Ascot Horse Racing Tips for Saturday

Racing Post tipster Harry Wilson takes us through his picks for the six-race jumps card at Ascot on Saturday.

Saturday's Ascot Horse Racing Betting Tips and Odds

12:40 - Gotthereintheend @ 8/1
14:25 - Crambo @ 7/1
15:35 - Favour And Fortune @ 14/1

12:40 - Gotthereintheend @ 8/1

Robbie Llewellyn has a fantastic record at Ascot, with two wins, two seconds and a fourth to his name from five runners at the course, which includes victory in this opening handicap hurdle last year.

Gotthereintheend showed promise in a Bangor-on-Dee bumper last year when finishing a head in front of the now 131-rated Josh The Boss, albeit in receipt of 10lb, while he also displayed ability over hurdles when a staying-on second at Warwick in May on her final start for Laura Horsfall.

That came over two miles, but she has plenty of stamina in her pedigree, with her dam a sister to useful three-mile chase winners Boychuk and Golden Chieftain, and her trainer has wasted no time in upping her in trip on this handicap debut.

She’s a full sister to Kerryhill, who won the 3m½f Grade 2 River Don Novices’ Hurdle at Doncaster in January and could prove to have been let in lightly off a mark of 94 if the longer distance prompts improvement.

14:25 - Crambo @ 7/1

The feature race of the day is undoubtedly the Grade 1 Long Walk Hurdle, which served up a titanic tussle last year between staying newcomer Crambo and the ever-popular Paisley Park.

Crambo got the better of the argument that day and I expect him to repeat his success from 12 months ago, having been given a break since disappointing in the spring festivals at Cheltenham and Aintree.

The Fergal O'Brien-trained seven-year-old scoped dirty before his intended reappearance in the Long Distance Hurdle last month and has his well-being to prove after that.

However, his trainer reported him to be in fine health in the build-up to this test and he has won first time out in each of his three seasons, so he shouldn’t be lacking for fitness.

Strong Leader is the highest-rated runner in the field and the one they all have to beat, however, all but one of his starts have come on left-handed tracks and he tended to drift to his left on his sole outing here last November.

That is a negative, while Crambo is unbeaten in two starts at Ascot. 

15:35 - Favour And Fortune @ 14/1

Raya Star went on from landing the Scottish Champion Hurdle to take this equivalent contest for Alan King in 2011 and the trainer looks to have a great chance of achieving that same double 13 years on with Favour And Fortune.

A useful horse in bumpers, the six-year-old wasted no time in opening his account over hurdles, landing a novice and an introductory race before going down by two-and-three-quarter lengths to Jango Baie in the Grade 1 Formby at Aintree on Boxing Day.

His conqueror ended the season rated 146 and was an impressive winner at Cheltenham last week on his reappearance, so that form looks solid.

Favour And Fortune went down by just half a length to a subsequent Grade 3 winner at Exeter on his next start, before finishing best of the British-trained runners in the Supreme at the Cheltenham Festival, where mistakes didn’t aid his cause.

He delivered his best performance when landing the Scottish Champion Hurdle on his handicap debut on his final start in April.

That form has received plenty of boosts since and a 3lb rise shouldn’t stop him going in again, especially as he goes very well when fresh.

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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.