Meetings at Kempton Park and Uttoxeter races can often feel a bit like after the Lord Mayor’s Show. These cards on Saturday, 15 March come less than 24 hours following the conclusion of the Cheltenham Festival.
Headlining the action in Staffordshire is the Midlands Grand National, a long-distance Premier Handicap chase. This event is a sort of a consolation race for horses that can’t realistically make the cut for the Aintree equivalent next month.
At Sunbury-on-Thames track Kempton, meanwhile, there are handicaps predominantly making up the card too. The most valuable action of the day comes from Uttoxeter races, though.
Traders on the leading horse racing betting sites hope the Cheltenham action has piqued punters’ interest. While this Saturday’s meetings can’t match the Festival in quality or depth, there are still decent prizes on offer.
We asked our own experts what they make of the pick of the action across the 15 March coverage with a number of races from both fixtures live on ITV Racing. Here’s what they think.
Kempton & Uttoxeter Races Preview for Saturday, 15 March
1:37 Kempton – 2m Class 4 Mares’ Novice Hurdle
Miss Altea Blue went close in France on a couple of occasions, then joined Ditcheat. Nicholls pitched her straight in at Listed level around Newbury, where she came fifth on stable debut.
Lowering the sights of Miss Altea Blue made sense and she jumped well for a comfortable victory on better going in the West Country. Timetoshine jumped left on occasions at Huntingdon, meanwhile, and that won’t do her any favours here.
1:50 Uttoxeter – 2m 4f Class 3 Handicap Hurdle (0-130)
Wellington Arch and Jonj bringing up our 63rd winner of the season at Market Rasen this afternoon.
Huge congratulations to owners Mike and Mary Gaskell.
🎥 @RacingTV pic.twitter.com/PmZ83yKh6h
— O’Neill Racing (@oneill_racing) March 4, 2025
Something may be lurking lower down the weights in the first at Uttoxeter races, but handicap debutant WELLINGTON ARCH appeals most. Never out of the first two in four hurdles starts for Jonjo O’Neill and sons, his Market Rasen second reads well.
Wellington Arch bumped into a subsequent Listed winner on that occasion. The front two pulled miles clear of the remainder. With Wellington Arch scoring since himself, an unchanged mark of 120 looks fair for this first time handicapping.
Others to consider include Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero’s French recruit Kahavari, who also debuts in this sphere. Course winners Lihyan and Nowmelad have claimers on board, alongside Ben Pauling veteran Whatsupwithyou and David Pipe topweight Jilaijone. They have previous victories here too.
2:10 Kempton – 2m 2f Class 3 Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase (0-130)
🏇 Teddy Blue jumps strongly to land the 2025 Season Tickets On Sale Now Novices’ Handicap Chase for Paul O’Brien & Harry Derham 👏 pic.twitter.com/Vm7Nx5mQ4x
— Huntingdon Racecourse (@Huntingdon_Race) February 20, 2025
A small field where 2m 4.5f course second Asta La Pasta may be popular with punters. Dan Skelton’s charge has Tristan Durrell taking the ride and 3lb off with his claim now, but the one open to most progress over fences is TEDDY BLUE.
Harry Derham’s new recruit is up 6lb for scoring by as many lengths around Huntingdon on just his second chase start. There should be more to come from Teddy Blue, who has gone well at Kempton in the past after seconds in graded and Listed novice hurdles.
Of the others, Paddy In The Caddy may have finally come to the end of his improvement. He only just scrambled home last time for Philip Hobbs & Johnson White. The rest are out of form sorts that need revivals.
2:25 Uttoxeter – 2m 7.5f Class 2 Handicap Hurdle (0-150)
A £52,000 first prize at Uttoxeter races that’s well worth having. Sandown Heroes winner Red Dirt Road has 9lb more on his back here and may not get such a freebie on the frontend on better forecast ground for the O’Neill family.
Pauling claims off the back of Samuel Spade following his ready Ascot success over this trip last month, meanwhile. Joyeux Machin is knocking on the door for Skelton and Emma Lavelle’s Guard Duty seeks a hat-trick.
Irish raider Blaze The Way commands respect and Phantomofthepoints has claims on a going day, but STRACKAN catches the eye lower down each-way. Henry Daly’s horse is a course winner off 6lb higher than a good Cheltenham win on New Year’s Day.
