How To Bet £20 on Saturday: 40-1 Heartbeat can get pulse racing
By Andy Stephens
Last Updated: Sat 13 Sep 2025
There’s some superb racing on Saturday with a dozen double-figure fields at Leopardstown and Doncaster to get stuck into.
The Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes (5.30) at Leopardstown is not one of them, having drawn eight runners, but it still offers the bet of the day in Hotazhell.
He’s been trimmed from 33-1 to 25-1 since the final declarations were made on Thursday morning but there’s still loads of juice in his price.
Hotazhell beat Delacroix fair and square in the Futurity Trophy last autumn and has had valid excuses for each of his three defeats at the highest level this term.
Andy Stephens
Finished: 4thSP: 18/1
He was much too keen after pinging the gates and getting no cover in the Eclipse on his penultimate start and was a desperately unlucky loser in the Saratoga Derby last time when being held up in rear and running into all sorts of traffic problems from the home turn.
The Jessie Harrington stable seems to be reviving after a lean year, plus he’s had a light campaign and will be getting back on a slower surface for the first time since that Doncaster triumph last term.
Al Aasy is a short price to strike for Britain in the CMG Group Stakes (3.50) but the veteran got beaten in this contest two years ago and is a tricky customer who will have a new jockey with Jim Crowley on the sidelines.
I’m going to roll the dice and have a few quid on It’s A Heartbeat, who, shares the same sire as Hotazhell in Too Darn Hot.
It’s A Heartbeat is dismissed as a 40-1 chance up in grade, but did look the proverbial Group horse in a handicap when bolting up at The Curragh last time. That was only her third outing, and we simply have no idea where her ceiling is, for all that trainer John O'Donoghue believes we will not see the best of her until next year.
O’Donoghue would not have many horses to train from his County Kildare base, but he’s not one to tilt at windmills and has had five winners from just 14 runners on turf in Ireland since the start of June.
*Editor's note: It's A Heartbeat is now a non-runner
Win, lose or draw, the worst priced favourite on the card has to be the Aidan O’Brien-trained Light As Air in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Petingo Handicap (6.05).
He’s no bigger than 4-1 but made hard work of justifying odds-on favouritism in a maiden last time, having been beaten in the three handicaps he had contested before that off lower marks than he will run off on Saturday, including when thumped at Royal Ascot on his penultimate start when friendless in the betting. Moreover, he’s now equipped with first-time blinkers with O’Brien also claiming off him.
Andy Stephens
Finished: 3rdSP: 7/2
The layers are clearly cautious as he chased home Serious Contender in a handicap at Leopardstown in March, but their careers have since gone in different directions.
I’m going to divide my stakes on Aeronautic, available at 9-1, and Helvic Dream, who is chalked up at 11-1.
Aeronautic is a strong traveller who has run well at Royal Ascot and Glorious Goodwood on his past two starts despite not being seen to maximum advantage. He’s had a light campaign and was an impressive winner over course and distance last summer.
Andy Stephens
Finished: 7thSP: 14/1
Helvic Dream was first past the post in the Galway Hurdle last time, only to be demoted by the stewards.
The 2021 Tattersalls Gold Cup winner remains capable of smart form on the Flat, too, and is going to get the slowish ground that brings out the best in him.
At Doncaster, I’m keen on Carmers in the Betfred St Leger. He looks tailor-made for the race and ran a rock-solid trial when runner-up a muddling Great Voltigeur last time, having previously won the Queen’s Vase in a record time.
Andy Stephens
Finished: 5thSP: 4/1
His stable is flying and, on that point, it would be folly to ignore that the O’Brien camp has had several notable recent reverses, with such as Whirl, Los Angeles and Henri Matisse all beaten at shortish odds over the weekend. Since August 23, he’s had 25 runners aged three or older and only two have won.
Provided the ground does not dry out too much, then Atlantic Gamble will be interesting in the PJ Towey Construction Handicap (1.15).
Andy Stephens
Finished: 11thSP: 16/1
A six-time winner last season, he got back in the groove when a close third at Yarmouth on his latest start. The RaceiQ data reveals the time was 3.88sec better than par, and the runner-up has franked the form by subsequently going close in another competitive contest at York.
Finally, I’ll also be having a small play on Jakajaro in the Betfred Portland (2.25).
The Robert Cowell-trained four-year-old is not easy to win with, having won only two of his 26 races, but he’s off the same mark as when a fine third in the Stewards’ Cup last month, and again ran well when filling the same position in a 16-runner affair over 5f at Ascot last week, when exposed to a strong pace.
Andy Stephens
Finished: 5thSP: 14/1
I’d imagine Jamie Spencer being a little more patient over this intermediate trip and first-time cheekpieces may just help Jakajaro squeeze out a little more.
Racing TV encourages responsible gambling - to find out more click here to head to our dedicated website page.
How To Bet £20 on Saturday
*Prices correct 12.45pm on Friday.
