Saturday tips: Dave Nevison's best bets at Ascot and Haydock
By Dave Nevison
Last Updated: Sun 15 Feb 2026
Our betting expert Dave Nevison is dividing his Saturday selections between Ascot and Haydock.
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1.28 Haydock: Throatlash
Dave Nevison
Finished: F SP: 6/4
Throatlash’s recent win over this course and distance last time out looks a strong effort already and he can complete the four timer here.
Previous easy wins at Wetherby and Aintree teed him up nicely for that success and a 5lb rise looks lenient, especially the second and fourth gaining subsequent victories.
He obviously appreciated this step up to 2½ miles last time and gets on very well with Brian Hughes, who has ridden him to all his chase successes.
2.28 Ascot: Act Of Authority
Dave Nevison
Finished: 8thSP: 9/1
Act Of Authority will no doubt be going back to the Martin Pipe at the Festival and will likely run well again in that event, but there are likely to be more lightly raced unexposed types in that than there are in this handicap over a similar trip.
Olly Murphy’s gelding gets on well with conditional Lewis Saunders and he will also be well suited by the likely strong pace here.
The seven-year-old is always held up and Ascot’s stiff last mile will suit him perfectly. He didn’t get the best of runs at Windsor last time out but still ran creditably.
3.00 Ascot: Jipcot
Dave Nevison
Finished: 4thSP: 11/4
This seven-year-olds seems to be enjoying his second shift at chasing and has run well in two starts this year winning by ten lengths at Leicester last time.
It could just be that he has taken a while to acclimatise since being moved from France, or possibly more likely racing over longer trips has been the major contributory factor.
He looked as if this further step up in trip would suit him even more at Leicester and, even though he has been raised 8lb for the win, he now looks a progressive type. If the O’Neills have now found the key to him then he might have enough in hand to see these off.
3.15 Haydock: Monbeg Genius
Dave Nevison
Finished: 7thSP: 8/1
Monbeg Genius is back on the same mark as he won off just five starts ago and could be well handicapped. The ten-year-old hasn’t seemed to enjoy the Grand National fences on two subsequent runs but has run pretty well in strong events at Sandown (bet 365 Gold Cup) and last time out in the Welsh National at Chepstow.
He might have finished even closer but for a mistake late on at Chepstow, and this Grand National Trial looks a slight step down in grade for him.
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