Alan Kelly’s Tips

Alan has a look at all TV races on a busy Saturday

Updated: October 24, 2025 at 5:10 pm GMT+1

Get fresh daily selections and a standout Nap of the Day from our in-house racing expert, Alan Kelly.

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For live TV action, head to our ITV Racing Tips hub for expert picks on the biggest races, and explore Ryan Moore booked rides for detailed insights on one of flat racing's most successful jockeys.

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Latest Profit & Loss Figures

An excellent week ending Sunday, October 19th, which resulted in four winning days and featuring winners at 11/8, 11/2, 16/1, 5/1, 7/2, 2/1 and 11/4.

Four out the last seven Nap of the Day selections have obliged at odds of 7/1, 11/8, 2/1 and 11/4.

  • P/L for the week ending Sunday, October 19th: +£25.83
  • P/L for the year 2025 to date: +£22.66
  • P/L for the year 2024: +£200.42
  • P/L since 1st September 2022: +£508.65

Alan Kelly's Tips - Saturday, October 25th

ITV’s main channel will cover a mammoth 11 races on Saturday afternoon, six from Cheltenham, three from Doncaster and two from Newbury.

We have selections for all of the races on a day of exciting action under both codes.


1:10pm Cheltenham - Darcy's Friend (EW)

A wide-open novices’ limited handicap chase to kick-start an excellent afternoon of jumps action at Prestbury Park. While it is easy to make a case for most of the 14 runners, the each-way vote goes to the Emmet Mullins-trained Darcy’s Friend.

A winner over hurdles at Leopardstown back in March, Donagh Meyler’s mount would have won on his chasing debut at Killarney earlier this month but for a bad mistake when going easily in the lead 2 out. There is plenty of improvement to come from the Elusive Pimpernel gelding who can go close with a clear round of jumping.

Recommendation: Darcy's Friend (EW) 9/1 with William Hill


1:30pm Doncaster - Trilby (EW)

Sam England’s Trilby came up against an unexposed sprinter in the William Haggas-trained Kinswoman at Haydock last week, the mount of Sean D Bowen finishing a clear second best.

The five-year-old’s last win came off a 5lb higher mark, and with ground conditions to suit, a big run is expected from the Twilight Son gelding.

Recommendation: Trilby (EW) 9/1 with William Hill


1:45pm Cheltenham - Minella Supreme 

This three mile novices’ hurdle is sure to throw up plenty of future winners over both hurdles and fences. Gordon Elliott’s Pour Les Filles heads the betting following his bloodless victory at odds of 1/9 in a Downpatrick maiden hurdle earlier in the month. However, slight preference is for another Irish-trained contender in John McConnell’s Minella Supreme.

After falling on his hurdling debut at Downpatrick two months ago, the Soldier Of Fortune gelding opened his account at Kilbeggan 11 days later and looks  sure to go well for a stable that is always to be respected at this meeting.

Recommendation: Minella Surpeme 6/1 with Betfred

2:05pm Doncaster - Hawk Mountain

Its long odds-on Ballydoyle  trainer Aidan O’Brien recording win number 12 in this Group 1 Futurity Trophy, the stable responsible for 9 of the 25 winners this century. With 3 of the 6 contenders, O’Brien has a stranglehold on the race, and with only 1lb covering the trio, it will be fascinating to see which one comes out on top.

Preference is for the Wootton Bassett colt Hawk Mountain, who was most impressive in winning the Group 2 Beresford Stakes at the Curragh last month. Out of Ballydoyle’s top class filly Hydrangea, Hawk Mountain may appreciate the heavy conditions more than main market rival and stablemate Benvenuto Cellini.

Recommendation: Hawk Mountain 5/2 with William Hill

2:20pm Cheltenham - Sea Music (EW)

Hard to imagine a more competitive handicap chase at Prestbury Park outside of the festival, a tentative each-way vote going to the Emmet Mullins-trained Sea Music at the 18/1 currently available with William Hill. Still only a seven-year-old, the gelding is the type to win a valuable handicap in the months ahead.

Fifth in both the Galway Plate and Kerry National this season, Donagh Meyler’s mount can improve upon those two efforts with a decent round of jumping

Recommendation: Sea Music (EW) 18/1 with William Hill

2:40pm Doncaster - No Bet

A race that makes little appeal from a betting perspective. Karl Burke’s filly Lam Yai heads the betting based on her narrow defeat in the Firth Of Clyde at Ayr last month.

