ITV Racing Musselburgh, Sandown, Leopardstown Preview

We can't look past the favourite Chacun Pour Soi in the Grade One Dublin Chase event over 2m1f, with the gelding looking to land back to back renewals of the race.

The eight year old has only had four starts for the handler since joining from France back in December 2016 but has shown plenty of ability on all of his runs just losing his unbeaten record last season.

Having not raced since March 2016 he went to Naas for his first run in nearly exactly three years in a Beginners Chase and showed a perfect temperament to take the spoils by 31 lengths.

He was then sent to the Punchestown festival with many punters still unaware of the ability of this horse and he gave one of the stand out performances of the meeting, beating the Arkle Novices Chase winner Duc Des Genievres and JLT Novices Chase victor Defi Du Seuil to land the Grade One Ryanair Novices Chase.

He made his seasonal debut last season over Christmas at Leopardstown in this Grade One Chase against some superb horses and although looking like he had the race wrapped up he found nothing when coming off the bridle and was pipped close home.

He came on a huge amount for that run and got back to winning ways in the Grade One Dublin Chase at the Dublin Racing Festival, beating stablemate Min.

The gelding made his seasonal return at Cork at the start of December and although not impressive he still landed the Grade Two Hilly Way Chase in workman like fashion.

He then backed that up at Leopardstown Christmas meeting by landing the Grade One Paddy's Club Chase, that he was beat by A Plus Tard in last year.

He seems to be a horse full of confidence and he is the odds on favourite to land this event again for a second time in as many years.

Hitman for Paul Nicholls looks a stand out runner in the Grade One Scilly Isles Novices' Chase over 2m4f having moved over from France this season and looks a seriously smart recruit for the yard.

Having ran respectably over hurdles in France the son of Falco made his British/chase debut at Ffos Las in November in very tricky conditions.

The four year old took every fence in his stride, getting better as the race went on and went on to win the event by an eased down 30 lengths.

That performance was highly impressive and he looked to prove he was a Grade One horse in the making next time out at Sandown when being entered into the Henry VIII Novices' Chase.

Having a big reputation the yard thought he had a big chance but on the day had to settle for second behind the impressive Allmankind, who landed the event in good style.

Hitman was a worthy runner up and that Grade One form over fences looks to be some of the best in the field, if being able to convert it over an extra four furlongs.

The first race on ITV from Musselburgh is the Scottish County Hurdle over two miles and the Brian Ellison trained Ashington is a horse that takes the eye for us.

The six year old is a course and distance winner at the track landing a novices hurdle last season and he has also put up some other nice performances at this track, finishing second in this race last year.

Having had some runs on the flat at the start of the term, he was sent back over hurdles for the first time this season at Cheltenham in October, when a good third behind some nice types.

He was then sent to Doncaster last time out and finished fifth of 10 in a hot handicap hurdle and he now enters this race off only 3lb higher than his second in it last year.

The rescheduled Grade Two Cotswold Chase features a stunning field of six and Santini for Nicky Henderson is our selection to land this race for the second consecutive season.

Last season the eight year old made a winning start on his seasonal debut at Kempton but did leave room for improvement, he was much better next time out after undergoing a wind op which saw him race on trials day in the Cotswold Chase and he put in a mighty performance to beat Bristol De Mai over what was nearly the Gold Cup trip.

He then headed to the festival for the Cheltenham Gold Cup and although rallying in the final stages, had to settle for a narrow second behind dual winner Al Boum Photo.

The staying star for the yard made a satisfactory return to racing this season when having a good racecourse gallop at Newbury and then headed to Aintree for the Many Clouds Chase and finished a narrow second to Lake View Lad.

Although not winning the race he showed his staying ability in tricky conditions and with many fences being bypassed due to the low sun on the day it did not play to his strengths.

The plan after that race was to get him ready at home for this event which he landed last term, but connections and trainer instead decided to run him in the Kempton feature King George VI Chase and after forking out £5,000 to supplement him they were expecting a big run.

Unfortunately, having looked like he was coming with a challenge he could only finish fifth, fading in the latter stages of the race.

This event does look easier than the contest he was in last time and if handling the ground could have the stamina to stay on best of all.

Next up is the Warriors Handicap Chase at Sandown over 2m4f and at an each way price the horse we like the look of is Doitforthevillage.

The Paul Henderson trained 12 year old has been on our radar for a while and is weighted to go well in this handicap event having ran a cracker last time out.

Having finished fifth of eight runners over Christmas over two miles at Newbury, he was stepped up to todays course and distance last time out and was a game winner of a similar event.

He has only gone up 2lb in the handicap for that win and if staying on an upward curve and handling the heavier conditions, he looks a big player.

In what looks a superb renewal of the Irish Champion Hurdle on Saturday we believe we have plucked out some big each way value.

Saldier for Willie Mullins is the outsider in the market of his three runners in the event, but we believe he looks to be the most progressive in field and will certainly come on for his seasonal debut.

Somewhat of a forgotten horse for the yard he stole the show in the Grade One Morgiana Hurdle at a nice price in 2019, with the gelding having his first run in that race for over a year having been off the track with injury.

The Rich Ricci owned hurdler breezed to the front before the last hurdle and ran out a game winner of the event that day, beating some of these rivals in the race.

He was off the track again after that superb performance with another injury problem, but made his return at Christmas in the Matheson Hurdle over course and distance.

The gelding travelled lovely throughout, but when it came to push the button did not have much left in the tank and that can be put down to it being his first run for some time and needing to gain his fitness.

Saldier is a highly intelligent horse, that if not for his injury problems and fragile state, could have gone on to win more races throughout his career, and we believe his seasonal debut run will have put him spot on for this event.

The penultimate event of the afternoon on ITV is the Class 2 Handicap Chase over three miles and Kiltealy Briggs for Jamie Snowden looks a live player.

The seven year old was a fair hurdles prospect winning some nice events and having been sent chasing this term has taken to the larger obstacles well.

In November he made his chase debut at Carlisle in heavy ground and finished a good second behind Whoshotthesheriff, who ran well last time out in a better race.

The gelding was stepped up in trip last time out and sent to Ascot for the Grade Two Noel Novices' Chase and was a good third behind the smart Allart and Fiddlerontheroof.

This event is a big step down in trip compared to that company and if handling the hike up in trip once more is a big player.

The final event on the broadcast comes from Musselburgh with the Edinburgh National Handicap Chase over four miles and with testing ground you need an out and out stayer.

The horse we have sided with is just that, having won this event last year off only 2lb higher and having a horse who is known to get the trip is half the battle.

This nine year old will need to be much better than what he has been on his three runners this season, being pulled up on all three occasions.

However, he heads back to a track he likes, a trip he can handle and weighted well enough to get his season back on track.