Matt has his eye on Zaochen Enki as an each-way shout in the 14:25 at Cheltenham.
Matt Chapman’s Friday ITV Racing Tips
13:15 Cheltenham – French Ship
13:33 Doncaster – Strike Red (each-way)
13:50 Cheltenham – King Of Kingsfield
14:08 Doncaster – Affettuoso
14:25 Cheltenham – Zaochen Enki (each-way)
15:00 Cheltenham – Un Sens A La Vie
15:18 Doncaster – Greys Monument (each-way)
15:35 Cheltenham – Unexpected Party (each-way)
*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change
ITV Racing is back Friday with action from Cheltenham and Doncaster, starting here with a handicap hurdle over 2m4f. A wide-open heat here, Minella Missile is worth a second look at a big price, but it’s hard to be overly positive on recent form.
He is, though, very well handicapped right now. FRENCH SHIP was travelling well enough when falling at the top of the straight on his comeback at Chepstow. It was too far out to say what he would have done, but his mark of 128 looks reasonable on that effort, and he will have blown a few cobwebs away. Ben Jones takes the ride for the master Philip Hobbs and Johnson White.
13:33 Doncaster – Strike Red (each-way)
On the Flat, Doncaster starts on ITV with a handicap over 6f. I’m following STRIKE RED off a cliff right now, and the pain continues here. A mark of 91 should be very workable for the Richard Fahey-trained gelding, and only four runs ago in August, he was a cracking second in the Stewards’ Cup off 94.
Since then, though, he has run three stinkers. The hope is that the heavy ground helps, as he goes well in soft, although of course he had soft ground in the Ayr Gold Cup and did nothing there. I’ll chance him each-way. Billy Garrity takes the ride.
Here’s a novice chase over 2m. Country Mile finds a way to get beaten too often for my liking, for all he has talent. KING OF KINGSFIELD was the best of these over hurdles and comes into this on the back of a chase win at Punchestown over a bit further.
He’s not run well in two efforts at Cheltenham and has to give 8lb to the Skelton runner, but I still think he will be too good for Jack Kennedy and Gordon Elliott.
A maiden over a mile. AFFETTUOSO is bred to go in mud and is bred to stay, so while I have no idea whether he’s any good, I’ll chance him for Roger Varian and Ray Dawson. It’s a very odd race to have on ITV, but enjoy.
14:25 Cheltenham – Zaochen Enki (each-way)
Now a conditions jockey’s handicap hurdle over an extended 2m. Another big field, but sadly fewer than 16 runners.
ZAOCHEN ENKI lacks the experience of some of these, but a mark of 115 really looks workable, and Freddie Keighley’s claim of 8lb brings his racing weight down to 10st.
He looks a big price to me and I think is a proper each-way bet even though he was expensive to follow last time. The winner of that race won off 120 last time, which in itself suggests my selection could be thrown in. Looks like a good bit of placing by Paul Nicholls.
A Grade 2 novice hurdle over an extended 2m. The Twiston-Davies team thinks UN SENS A LA VIE is special, and I’m happy to stick with him after his victory at Market Rasen ten days ago. He made a mistake two out then, but picked himself up and galloped right to the line. A big tes,t but I hope he’s up to it.
15:18 Doncaster – Greys Monument (each-way)
A handicap over 7f. GREY’S MONUMENT is the horse here proven on very soft ground. He loves it. The problem is he hasn’t been at his best of late, although he ran a fair fourth last time at Redcar in Listed company behind Elim.
He needs to do more to win here, but he definitely has an each-way chance for Jack Channon and Jack Dace, who takes off a very useful 5lb.
A handicap chase over 2m. Plenty of pace on here. If UNEXPECTED PARTY is ready, he has each-way claims for Dan Skelton and Harry Atkins, who take off 7lb as a conditional. He did this column a huge favour when landing the 2024 Grand Annual off 138 and comes in here much higher on 149.
However, the claims bring him down to 141, so it’s not impossible. Can sit just behind the strong gallop and stays this distance well. An each-way chance.
Friday’s ITV Racing Tips
13:15 Cheltenham – French Ship
13:33 Doncaster – Strike Red (each-way)
13:50 Cheltenham – King Of Kingsfield
14:08 Doncaster – Affettuoso
14:25 Cheltenham – Zaochen Enki (each-way)
15:00 Cheltenham – Un Sens A La Vie
15:18 Doncaster – Greys Monument (each-way)
15:35 Cheltenham – Unexpected Party (each-way)
*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change
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