Katie Scott’s Figjam looked a bit unlucky in finishing fourth in that race and is capable of outrunning her odds of 10/1 with bet365 and Paddy Power.

Recommendation: No Bet

2:55pm Cheltenham - Chance Another One (EW)

The combination of trainer Emmet Mullins and jockey Donagh Meyler could have an excellent afternoon as, in yet another wide-open contest, their representative Chance Another One ticks plenty of boxes in this Pertemps  Hurdle Series Qualifier.

The six-year-old joined Mullins during the summer, winning on his first start for the stable with a wide margin victory in a handicap at Ballinrobe. Narrowly beaten in a 18-runner handicap at the Galway festival 12 days later, Chance Another One won at the first time of asking over fences at Ballinrobe three weeks later.

The return to the smaller obstacles should not be a problem for the selection, who wears a hood for the first time and still looks fairly treated racing off a mark of 125.

Recommendation: Chance Another One (EW) 12/1 with bet365

3:10pm Newbury - Stellar Sunrise

An open renewal of this Group 3 Horris Hill Stakes, the two horses heading the betting, Time To Turn and Pandemonium, make little appeal at current odds.

The vote going to Andrew Balding’s Stellar Sunrise who steps-up in class after landing a bit of a gamble in a 18-runner Nursery at York’s Ebor meeting.

Recommendation: Stellar Sunrise 13/2 with bet365

3:30pm Cheltenham - Give It To Me Oj

Rated 143 based on his victory in the bet365 Novices’ Championship Final Handicap Hurdle at Sandown on the final day of last season under top weight, the Gary & Josh Moore-trained Give It To Oj is clearly the one to beat in this two mile contest.

When you include the fact that the mount of Caoilin Quinn recorded a couple of wins on the flat at Epsom last month, anything but a clear-cut victory for the Time Test gelding would be regarded as disappointing.

Recommendation: Give It To Me Oj 8/13 with bet365

3:45pm Newbury - Ancient Wisdom (NAP)

This looks a good opportunity for Godolphin’s Ancient Wisdom to record a first victory since winning Newmarket’s Group 3 Bahrain Trophy last July. The son of Dubawi won Doncaster’s Futurity on heavy ground two years ago and is sure to appreciate today’s testing conditions.

Runner-up in a Listed race at Goodwood last month after being gelded, William Buick’s mount was beaten half a length by fellow rival Al Aasy in Sandown’s Gordon Richard Stakes back in April with the likes of Almaqam, Royal Champion and See The Fire behind and now meets William Haggas’s charge on 3lb better terms.

Recommendation: Ancient Wisdom (NAP) 9/4 with Coral

4:05pm Cheltenham - Intense Approach

Runner-up behind Caldwell Potter at the Cheltenham Festival back in March, David Budds’ Anyway heads the early betting for this 3m 1f novices’ chase on his ninth start over fences. In contrast, this will be just the second outing over fences for the John McConnell-trained Intense Approach, who made a winning debut over the bigger obstacles when taking a classy novices’ chase at the Galway Festival in August.

Alex Harvey’s mount won a novices’ hurdle at this meeting 12 months ago and is expected to make up into a classy staying novice chaser this season.

Recommendation: Intense Approach 3/1 with bet365


* Betting odds correct at the time of publication. All odds are subject to changes.


Check out more from the Freebets horse racing hub, including tips, stats, market movers and today’s racecards!

Alan Kelly’s Tips
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Lucky 15 Tips | Horse Racing Lucky 15 Tips for Today and Tomorrow
Horse Racing Market Movers - Today’s Best Backed Horses
Horse Racing Stats & Trends - Today’s Key Pointers
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UK and Ireland Racecards for Today
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Nap of the Day – Today’s Best Horse Racing

About Alan Kelly

A passionate follower of horse racing for over 50 years, Alan has enjoyed a 40-year career in the betting industry, 28 of which he spent running his betting shop as an owner/manager.

A successful punter with a keen eye for value, Alan has had many betting highlights, including a Scoop 6 win and has shown a consistent profit in the battle with bookmakers since joining Freebets.com in 2008.

You can follow Alan Kelly on Twitter for more racing insight.


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Alan Kelly

Alan Kelly

A successful punter, with a keen eye for value, Alan has had many betting highlights down the years including a scoop 6 win and has shown a consistent profit in the battle with bookmakers since joining freebets.com.

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