Saturday racing suggestions 15 February: Ascot, Wincanton and Newcastle

Our Saturday racing ideas staff booted in two out of three ideas last week. Check out three selections for this Saturday as they bid to go one better

Racing this weekend may be very much at the mercy of Storm Dennis, with excessive winds and rain anticipated to batter Britain and Ireland. 

As things stand every little thing remains in place, although Ascot have known as an early morning inspection for Saturday’s Grade 1 Betfair Ascot Chase card.

It will come as an enormous shock if Cyrname does not successfully defend his unbeaten report over course and distance by successful the feature race at Ascot, although Paul Nicholls’ cost is justifiably a 2/5 chance for victory so not likely a betting proposition.

Earlier at Ascot, a mouthwatering conflict between Master Debonair and Sporting John can go to the Philip Hobbs inmate. Elsewhere Haydock’s Grand National Trial goes off at 3.15 and you may evaluate our.

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Ascot suggestions 1.15 – Sporting John can show his metal

Bought for £160,000 at the Cheltenham Sale final spring, Sporting John was a type of ‘talking horses’ before he commenced his hurdling career this season.

The Irish point-to-point winner seemed a little bit in want of the expertise on his debut at Exeter in November, briefly having to be driven to problem for Barry Geraghty, but he quickly made up his floor and beat 12 rivals a shade cosily by less than two lengths.

The second, third, fourth and fifth are all winners since, with Colin Tizzard’s Harry Senior taking out the Grade 2 Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle on Cheltenham Trials Day last month after profitable at Chepstow over Christmas.

The Dorset coach saddles Master Debonair right here and he is a worthy rival for Sporting John, shading favouritism in the early markets.

Master Debonair has won two races at Ascot this season over the minimal distance on soft/heavy floor and took the scalp of some well-touted rivals simply before Christmas.

He should in concept be well suited by this step up in distance but, apparently, his solely Cheltenham Festival entry is within the Supreme Novices Hurdle over two miles. Sporting John is entered in the curtain-raiser too, but additionally the Ballymore.

His point kind suggests there is a good engine under the bonnet and he was a simple winner again at Exeter on his second hurdles begins. This very thrilling novice hurdler can affirm his wealth of potential by downing the colors of a sensible rival in what looks to be his hardest check thus far.

Wincanton ideas: 2:forty five – Home benefit can Quel Kingwell rivals

Paul Nicholls sends Quel Destin for what amounts to a ‘home game’ in the Grade 2 Kingwell Hurdle on Saturday afternoon.

This is the champion trainer’s home circuit and one at which he has operated a hearty 31 per cent strike-rate over the previous 12 months.

A little surprisingly, Nicholls has claimed this race only three times down the years, the newest of these wins coming with Zarkandar in 2013. He has received a number one likelihood with Quel Destin now.

The five-year-old has won seven of thirteen begins over hurdles, together with two from 4 this season. He didn’t appear to get house over 2m4f within the Relkeel Hurdle on New Year’s Day however bounced back down in journey this month when accounting for a twin Grade 2 winner in Call Me Lord within the Listed Contenders Hurdle at Sandown.

That was a extremely sturdy effort and Quel Destin has proven up to now that he takes his racing nicely, so the 14-day turnaround isn’t a concern.

This appears a fine alternative for James Bowen, deputising for Ascot-bound Harry Cobden, with the choice anticipated to be too good for the likes of Ch’tibello, the improving Song For Someone and long-absent former winner Elgin.

Newcastle suggestions 8:00 – De Bruyne can score

It is a long old whereas since De Bruyne Horse was going off second favourite for the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot. That was in the summertime of 2017 when he was educated by Richard Hannon, and the horse has had his ups and downs since.

De Bruyne Horse was unable to land a blow in that Ascot race however was a Listed winner over in France that same summer. He made the move to Brendan Powell in 2018 and tried his luck with out a lot success over hurdles before a three-race run on turf last summer for Bernard Llewellyn.

He has since made the move to David Griffiths’ yard and put up his greatest effort for some whereas on his steady bow here final month when simply failing in a C&D handicap.

That was his first run for one hundred ninety days so he should be sharper for it and, if approaching, has got standout claims on this low-grade affair of getting a primary win since those heady days of July 2017.