IRISH HILL PRIMED FOR REPEAT WIN
The Betfair Hurdle was good to us last Saturday!
Iberico Lord (6/1) won nicely under a patient Nico De Boinville ride. Our other tip Nickerbockerglory managed to place at a big price of 20/1.
Ascot hosts the best card of racing this afternoon and we take aim at another handicap hurdle race.
Irish Hill won this race last season when rated 128 so looks nicely treated off his current mark of 125. That is made all the better with champion trainer Paul Nicholls booking the excellent 5lb claimer Freddie Gingell. Irish Hill lost his form following his hat trick success in this race last season. The handicapper has relented dropping him down to a handicap mark of 125 having reached 134.
Bryony Frost rode him aggressively on the front end in the Lanzarote where he went well until tiring late over that 2m5f trip. The furlong and a half less along with the shorter straight should help Irish Hill come home strongly carrying a feather weight of 10-2. He likes running at Ascot with a win and third place from two runs.
Rare Edition is a horse I have liked since winning at Doncaster in November 2022. He beat no other than Rubaud at Kempton’s 2022 Christmas meeting. Rubaud is rated 149 and runs in the Grade 2 Kingwell hurdle at Wincanton. Rare Edtion didn’t go on following his Kempton win with below par efforts at the Cheltenham & Aintree festivals at Grade 1 level. The fact he ran in those races tells us how highly Charlie Longson rates the horse.
I loved his run at Doncaster returning from a nice long break when staying on again to finish a close third behind Geronimo. Rare Edition won at Kempton while Geronimo backed up again at Doncaster, so the form is strong. Rare Edition is ready for the step up in trip aged seven. He ran in Irish point to points over three miles and is a half-brother to Pencilfuloflead who won over 3m1f in Ireland. Harry Cobden rides again and there is no better jockey in the UK to have onside.
The Lanzarote Hurdle winner Jay Jay Reilly looks an obvious danger for trainer Dan Skelton.
Ascot 2:25
0.5 point each way Irish Hill 6/1 William Hill else 11/2 Ladbrokes, Unibet & Coral. 5 places.
0.5 point each way Rare Edition 7/1 Bet365 & William Hill, 5 places.
Past Results
Click to see past Big Saturday Race Preview Tips results
