Weekend Watch: Juicy Prices Have Our Man In a Tizz

I think it could be a decent day for the Colin Tizzard team at Ascot on Saturday as they have some solid chances at juicy prices.

Fiddlerontheroof has the class to defy top weight and a mark of 155 in the Listed Handicap Chase at 2.25pm. The eight-year-old was last seen running a stormer in the Ladbrokes Trophy in November when runner up to Cloudy Glen.

Freshened up since, he looks capable of landing this, with trip and ground no problem for him. With a strong performance here, he can book his place in the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Reserve Tank is an individual who has struggled with little setbacks over the years and hasn’t fulfilled the potential he demonstrated back in 2019 when notching back to back Grade 1’s.

However, his handicap mark reflects that, and off an official rating of 135 he is now on his lowest ever mark in handicap company. With the yard firing on all cylinders, he rates an each-way player in the 2m3f Handicap Hurdle at 3.00pm.

In the big one, the Grade 1 Ascot Chase (3.38pm), Fakir D’Oudairies looks to have leading claims of landing the spoils for the Joseph O’Brien yard.

This intermediate trip suits him well, recent rain will have been music to ears of connections. They are bored of chasing the tail of Allaho and so this looks a great race to target.

Over at Haydock, expect attritional underfoot conditions, which shouldn’t be a problem for Thomas Darby in the Grade 2 Rendlesham Hurdle at 2.05pm.

He is the class act in the field, and has winning form on Heavy ground, so should take some beating for the Olly Murphy team. His defeat of Paisley Park at Newbury on his penultimate start reads well and could well have too much up his sleeve for his rivals here.

It’s the Grand National Trial at 2.40pm, and last year’s winner Lord Du Mesnil looks the each-way play. He loves the venue, loves the mud, and is only 1lb higher than when getting the job done in this 12 months ago. He should be in the mix once again.

Wincanton host a seven-race card, with the highlight being the Grade 2 Kingwell Hurdle at 3.20pm.

Goshen has his mojo back and looks to have every chance of winning this encounter again for the second year running. Right-handed tracks and soft ground really suit this mercurial talent, as we saw when he romped home by 22 lengths in this last year. There will be no excuses here for the Gary Moore representative.

Advice

Fiddlerontheroof, 2.25pm Ascot, 1pt win 3/1 (generally)
Reserve Tank, 3.00pm Ascot, 0.5pts e/w 16/1 (bet365)
Fakir D’Oudairies, 3.38pm Ascot, 1pt win 5/2 (generally)

Thomas Darby, 2.05pm Haydock, 1pt win 15/8 (generally)
Lord Du Mesnil, 2.40pm Haydock, 0.5pts e/w 12/1 (generally)

Goshen, 3.20pm Wincanton, 2pts win 5/6 (generally)

Three From Home Podcast

With Storm Eunice sweeping the UK, the cast of Three From Home hunker down and pick apart a busy weekend of racing, the highlight of which is the Ascot Chase.

Fingers crossed there will be seven races from three courses to entertain us on ITV on Saturday, with Goshen out to retain his Kingwell Hurdle crown, and not forgetting the Rendlesham Hurdle and the Grand National Trial, at what is likely to be a very muddy Haydock.

…so put the kettle on, and join host Ed Quigley, Kate Tracey and Frankie Foster, because Your Racing Weekend Starts Here!