{"id":11187,"date":"2024-12-19T13:12:46","date_gmt":"2024-12-19T13:12:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bettingsitesreviewed.co.uk\/?p=11187"},"modified":"2024-12-19T13:23:19","modified_gmt":"2024-12-19T13:23:19","slug":"itv-racing-saturday-preview-21-december-ascot-haydock","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bettingsitesreviewed.co.uk\/blog\/2024\/12\/19\/itv-racing-saturday-preview-21-december-ascot-haydock\/","title":{"rendered":"ITV Racing Saturday Preview from Ascot & Haydock – Long Walk Hurdle & Tommy Whittle Chase"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Haydock<\/p>\n

The last ITV Racing Saturday action before Christmas comes from Ascot and Haydock with at least six races broadcast on terrestrial television. Headlining the card in Berkshire is the Grade 1 Long Walk Hurdle, while Merseyside has the Tommy Whittle Handicap Chase.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Supporting races on the schedule include a Listed novice hurdle for mares at Haydock Park, plus two Premier Handicaps at Ascot. These provide some of the larger fields and that means more competitive prices on horse racing betting sites<\/a> for later TV races.<\/p>\n

Ascot has the Silver Cup over fences and the Ladbrokes Handicap Hurdle reverting to its historic name and sponsorship at this pre-Christmas fixture. Our horse racing experts assess the best of the action from both the Berkshire track and on Merseyside with detailed analysis below.<\/p>\n

ITV Racing Saturday Preview for 21 December from Ascot & Haydock<\/h2>\n

12:55 Haydock – Listed 2m 2f 191y Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle<\/h3>\n

This race registered as the Abram can go to Nicky Henderson runner HOLLOWAY QUEEN<\/strong>, who readily accounted for a dual bumper winner by a length on her Rules debut around Lingfield last time out. The front two pulled well clear of the third, so that gives the form a solid look.<\/p>\n

Holloway Queen has already proven her effectiveness at this trip and on testing ground. Nico de Boinville comes north to ride her instead of staying closer to home on the Ascot card. That may be a tip in itself, and Holloway Queen is the one top online bookies<\/a> say the rest must beat.<\/p>\n

Of the others, unchallenged Uttoxeter scorer Kelya Wood\u00a0<\/strong>may not have things all her own way in front this time. Like Holloway Queen, she’s a four-year-old open to plenty of improvement though, for training duo Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero.<\/p>\n

A bigger threat may emerge from locally-trained\u00a0Millie Supreme<\/strong>, who has chased home rivals now rated 136 and 129 on her two starts for Donald McCain. Carlisle conqueror Bill Joyce came out and subsequently landed a Sandown Grade 2. Jennie Candlish’s\u00a0Fromheretoeternity\u00a0<\/strong>looks exposed after progressing out of handicaps, meanwhile.<\/p>\n

1:15 Ascot – 2m 2f 175y Class 2 Howden Handicap Chase (0-150)<\/h3>\n

Newbury Winter Carnival second and third\u00a0Scarface\u00a0<\/strong>and Galop De Chasse<\/strong> take each other on again on another ITV Racing Saturday but, based on how he shaped at this venue in the autumn,\u00a0KOTMASK <\/strong>should appreciate stepping up in trip. Gary & Josh Moore’s six-year-old twice placed behind Martator in similar events over 2m 1f.<\/p>\n

An unchanged mark of 130 looks workable, provided he gets going sooner. While Scarface blew his Newbury chances at the start last time out, there were fewer excuses for Galop De Chasse. Going down in trip might help the latter, one of the Venetia Williams runners to note on this card, more than Joe Tizzard’s charge.<\/p>\n

Even lower down the handicap than Scarface is\u00a0Prince Quali<\/strong>, whose Chepstow form from earlier in the year still reads well. Robert Walford’s seven-year-old shapes as though he will be effective now stepped up in trip. He is less exposed than elder statesmen Solo and Kotmask stable companion Black Gerry at any rate, and should come on for his reappearance.<\/p>\n

1:50 Ascot – 2m 5f Class 2 Graduation Chase<\/h3>\n

\"RobcourAll four have chances of an ITV Racing Saturday win, but topweight\u00a0FIL DOR\u00a0<\/strong>is now fully fit after a never nearer second in the Grade 2 Clonmel Oil Chase on return to action and then landing a match from the front around Thurles. Gordon Elliott’s charge clearly goes well on right-handed, undulating tracks and tackles another here.<\/p>\n

Fil Dor faces stiff competition from\u00a0Iroko<\/strong>, who reportedly has the Grand National as his spring target. If that’s the case, however, then Greenall & Guerriero’s runner will find this plenty sharp enough. Iroko should strip fitter for his reappearance second in a similar event over roughly this trip at Haydock last month.<\/p>\n

The other Irish raiders in the line-up,\u00a0Jungle Boogie\u00a0<\/strong>and\u00a0James Du Berlais<\/strong>, return to action. After joining Henry De Bromhead, the former has gone chasing pretty late in life and hasn’t been straightforward for his handlers. Jungle Boogie, an erstwhile stable companion of James Du Berlais, who fell when we last saw him, looks a vulnerable if very lightly-raced veteran.<\/p>\n

2:05 Haydock – 3m 1f 125y Class 2 Tommy Whittle Handicap Chase (0-145)<\/h3>\n