Saturday racing tips: Best bets for Cheltenham and Doncaster

26 Jan

Jack Green

Our tipster talks you through his win double and four Lucky 15 selections from the weekend racecards.

13.50 – Grade 3 Handicap Chase (Cheltenham)

The first tip of the day comes from Evan Williams’ yard in KING’S ODYSSEY.

A course and distance winner who sees Cheltenham almost like a second home with four of his last seven runs coming here.

That includes an impressive win in the 2016 Novices’ Handicap Chase and a credible third in the Caspian Caviar Gold Cup back in December.

Proven to stay over the 2m 4f and with Barry Geraghty on board for the first time, this looks a good bet at .

14.05 – Grade 2 Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle (Doncaster)

Moving over to Doncaster and I really like the chances of Richard Mitford-Slade’s SAMUEL JACKSON.

The six-year-old is unbeaten after winning as a 100/1 shot on debut at Taunton and then followed that up with a comfortable win at Bangor.

He jumps really well, is proven to stay over the 3m and won on both heavy and soft ground so at , I think he’s the one to beat here.

15.15 – Class 1 Handicap Chase (Doncaster)

One of the feature races is up next and I think Nicky Henderson’s L’AMI SERGE should get the job done here.

The eight-year-old has been brilliant for Henderson with six wins, seven seconds and three thirds from 18 runs.

He won the Grade 2 Select Hurdle at Sandown in April, beating the likes of Pitt Zig and The New One and followed that up with Group 1 success at Auteuil in June.

Solid performances in the Coral Hurdle and JLT Long Walk Hurdle – both of which he finished second –and the drop down to 2m 7f could bode well in his favour.

The ever-reliable Davy Russell takes the ride for the first time and is more than capable of getting win at .

15.35 – Grade 2 Cleeve Hurdle (Cheltenham)

Finishing off in the Cleeve Hurdle and after the decision to go back over hurdles, I’m keeping the faith with FINIAN’S OSCAR at .

I’m a massive fan of this horse, who was fantastic last season – winning four from a possible five and his only defeat was to Bacardys by a short head in the Ireland Champion Novice Hurdle.

He’s a course and distance winner after success over fences in November but following disappointing displays at Sandown and Ascot, it was definitely the right call to go back to hurdles.

Bryan Cooper has won two out of a possible three and I think he looks good for the hat-trick here.

If he doesn’t win then I really hope Beer Googles gets the victory following the tragic passing of Richard Woollacott this week.