Saturday horse racing tips: Dave Nevison's best bets

I am going back in time a little, but Stuart Edmunds' six-year-old ran his best race over this course and distance when finishing second in a Grade One Novices' Hurdle, plus also ran well at this track in a handicap hurdle over a trip too short off a 19lb higher mark than this.

I am assuming it is clear he likes the track, and I'm hoping that running off his lowest ever handicap mark will enable him to produce some decent form again.

It is not that difficult to explain some of his disappointments last season as he has been tried over fences, for which he lacks scope over, and he has suffered with his wind, so has had few opportunities to run well.

However, there is no doubt he has things in his favour here, and will hopefully outrun his odds.

The Lucinda Russell yard has to be one of my favourites of current times, and I have extolled the excellence of Patrick Wadge in the saddle for a good while now.

The combination look to have a good chance here in a competitive event with Netywell who has improved gradually in four starts over fences and there seems little reason why he won’t go well here.

He was a bit keen last time out but is likely to get a decent lead from Chanceux here, so Wadge, who still claims a very valuable 3lb, should be able to settle Netywell into a rhythm, and I fancy him to be placed at the very least.

Anthony Honeyball runs four of the 11 runners in this field, and all of them have some sort of chance. I am hoping Blackjack Magic might turn out to be the best of them and land this long-established race on his seasonal reappearance.

The eight-year-old looked a very promising novice last term, apart from one obvious lapse when he was pulled up after jumping poorly at Uttoxeter.

He made amends under this rider a couple of weeks later with a win at the same venue, so I am happy to put the lapse down as a bad day at the office, and forgive him.

Blackjack Magic won first time out in 2021 and finished a very good second on his reappearance last season, so I would be surprised if he wasn’t ready for this race, and he certainly has a workable weight to run off.

The selection is good from the front and, providing he doesn’t get into too much of a battle with the old warrior Frodon, he might have too much left for him near the finish.

Has run terrifically well on two of his three starts at Aintree and was second, when beaten a nostril, in this contest last season.

Even though he is 7lb higher now, I fancy him to run just as well this time around, and hopefully go one better.

The training partnership of Greenall and Guerierro look to be heading for the top, and a Saturday winnner will be a massive feather in their cap, but the fact they got this horse to win a Listed race at Auteuil last time out shows they are very adept, and good at placing their runners.

Gesskille runs well after a break and will be fresh and ready for this test this afternoon. Henry Brooke who rode him to such a narrow defeat last time is aboard once more.