Punta the Best of Four Punts for a Saturday Yankee
Six meetings in the UK, all featuring seven races, means there is plenty for horse racing fans to choose from this Saturday. Ascot takes center stage, but its features races – the Reynoldstown Novices’ Chase and Grade-1 Ascot Chase have attracted disappointingly small fields.
With Punta Del Este, Dan and Harry Skelton could have a juvenile hurdler that is out of the ordinary. ©GettyImages
Graded races rarely offer outstanding betting value anyway – as the form is thoroughly dissected by odds compilers and punters alike – and this weekend, our selections come from races outside the highest level.
Punta Could Make Punters Happy
In Haydock’s opening race – the Betfred Victor Ludorum Juvenile Hurdle – Paul Nicholls’ Afadil – will be all the rage. Winner of the Scottish Triumph Hurdle two weeks ago, the son of Epsom and Irish Derby winner Camelot could book his ticket to the Cheltenham Festival with a smooth success, find more info on the bookie at sponsoring the race at our Betfred review.
However, there may be a fly in the ointment. Punta Del Este, representing the emerging superpower stables of Dan Skelton, might be something out of the ordinary. The youngster has been purchased from France by big-spending owner Darren Yates.
Given no more than a public schooling session on his debut, this youngster won a conditions hurdle at Cagnes-sur-Mer towards the end of December emphatically. The going was heavy, but his time compared favorably with those of other winners on the day.
In a contest that sees many rivals bring ambiguous form to the table, at the very least, this four-year-old should be good enough to give Afadil something to think about. With nine runners, hopefully, the best horse racing betting sites will make this one an attractive each-way price.
Cry Is a Winner at Wincanton
Wincanton’s opener resembles a box of broken biscuits. The maiden contest should not take a great deal of winning – and, unlike Saturday’s rivals, that is something Earth Cry has previously done in national hunt flat races.
The Milton Harris-trained horse was a little underwhelming on his Ludlow hurdles debut in November. But the trainer is in far better form now, and there was nothing wrong with Earth Cry’s jumping. Three months on, hopefully, this son of Australian sire Pride of Dubai will strip fitter and, with little to beat, can start favorite backers off on a winning note.
Will to Book Famous Claremont’s Festival Ticket
A good rider is worth their weight in gold in hunters’ chase contests, and few, if any, are better than Will Biddick. He is, after all, the most successful point-to-point rider in history and has ridden winners at the Punchestown and Cheltenham Festivals.
In Haydock’s closing contest, the amateur rider takes the mount on Famous Claremont. It is not difficult to envisage this relative youngster taking a seventh win from eight recent starts and booking his ticket to the Hunters Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.
Is Zen Ahead of the Handicapper?
Darragh Keenan does not get the opportunities his talent deserves, but he can gain a fourth winner of the year in Lingfield’s 4.33 pm. Here John Butler gives the jockey a first-time ride aboard three-year-old Emperor Zen.
Placed in all five starts since being given impossible tasks in three maidens, Emperor Zen is gradually being edged up the ratings by the handicapper. Nevertheless, the gelding appears slightly better than his current mark, as he was denied a clean run when finishing runner-up on his latest start.
Saturday’s Best Horse Racing Bets
- Punta Del Este 1.30 pm Haydock
- Earth Cry 1.57 pm Wincanton
- Emperor Zen 4.33 pm Lingfield
- Famous Claremont 5.00 pm Haydock
Recommended Bet: A Yankee
