ITV Friday Ascot And Navan Preview

The first race of the day on ITV sees a Maiden Hurdle over a staying trip and the horse that catches the eye is the Philip Hobbs trained Everglow.

The five year old does not seem to be taking on too much class in this field and off the back of his four runs to date he has offered the best form.

Although not quite managing to break his duck yet, he put in some smart performances in bumpers last year running in behind recent Cheltenham winner Make Me a Believer and also Israel Champ for the same handler David Pipe.

Hobbs sent him over hurdles this term and he was shoved straight into the Grade Two Persian War Novices' Hurdle where he needed the run.

Since then he has improved a massive amount to finish second last time out in a hot Maiden Hurdle behind Star Gate who looks to be a star in the making.

The only race on ITV from Ireland on Friday comes from Navan with the Grade Novice Hurde over 2m4f and it sees a host of star names for the future.

The horse we are siding with is the Henry De Bromhead trained Holymacapony for the same connections as Minella Indo and Monalee and this gelding looks to be another star in the making.

Having won a point to point in February by seven lengths he was bought and given to De Bromhead and the handler started him off at Punchestown in November.

Being undervalued in the market the four year old went on to win the event in fine style, seeing off a potentially smart recruit for Willie Mullins by eight lengths and the time of that race looked special.

Although this is a much tougher assignment he could turn out to be something special in silks that have seen some superstars over the years.

Back over to Ascot and in what looks a hot Limited Handicap Chase for Novices' we have found a nice value price that we tipped up on Tuesday.

The top weighted Sir Valentine for Nigel Twiston-Davies is over priced in this current betting market with this seven year old looking like a superb bit of each way value.

Nigel Twiston-Davies has a superb record in the race having won it before and with the way this gelding has started the season you could not underestimate his chances.

Sir Valentine having been a smart horse over hurdles has made a great transition to fences making his seasonal debut at Cheltenham and finishing second in behind Fusil Raffles, who has since gone on to frank the form.

Next time out the gelding went to Wetherby and again finished second in a Novices' Chase behind Malystic, but now sent handicapping could finally get off the mark.

The penultimate race on the show is the feature race on the first day of Ascots December meeting with the Grade Two Supreme Novices' Hurdle Trial.

Nicky Henderson has an abundance of talent as ever in this division and the horse he has decided to field is No Ordinary Joe for JP McManus.

The four year old is making his hurdles debut on Friday having only been once in his career at Sandown in November when landing a decent bumper comfortably.

It shows how much the yard appreciate this youngster by giving him his first start over timber in a Grade Two and could be a big horse to follow in the future.

The final event of the afternoon on ITV is the Grade Two Noel Novices' Chase and it sees a highly talented field of jumpers head to post.

A horse that will love conditions and is worth sticking by just one more time is the Colin Tizzard trained Fiddlerontheroof, who has a lot going for him in this race.

The six year old won a good Irish bumper on his final start two seasons ago and since then has moved to Tizzard's yard and made his debut last season at Chepstow in the Grade Two Persian War Novices Hurdle.

He was gambled on massively for that contest but could only finish a decent second just being outstayed by third in the 2019 Champion Bumper, Thyme Hill.

He then made his second start in England at Wincanton when again in another battle with Edwardstone and he finished second again.

In what looked his big chance to get off the mark he headed to Sandown in heavy conditions and he did not disappoint bolting up, he then went over course and distance in the Grade One Tolworth Hurdle and landed his first black type event.

The son of Stowaway was then sent to the Supreme Novices Hurdle where he never got into the race and ultimately disappointed.

Sent chasing this term by Tizzard he could only finish second on debut at Ffos Las behind If The Cap Fits, but used that experience to get off the mark next time out narrowly at Exeter.

He took a step back when being well beaten by Caribean boy last time out, but that was on ground he is not comfortable with and getting his conditions on Friday should make the difference.