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Telegraph
21-02-2025
- Sport
- Telegraph
ITV Racing tips: Saturday 22 February – Kempton, Newcastle and Southwell
Saturday's ITV Racing broadcast features a stacked seven-race offering across both codes, with jump racing at Kempton and Newcastle and all-weather Flat action at Southwell. Among the highlights are three Grade 2 and one Group 3 races. Our expert has made eight selections across the televised races and you can read the thinking behind each of them below. You can follow all the action live on ITV1 from 1.30-4.00pm. Here are the day's selections: 1.50 Kempton Rubaud – @ 13/8 with Betfair 2.10 Newcastle – Passing Well each-way @ 8/1 with Betfair / Your Own Story each-way @ 20/1 with Betfair 2.25 Kempton – Mondo Man @ 4/7 with Betfair 2.40 Southwell – Marshman @ 3/1 with Betfair 3.00 Kempton – Miami Magic @ 2/1 with Betfair 3.15 Southwell – Military Academy @ 2/1 with Betfair 3.35 Kempton – Hyland @ 3/1 with Betfair If you already have a Betfair account and are looking for a new bookmaker to use for this weekend's racing, check out our list of the best free bets. 1.50 Kempton – Ladbrokes Pendil Novices' Chase (Grade 2, 2m 4½f) There's plenty of tempting value in our first televised race and it would be no surprise to see a horse win at a fair price, however our selection is the favourite RUBAUD. Paul Nicholls proved last week that his stable is back in good health when Pic D'orhy won the Grade 1 Ascot Chase, following the usual post-Christmas dip in form the yard experiences due to vaccinations. Rubaud is one of the least exposed over fences out of these novices, yet his form when staying on behind the Arkle second-favourite L'Eau du Sud at Warwick two weeks ago reads very well, especially on this step up to the middle distance. 2.10 Newcastle – Virgin Bet Eider Handicap Chase (4m 1½f) A case can be made for many in this competitive handicap, especially the favourite O'Connell, who was very impressive at Sandown last time out when completing a three-timer. However, with the inexperienced claimer Peter Kavanagh on board today, he is overlooked here. Gavin Sheehan rode O'Connell that day and his mount here is PASSING WELL, who was an unlucky second last time out behind Sporting Ace at Lingfield (3m 5f, heavy). That pair meet again here and Passing Well's course form – he has won here previously – could help him to turn the tables. The proven stayer YOUR OWN STORY offers more each-way value. The form of his last run, when he was sixth in the Welsh Grand National at Chepstow, has since been franked by the fourth winning and Val Dancer, the winner, placing in a Grand National trial at Haydock. Towards the bottom of the weights, the rank outsider Knockanore is an interesting contender. He steps up markedly in trip, which may suit him based on his second behind Mettingofthewaters, who is among the Willie Mullins battalion for the 2025 Grand National, in a point-to-point in Ireland. 2.25 Kempton – Ladbrokes Adonis Juvenile Hurdle (Grade 2, 2m) This contest looked as though it may be more competitive earlier in the week, with both of Nicky Henderson's Triumph Hurdle hopefuls entered, but they were scratched on Thursday morning. That leaves short-priced favourite MONDO MAN as the clear pick from the six-runner field. His second behind Triumph favourite Lulamba is the pick of his National Hunt form and his Royal Ascot Group 2 fourth would make him favourite for the Winter Derby later on on today's ITV broadcast. St Pancras improved greatly to win at Musselburgh last time out and is an interesting runner, but it would take odds of 16/1 or more before he becomes an attractive proposition. 2.40 Southwell – BetUK Hever Sprint Stakes (Listed, 5f) There are nine races on the Premier Raceday card at Southwell and in the opener we see the best sprinters the winter season has to offer go head to head over the minimum trip. Although five furlongs might be on the sharp side for the Karl Burke-trained MARSHMAN, he is drawn in stall one and can control the race from there. The five-year-old has won on his previous two starts, over six furlongs at Newcastle and Lingfield, and he has enough class to win today and make it three from three this winter. 3.00 Kempton – Ladbrokes Dovecote Novices' Hurdle (Grade 2, 2m) The Stuart Edmunds-trained MIAMI MAGIC is a worthy favourite, having raced against some of the season's top novice hurdlers. In his penultimate race he came out on top ahead of the talented George's Lad, who has produced some impressive form lines. Next time out, Miami Magic lost at Aintree to the very talented Potters Charm, who has a near-perfect record of five wins and a second across his six races under Rules. 3.15 Southwell – BetUK Winter Derby Stakes (Group 3, 1m 3f) The Gosden yard has taken home first prize in four of the previous six renewals of the Winter Derby and they have a good chance of adding to that tally today. MILITARY ACADEMY has beaten all but one horse he has faced in his career – that conqueror being Burdett Road, who has proved such a talent on the Flat and over hurdles. The four-year-old won in fine fashion over 1m 4f on his all-weather debut at Kempton in November, and more progress can be expected here. 3.35 Kempton – Ladbrokes Trophy Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap, 3m) HYLAND was second last time out to the impressive Jukebox Man, who is sadly now out for the season. That is genuine Grade 1 form and makes him a credible favourite here. Trainer Nicky Henderson has stated that the Ultima Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival is not a likely destination for this eight-year-old and winning today is the main goal. His two wins at Cheltenham in the autumn also read well and he can add to that tally today.
