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Horse Racing tips: Keith Melrose's Saturday Warwick selections, including a 15/2 shot

Warwick is the feature meeting of six taking place across the UK and Ireland on Saturday and includes the £100,000 Classic Handicap Chase at 3.00.

Keith Melrose from the Racing Post picks out his best bets on the card.

1.15 Warwick

Haddex Des Obeaux @ 9/4

1pt win

1.50 Warwick

Complete Unknown @ 6/5

1pt win

3.00 Warwick

Lord Du Mesnil @ 15/2

1pt each-way (four places)

More Moore joy at Warwick

Even if Haddex Des Obeaux had not shown signs of shedding his free-going ways at Doncaster last time out, he would still have been forgiven them at Warwick.

This track suits horses that attack the fences, with a run of five coming up in less than two and a half furlongs down the back straight, and Haddex Des Obeaux certainly does that even so early in his chasing career.

On his chasing debut he had been keen and was tiring when unseating at the last in a race won by recent Grade 2 winner Boothill. When second at Kempton next time, he was beaten only by a horse that has won again since.

Then at Doncaster he made no mistake and was value for more than the winning margin of three and three-quarter lengths from another field of largely unexposed sorts.

The Edward Courage Cup is an established handicap, but this is not the most inspiring renewal.

Second favourite Bun Doran is 12 and the other three have all looked to struggle in seeing out races of late. With deep ground likely, this is not the time to take a chance on such horses and Haddex Des Obeaux is not only the most progressive, he might also be the most solid.

Complete Unknown to keep rolling

The Hampton Novices' Chase is a Grade 2 which is generally won by top handicappers of the future - last year's winner Threeunderthrufive is among the favourites for the Classic Chase.

His stablemate Complete Unknown shaped just like a staying handicapper in the making when winning at Ffos Las last time and is the clear pick up in grade.

He would be a fancy on his own strengths, but the quality of opposition hardens him as a bet.

His three rivals include Galia Des Liteaux, who ran a poor race at Kempton 19 days ago and who will need to brush up her jumping, as well as The Goffer who is the sort to have top handicaps on his agenda fairly near to hand.

The case can be made for Gentleman At Arms, but only a price-sensitive one as there is no chance that he is as likely a winner as Complete Unknown, whose handicapping background and more obvious National Hunt pedigree marks him out as a superior prospect.

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Mudbath just the job for Lord

The Classic Chase is a good one to bet in, as the Willie Mullins challenger has inevitably been put in as favourite. If you want to put faith in Mr Incredible being on his best behaviour, then good luck to you.

This horse is an undoubted talent who has twice pulled himself up, so it is asking plenty of him to keep a cool head in a 14-runner handicap full of hard-bitten veterans.

One of those horses is Lord Du Mesnil, who matches all the criteria for this race. He stays 3m4f-plus, having won Haydock's Grand National Trial in 2021.

He has loads of other form in the sort of deep ground that is likely to prevail here. And, crucially, having dropped in the weights he shaped last time as though he is back in form.

Lord Du Mesnil was sent off at a big price at Bangor-on-Dee last time and was not ridden as forcefully as usual. Even so, he travelled well through a competitive race and found only one too good.

That horse was Le Milos, who a few weeks later won the race formerly known as the Hennessy at Newbury which is one of the best handicap chases of the season.

If Lord Du Mesnil is back to his best, you could argue he is the best treated horse in the race. He will suit conditions and should get the right sort of positive ride.

With the each-way options available in this race, he is the most solid option.

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