Saturday racing tips: best bets at Ascot, Wetherby and Down Royal

talkSPORT brings you free horse racing tips and free bets on Saturday’s matches at Ascot, Wetherby and Down Royal.

Tom Lunn walks you through the cards, form, moves, and more to help you navigate your way horse racing bets choice.

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Saturday racing tips

• ASCOT
  3.45: Chianti Classico 3/1 (1pt) & High stakes player 10/1 each way (1 pt)
• Pooh the grand piano
  2.40: Hewick 11/2 each way (1.5 points)
• WEATHERBY
  1.50: Lucia 5/6 (2 points)
  2.22: Dashel Drascher 5/1 (1pt)
  2.58: Bravemansgame 11/8 (2 points)

Chianti Classico and High Stakes Player

Sodexo Live! The Gold Cup Handicap Chase over 3m is the main race of the day at Ascot, with the Chianti Classico the main favourite.

The seven-year-old won Ultima at the Cheltenham Festival back in March and followed that up when she lifted 11lb to finish a respectable fourth of six in Aintree’s Milmday Novices’ Chase.

The Kim Bailey-trained star has won three of his five starts in the chase and is likely to improve significantly after the summer break.

He will, of course, have to do it at the top weight, where there is some potential in both directions.

Neon moon who had previously been tipped several times, reached new heights after a successful wind operation and now reached the highest rating with potential for further improvement as he enjoys such trips.

Solo The Paul Nicholl-trained is also a strong chance to bounce back from layoff in his first race since wind surgery, having won the Grade 2 Pendil Novices’ Chase back in February 2023 and entering Grade 2 company behind Elixir De Nutz in November.

He had just one run in 2024 that confirmed something was wrong and had the summer to catch his breath.

The now eight-year-old gelding has a lot of potential but is probably best watched on his return for now.

High stakes player is another on top with four wins in his last five races and continues to challenge his rise in weight.

When a horse is held in a tough 3m handicap, you need the horse to be consistent in that trip as the ground and any shape of the course is a bonus.

Of course, weights play a huge role, and this is where the likes of Neon Moon and Highstakesplayer can pay huge dividends.

Our Force has exceptional stamina, 11th in the Grand National, but has not been seen since December after two failed efforts following the Aintree special.

The Chianti Classico is hard to ignore, so backing two in this one could be a great approach.

He has been seen in top form and was not disgraced in first-class company last time, so has a chance to win, especially with course form.

Until High stakes player seen twice over 3m over fences, won both times and could still be close to his mark with 17lb from Chianto Classico, which could be enough to take advantage of.

Hewick

I fancied Gerry Colomb for Charlie Hall at Wetherby, but of course he went for the Ladbrokes Champion Chase instead.

Now at a better price I’d probably take him given his consistent form in the big races, but with 8/11 in a race like this I’d have to go with one of my favorite horses and King George VI Chase winner Huwick .

He is nicely priced at 11/2 and we know he stays and stays on these trips.

And, as King George said last December, always underestimated.

Since winning at Bravemansgame he has won twice over hurdles but was in a chase just beaten at Oteil and should be back to his best here.

Lucia

Lucia looked to have really improved since winning last December at Ascot in Grade 3 company, going on to third in the Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

It wasn’t quite on the cards for her to run as well as the 33/1 shot and confirmed that ability when a decent enough fourth of eight in the Grade 1 Aintree Hurdles a month later.

She is up against the promising five-year-old mare Brighterdayshead, trained by Gordon Elliott.

The Higginstown House-owned horse finished second in the Cheltenham Festival Mares Novice Hurdle when 5/6 favourite, but went on to score in style in the Mersey Novice Hurdle at Aintree.

Over even 2m, although Lucia, who is likely to have improved even more over the summer, will be hard to beat, with her speed and firmness, giving just 1lb to the Grade 1 winner.

Her form approaches the likes of State Man and rivals the likes of Langer Dan, Bob Olinger and Aintree winner Impaire Et Passe.

Dashel Drascher

This looks to be a great update to bet365’s Tier 2 barrier as it is now very open in the betting between just seven remaining entrants.

Dashel Drascher this is again a great price for this race, having finished 6lb higher in third place last year.

He is now 11, but given his form last season, he still has a lot to offer his fans, who are many, based on his attitude and ability to win over the last few years.

Gained further prominence when second at 40/1 in the Stayers’ Hurdle at the 2023 Cheltenham Festival.

He hasn’t quite been up to it in the last two races, but he should be great after the break.

Bravemansgame

The Charlie Hall Chase may be a Grade 2 but it has attracted all the top chasers and could also be a top Grade 1 with the line-up expected on Saturday.

Bravemansgame could well gather in the middle of the field for his first outing of the season, but is yet to win since the King George in 2022, but has been runner-up four times in other graded races, including last year behind Gentlemansgame.

He has certainly improved since chasing King George VI in 2023, but was negated by Huick’s incredible run.

Gray Dawning could rise again in the trip to 3m, which was not the route at the Cheltenham Festival earlier this year, but it was clearly the right choice as the gray stormed home to win the Turners’ Novice Chase over 2m4f.

His ability over 3m has always been there and I’d tip him to be the antepost in the hope that he takes the Broadway Novice Chase at this meeting.

So he is very attractive as another undiscovered species at this distance, especially after a dominant performance over 3m at Warwick in January, beating Apple Away by 14 lengths.

Instead, the likes of Gerry Colomb and Huick, who are in the title chase at Down Royal on Saturday, are opening it up a bit too.

Konfleit came in, as a result of those moves, and is the top-rated horse in the field, but has struggled in the last two races.

Bravemansgame is the best choice for this as his advantage still holds despite not winning for a while, he has been placed in the best possible races and will be new to attack here.

Tom Lunn’s Profit/Loss

• October 24: +21.57
• From May ’24: +155.99 points
• From July 23: +368.55 points

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All odds are valid at time of writing

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