BBC News
15-02-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Pic D'Orhy seals back-to-back wins in Ascot Chase
Pic D'Orhy won the Ascot Chase for the second successive year, outclassing Cheltenham Gold Cup contenders Corbetts Cross and L'Homme Presse in the process. L'Homme Presse was pulled up by jockey Charlie Deutsch midway through the race following a poor jumping display, while 7-4 favourite Corbetts Cross trailed home by 10 lengths in second place, just fending off Blue Lord in third. It was a first Grade One victory in 12 months for trainer Paul Nicholls and came a year after Pic D'Orhy's last victory in the race."I would say this was a career-best performance - he loves it here," said Nicholls, who reiterated his horse would not be competing at next month's Cheltenham Festival. Jockey Harry Cobden, who was equally pleased to return to the winners' circle on the 9-5 chance, said he always felt in control of the race after making the running from the opening fence."He's a great horse we've had so many good days. I really enjoyed that, this is massive," he told ITV Sport."I looked at the big screen halfway round and I knew all I had to do was stay in the saddle." Elsewhere, Famous Bridge produced an eye-catching display to win the Grand National Trial at Haydock, landing neck and neck at the last with 11-4 favourite Apple Away, before powering home to win by two National winner Val Dancer was leading, but fell away badly between the final two obstacles. At Wincanton, 6-5 favourite Golden Ace beat Burdett Road by three-quarters of a length to win the Kingwell Scott's seven-year-old beat Brighterdaysahead in the Mares' Novices' Hurdle at last season's Cheltenham Festival but failed to reproduce that form in her first two outings this returned to winning ways on Saturday, though, after being dropped back down in distance to two miles for this Grade Two contest.
The Guardian
14-02-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
Pic D'Orhy well placed to end Nicholls' longest lean streak in 20 years
Paul Nicholls has not saddled a Grade One winner since the Ascot Chase 12 months ago – his longest lean streak at the top level for 20 years – but Pic D'Orhy's return to the same race on Saturday is an excellent chance for the 14-time champion trainer to add a confidence-boosting 148th Grade One win to his record ahead of next month's festival at Cheltenham. Pic D'Orhy's one and only trip to Cheltenham was in March 2019, when he made his debut for the Nicholls yard in the Triumph Hurdle and finished 10th of 14 behind Pentland Hills. But while Cheltenham is simply not his happy place, the track, distance and timing of Saturday's race are all ideal for Pic D'Orhy (3.37), who is four-from-five in chases at Ascot and has won three of his four starts over the trip. L'Homme Presse, the beaten favourite behind Pic D'Orhy last season, is back for another crack at Nicholls's gelding but two-and-a-half miles is very much a minimum for Venetia Williams's runner these days, a comment that also applies to Emmet Mullins's Corbetts Cross, the winner of the three-and-three-quarter mile National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham last season. The drying ground is also a concern for supporters of Corbetts Cross, and the eight-year-old could yet be a late scratch if the going – which is already good in places – is good all over by Saturday afternoon. Blue Lord, a Grade One winner in the 2022-23 season, is an interesting runner for Willie Mullins as he prepares for his annual assault on the spring festivals, but his more recent form is less than convincing and Pic D'Orhy is a rock-solid 7-4 shot to get his stable back into the Grade One habit. Haydock 12.55 Uncle Bert 1.28 Lavender Hill Mob 2.05 Eaton Collina 2.40 Beauport 3.15 Apple Away 3.50 Derryhassen Paddy 4.25 Famous Clermont Wincanton 1.03 Slide Rule 1.36 Burdett Road 2.15 Abingworth 2.50 The Sainted Canary 3.25 Quick Sharpener 4.00 Pedley Wood 4.35 Badbury Rings Ascot 1.15 Greyval 1.50 Peaky Boy 2.25 Altobelli (nap) 3.00 Victtorino (nb) 3.37 Pic D'Orhy 4.10 Crest Of Fortune 4.45 Belle Le Grand Southwell 4.05 Almodovar Del Rio 4.40 Squires Treaty 5.10 Crest Of Light 5.40 Quandary 6.10 Vocal Legend 6.40 Alashos 7.10 King Of The Jungle 7.40 Mr Nugget Newcastle 4.20 Weddell Sea 4.55 Show No Fear 5.25 Lord Capulet 5.55 Miraculous 6.25 Indalo 6.55 Brazilian Rose 7.25 Flash The Dash Ascot 1.15 Having improved for the step up to two-and-a-half miles on her past two starts, Greyval could be over-priced at around 12-1 as she tackles three for the first time. Wincanton 1.36 Burdett Road ran a fine race behind Constitution Hill in the Christmas Hurdle and should prove too strong for Golden Ace, last year's Mares' Novice Hurdle winner at Cheltenham in March. Ascot 1.50 Jingko Blue and Lowry's Bar, the first two home in last month's Hampton Novice Chase at Windsor dominate the betting for the Reynoldstown but Peaky Boy ran to a similar level when third at Cheltenham in December and is an eye-catching price at around 8-1 after a switch to Jonjo and AJ O'Neill. Haydock 2.05 Kerry Lee's stable is slowly returning to form after a difficult 2024 and Eaton Collina is back to his last winning mark for his first run in veterans' company. Ascot 2.25 A step back up in trip coaxed a career-best performance from Altobelli over course and distance last time, and a 5lb rise is manageable. Haydock 2.40 The versatile Beauport could well line up for the Grand National in less than two months' time but he was within two lengths of the winner in the Grade One Long Walk Hurdle when reverting to the smaller obstacles before Christmas and has an obvious chance on that form dropping in grade. Ascot 3.00 Course-specialist Victtorino was only fourth in this race behind Threeunderthrufive last year but Venetia Williams's yard was enduring a difficult spell at the time. The stable is in much stronger form this time around with a 22% strike-rate in February so far and Victtorino has been raised only 3lb for a cosy success over track and trip last time. Haydock 3.15 Apple Away was a Grade One winner over three miles as a novice hurdler and returns to a marathon trip to make only her second start in a handicap over fences off what could well prove to be a generous mark.