OPTION ONE
1.15 Doncaster: £1 each-way on Atlantic Gamble each-way at a general 14-1
2.25 Doncaster: £1.25 each-way on Jakajaro each-way at 12-1 with bet365 and Boylesports (six places)
3.40 Doncaster: £2.50 win on Carmers at a general 9-2
3.50 Leopardstown: £1.50 each-way on It’s A Heartbeat at a general 40-1 (NON-RUNNER)
5.30 Leopardstown: £2.50 each-way on Hotazhell at 25-1 with bet365
6.05 Leopardstown: £1.50 each-way on Aeronautic at 9-1 with William Hill (five places)
6.05 Leopardstown: £1 each-way on Helvic Dream at 11-1 with William Hill (five places)
OPTION TWO
£1.45 each-way double with bet365 on
3.40 Doncaster: Carmers (9-2)
5.30 Leopardstown: Hotazhell (25-1)
Above pair in a 15p each-way Heinz with
1.15 Doncaster: Atlantic Gamble
2.25 Doncaster: Jakajaro
3.50 Leopardstown: It’s A Heartbeat (NON-RUNNER)
6.05 Leopardstown: Aeronautic
Irish Champions Festival: watch and read more
Bookmaker offers:
Bet £10 Get £30 in Free Bets with LiveScoreBet
New members only. Welcome Offer. £10+ bet on sportsbook (ex. virtuals) at 1.5 min odds, settled within 14 days. Free Bets: accept in 7 days, valid 7 days on sportsbook only. 2x£5 Free Bets for Bet Builder only. Stake not returned. T&Cs + deposit exclusions apply. 18+ GambleAware
Bet £10 Get £30 in Free Bets with Midnite
New customers only. Place a £10 sportsbook bet at minimum odds 1/1 (2.0), within 14 days of sign-up and get £30 in Free Bets, valid for 7 days on selected bets and games only. T&Cs apply. 18+ GambleAware.
Bet £10 get £40 in free bets with Kwiff
New UK customers. Place a £10 real money bet at min. 2.0 odds within 5 days of deposit. Get 4 x £10 Free Bets: 1 Single, 2 Accas & 1 Bet Builder (min. 3 selections each). Excludes cashout, E/W, Multis, Ineligible Markets & Odds Boosts. Credited after bet settlement. 7-day expiry. T&Cs apply. 18+ GambleAware
Related posts
Five horses to watch at Cheltenham this week
Dave Nevison's Wednesday tips at Kempton: "he looks very well in"
Saturday ante-post tips: brace of 20-1 chances among five bets
Philip Hobbs and Johnson White 2026-27 Jumps season stable tour
Five changes made at Cheltenham ahead of the 2026-27 season
Todays top offer
Bet £10 Get £30 in Free Bets + Money Back as a Free Bet if 2nd to SP Fav with BOYLE Sports
T&Cs Apply
18+. New UK customers (Excluding NI) only. Min Deposit £10. Min stake £10. Min odds Evs. Free bet applied on 1st settlement of any qualifying bet. 30 days to qualify. Free bets expire in 7 days. Cashed out/Free Bets won’t apply. Account & Payment method restrictions apply. 1 Free Bet offer per customer, household & IP Address only. T&C's apply. 18+. IRE/NI & UK online only. Max Free Bet £/€10. Win or win part of e/w outright singles. 5+ runners. 1st bet on each race. Free/void/antepost bets don't qualify. In event of a dead heat, offer won’t apply. Applies to First Past the Post result. Unnamed 2nd Favs don’t qualify. Acc & Payment restrictions apply. T&Cs apply.
Claim Now
Featured offers
Get 50% back up to £50 with QuinnBet
T&Cs Apply
Claim Now
New UK Customers Only. Bet £10+ on any sportsbook markets at odds of evens (2.00) or greater. Get 50% back of your first day’s losses as a Free Bet up to £50, valid for 7 days. 18+ GambleAware.
Bet £10 get £30 in Free Bets with talkSPORT BET
T&Cs Apply
Claim Now
New Customers. Opt in, deposit and bet £10+ on any horse racing markets within 7 days of sign up. Get 3 x £10 Free Bets for set horse racing markets. Bonuses expire in 7 days. T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly. 18+ GambleAware
Bet £10 get £40 in free bets with Kwiff
T&Cs Apply
Claim Now
New UK customers. Place a £10 real money bet at min. 2.0 odds within 5 days of deposit. Get 4 x £10 Free Bets: 1 Single, 2 Accas & 1 Bet Builder (min. 3 selections each). Excludes cashout, E/W, Multis, Ineligible Markets & Odds Boosts. Credited after bet settlement. 7-day expiry. T&Cs apply. 18+ GambleAware
Bet £20 and Get £40 in Free Bets with Unibet
T&Cs Apply
Claim Now
18+. GambleAware.org. New GB customers only. Min £20 debit card or instant banking transfer deposit. Place a £20+ bet on Horse Racing at min odds 2/5 (1.4) each leg for 4x £10 Free Bets (can be used on Racing Bet Builder). Claim within 30 days. Valid for Horse Racing only. Geographical restrictions and Further T&C’s apply
Copyright 2026 Racing TV - All Rights Reserved.
Please bet responsibly
Copyright 2026. All rights reserved