2:45 Kempton – 2m 5f Class 2 Handicap Hurdle (0-145)
Unlucky to miss the cut at Cheltenham, course and distance winner SAINT ANAPOLINO returns to Kempton for more. The Hobbs & White yard bring him back to this track off 7lb higher, but he scored with such authority that following-up shouldn’t be an issue with the stable in such good form.
Irish Hill is a likeable type for Nicholls only nudged up 2lb for Warwick success. Jay Tidball again takes the ride and 5lb off with his claim. Ascot third Classic King and the Double Powerful, freshened up by Neil Mulholland, are others to consider.
Aston Martini runs in first-time cheekpieces for Nicky Henderson, meanwhile, and it looks as though the mare won’t get in to the Martin Pipe at Cheltenham. Connections could gain compensation here instead.
3:00 Uttoxeter – 4m 2f Midlands Grand National (Premier Handicap)
The mares Apple Away and Galia Des Liteaux have become frustrating to follow, meanwhile. O’Neill runs two in Iron Bridge and Saint Davy, but neither is that reliable. History is against seven-year-olds with Synchronised the last from that age bracket, so this might come too soon for Venetia Williams’ in-form Tanganyika.
Welsh Grand National hero VAL DANCER should find this test ideal, however, and has the benefit of not running from out of the handicap like the last day. Mel Rowley trains in the Midlands, so this is a home game for him.
It wouldn’t be a huge surprise if something lower down in the weights went close, though. Eider winner Knockanore, Edinburgh National second Bodhisattva and last year’s third My Siler Lining could be in the frame.
3:20 Kempton – 2m 4.5f Class 2 Handicap Chase (0-150)
Outlaw Peter beat Flegmatik in this very race 12 months ago, but Nicholls’ runner is 7lb higher in the weights. Freddie Gingell can only claim 3lb off his back and he lacks a recent run, whereas last year he was fully race-fit.
Skelton runs three including the once classy Midnight River, but he just doesn’t look the force of old. The remainder are very difficult to make cases for with steeplechasing maiden Bashers Reflection 1lb out of the handicap.
3:35 Uttoxeter – 3m Class 2 Novices’ Handicap Chase
A treble for Lucinda Russell and a double for Derek Fox!
Walk On Quest makes it 4/4 over fences in the finisher at Kelso
Step out looked like he took a horrific fall on the second last, let’s hope the horse is ok 🤞
Derek Fox | Lucinda Russell pic.twitter.com/j3wmucld9K
— The Horse Racer (@OlliCarter) March 1, 2025
Scottish raider WALK ON QUEST has proved a revelation since switching to fences and may well go in again. Lucinda Russell’s charge seeks a five-timer up just 4lb for his latest three-length victory around Kelso.
Walk On Quest wasn’t stopping and may actually be even better over this increased distance at Uttoxeter races here. Topweight Deafening Silence has taken a while to come into his own in this sphere and didn’t win entirely convincingly around local track Warwick the last day.
Instead, a bigger threat could come from Eyed. Hughie Morrison doesn’t have many steeplechasers, but this one seeks a fourth win in five over fences. It looks significant that Fortunate Man runs here and not in the Midlands Grand National, meanwhile. Unlucky Wetherby second Latenighrumble has claims too.
3:57 Kempton – 2m 5f Class 4 Novice Hurdle
A good opportunity for QUEBECOIS to get his head in front after placed efforts in graded company the last twice. He ran second for Nicholls in a Sandown race where Kingston Pride pulled-up.
The latter has been given a break by Henderson since then, but has more to prove than Quebecois. Although the other two runners in this small field receive weight, their form is light years behind the big stable duo.
4:10 Uttoxeter – 2m 4f Class 3 National Hunt Novice Hurdle
One of the penalised runners at Uttoxeter races should win this. Course bumper winner LIEUTENANT MAYNE appeals most in the same silks as Quebecois. John McConnell has successfully sent him over from Ireland before, but faces three last time out victors.
On a form line through Shade Of Winter, The Bluesman should have the beating of Royal Rambler. Harry Cobden has a full book of rides, but this one might be the reason why he’s in the Midlands and not at Kempton.
King Of Answers scored nicely around Newcastle and chased home Wendigo in his second Irish Point. He commands respect too for Russell and Derek Fox. I’m A Lumberjack has a fall to overcome.
