as the travelling and tackling unique obstacles, all probably contributed to his below-par performance.

He had been a consistent performer prior to that, and at least his outing in France will have blown any cobwebs away.

Philip Hobbs’ charge was a shade unlucky to be beaten by Paisley Park in last year’s Long Walk Hurdle and gained compensation for having to bypass Cheltenham when landing the Ryanair Stayers Hurdle in game fashion at Aintree.

A reproduction of that effort will see him go close here, and he’s still only seven, so he should have more to offer this season. Buzz needs to prove he stays three miles, Paisley Park has looked regressive on his two starts this season and Champ is now rising ten plus lacks a recent run, so I would rate Irish raider Ronald Pump as the main danger, especially as this test should suit him.

Race: 2.40 Haydock - Virgin Bet Tommy Whittle Handicap Chase

Best odds: 7-2 (General).

Remastered was a big eyecatcher in the Ladbrokes Trophy in November where he travelled smoothly into contention and was just about to mount his challenge when suffering a heavy fall four fences from home.

It is hard to say if he would have definitely won, but it looked certain that he was going to play a part in the finish and, because he departed too far out, the handicapper has been forced to leave him on the same mark.

The leaves him on a potentially attractive rating of 146, despite it being a career-high mark and, provided that fall has not knocked his confidence, he holds obvious claims here.

The eight-year-old had jumped well prior to his mistake and the return to testing conditions will not pose a problem to him, given he has won four times on heavy ground.

Hopefully he can gain compensation here and continue on an upward curve before contesting some of the top staying handicaps throughout the rest of the season.

Race: 3.00 Ascot - Howden Silver Cup Handicap Chase

Best odds: 16-1 (General).

A slightly speculative selection, but there are reasons to believe Storm Control will bounce back to form on Saturday.

Kerry Lee’s gelding looked a handicapper firmly on the up when recording back-to-back victories at Cheltenham 12 months ago, the latter being a Grade Three contest, before he produced a string of disappointing efforts.

However, he was set some difficult tasks – including in the Kim Muir and the Topham Chase – and failed to stay the trip in Warwick’s Classic Chase, so has at least had excuses.

Admittedly, his return to action at Cheltenham in October, where he was sent off favourite, was disappointing, and he has been given wind surgery since.

The last time he endured a wind op, which was after three below-par efforts, he bolted up by 21 lengths, and if it has the same effect here, then he is definitely weighted to go close off a rating 2lb below his last winning mark.

At 16-1, he looks worth chancing each-way, despite his stable not being in the same form compared to the start of the season.

Race: 3.35 Ascot - Betfair Exchange Trophy

Best odds: 4-1 (General).

It is no surprise to see No Ordinary Joe at the head of the market for this competitive handicap following his hugely promising return in the Greatwood Hurdle last time out, and he has the potential to be much better than his rating of 136.

The five-year-old shaped like a smart performer in the making in novice hurdles last season, despite having the tendency to race keenly on occasions, and he again raced with the choke out in the Cheltenham feature.

That didn’t stop him from going close, though, and he travelled like the best horse in the race before his keenness, and the lack of a recent run, took its toll in the closing stages.

I expect that outing will have taken the freshness out of him, and he should be capable of reversing form with his Greatwood Hurdle conqueror, West Cork, who has to avoid the ‘bounce’ factor plus has been raised 7lb for that victory.

No Ordinary Joe only needs to repeat his recent effort to go close here and, with just five runs under his belt, there is surely more to come from him.

Drop The Anchor looks a shade over-priced based upon his strong handicap form but, given he runs off a rating 15lb higher than his last winning mark, he may just be in the grip of the handicapper now.