FANTASTIKAS can live up to his name in the Coral Scottish Grand National (3.35) at Ayr this afternoon.
Nigel Twiston-Davies has captured the four-mile test three times - Captain Dibble scored in 1992, Earth Summit two years later and Hello Bud in 2009 - and he has another live candidate in the seven-year-old Fantastikas. Novices have a fine record in the Scottish National and my selection has achieved a high level of form in his first season over fences.
Successful at Lingfield Park in November on his chasing debut, the son of Davidoff then came up against Threeunderthrufive and L’Homme Presse in Grade 2 events at Doncaster and Cheltenham. Ridden by Twiston-Davies’ son Sam, Fantastikas was back to winning form at Lingfield’s Winter Million fixture in February before taking in the Ultima Handicap Chase at Cheltenham last time out.
Fantastikas was below his best when seventh to Corach Rambler but is expected to thrive for the chance to today’s marathon trip and a British Horseracing Authority rating of 143 looks within range for a horse who has plenty of as-yet untapped potential to draw upon.
ONEMOREFORTHEROAD can land the Coral Scottish Champion Hurdle (2.25) at Ayr.
Neil King's seven-year-old has had a profitable time of it this season with three wins from six starts, following success in a Stratford novice hurdle in October with handicap wins at Huntingdon and Newbury the following month.
The winning run came to an end when Onemorefortheroad ran second to Tritonic at Ascot a week before Christmas, and my selection returned from 84 days on the sidelines to finish fourth to runaway victor Suprise Package in Sandown Park’s Imperial Cup three Saturdays ago.
It's probable the rain-softened terrain in Esher worked against Jack Quinlan's mount that day and, back on drying ground and dropped 1lb in the weights for good measure, Onemorefortheroad is fancied to return to winning ways.
The Grade 2 Jordan Electrics Ltd Future Champion Novices' Chase (3.00) brings together a quintet of improving performers, with preference for DO YOUR JOB .
Having signed off over hurdles with a second in Grade 1 company at Aintree last April, the Michael Scudamore-saddled eight-year-old hit the target first time over fences at Warwick in November, a race in which Edwardstone was brought down four out.
Having fallen behind the subsequent Arkle Trophy hero in the top-level Henry VIII Novices’ Chase at Sandown in December, Do Your Job chased him home at a distance of 10 lengths at Kempton Park over Christmas.
After a 30-length second to Third Time Lucky at Doncaster in January, Fame And Glory’s son made use of the step up to two and a half miles for a half-length call over Informateur in a Newcastle handicap chase last time - and there is more to come.
Going back up in distance also looks the right move for THE GOLDEN REBEL in the CPMS Novices' Champion Handicap Chase (1.50).
A fall at the ninth of 16 fences ended the Ben Case trainee’s challenge for a novices’ handicap chase over two and a half miles at Doncaster in January.
But The Golden Rebel had been strong at the finish to land a similar event over the same course and distance on his previous outing, so the three-mile trip should be right up the former point-to-point winner's street.
He returned to form at Kempton last month and SEBASTOPOL looks a worthy favourite for the opening Scotty Brand Handicap Chase (1.15).
At Newbury, COREY'S COURAGE is backed to defend her unbeaten record by beating 15 opponents for the Grade 2 British EBF BetVictor racingtohelpukraine.uk "NH" Mares' Novices' Handicap Hurdle (2.45).
A three-and-three-quarter-length supremacy at Doncaster last month added to previous hurdling wins at Bangor and Uttoxeter - and Aidan Coleman’s partner is capable of progressing past her British Horseracing Authority rating of 117.
Last-time-out Fontwell Park scorer ROYAUME UNI gets the nod for the Play Pick 6 At BetVictor Novices' Handicap Hurdle (1.35), while a hat-trick beckons for FIRST FIGARO in the following Download The BetVictor App Conditional Jockeys' Veterans' Handicap Chase (2.10).
Saturday's Tips
NEWBURY
1.00 MALAKAHNA
1.35 ROYAUME UNI
2.10 FIRST FIGARO
2.45 COREY’S COURAGE
3.20 DOUKAROV
3.55 AL DANCER
4.30 LEAVE OF ABSENCE
CHEPSTOW
1.08 HERMES BOY
1.42 COBRA DE MAI
2.17 ISLE OF ARON
2.52 BENITO
3.27 TRUMPS BENEFIT
4.02 FILE ILLICO
4.37 OLYMPIC HONOUR
5.07 GINNY’S DESTINY
AYR
1.15 SEBASTOPOL
1.50 THE GOLDEN REBEL
2.25 ONEMOREFORTHEROAD
3.00 DO YOUR JOB
3.35 FANTASTIKAS (NAP)
4.10 AURORA THUNDER
4.45 BETTER GETALONG
5.15 MAGIC WAVE
LINGFIELD PARK
1.55 STORMINGIN
2.30 ELSALS
3.05 SAYIFYOUWILL
3.40 EXISTENT
4.15 COASE
4.50 SCHWARTZ
5.20 JEREMIAH JOHNSON
5.50 POLLINATE
WOLVERHAMPTON
5.30 THE WRITER
6.00 MASHAAER
6.30 CASHEL
7.00 FLY TO GLORY
7.30 CLAP YOUR HANDS (NB)
8.00 SARAH'S VERSE
8.30 MAN OF RIDDLES
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