ITV Racing Preview From Wincanton, Kempton and Chepstow

First up on ITV Racing is the Class 3 Handicap Chase over 2m4f and Smarty Wild for Philip Hobbs is a horse that has been knocking on the door all season and we now feel it is time for him to be let in.

The six year old is a value each way contender at 7/1 having ran to a good standard on all of his outings this term, being in and around the frame in similar events.

Having made the change to fences this term, he started his season off at Ascot over 2m2f when finishing a good third behind two smart runners that have franked the form since.

Next time out he was dropped in trip and it did not suit him aswell as this distance does today as he bounced back last time out when a good third at Ascot behind two decent prospects.

Having not gone up in the weights for that run it is only a matter of time before he gets his head in front and at 7/1 it is worth taking the chance on him.

Gary Moore seems to have acquired another superstar over hurdles this season with Nassalam and with the rescheduling of Chepstow's Welsh National meeting being put back to Saturday, it has allowed him to strengthen the juvenile and put him back into this event after being initially taken out back in December.

The gelding looks to be a very exciting recruit for the yard, being regarded as the next Goshen by many experts in the industry and on Saturday he can back those claims up when stepping up for his first taste of black type racing.

The gelding moved over to England during the Summer and was given to Gary Moore after being bought by John Stone after finishing second in a conditions hurdles event at Clairefontaine.

Since moving over to England, the son of Dream Well is unbeaten on both starts to date, having ran twice in two Juvenile Hurdle events and landing them by a combined 108 lengths, something similarly achieved by his stablemate.

Having landed his first event by 59 lengths, he stepped out at again over the same course and distance at Fontwell and managed to again be a long distanced winner.

He steps up for his first taste of black type racing in this event but looks the pick of the bunch on raw ability.

Two For Gold is our selection in the three mile Class 2 Handicap Chase and although needing to bounce back this eight year old has done not a lot wrong in his career.

The gelding has been a consistent type throughout his career, placing and winning in these types of events for the last few seasons.

This term he finished a good second at Wetherby on his debut before taking on the Ladbrokes Trophy and ultimately getting outclassed and was pulled off.

He will need to put that run behind him, but dropping back to three miles he can get back to being the progressive horse of old and also runs off 1lb lower than his last event, which is a bonus.

Dan Skelton's Protektorat should just have the edge in the race, having been a smart hurdles horse, but making an emphatic start to his chase career, especially on debut at Carlisle when landing a Listed race by seven lengths.

The son of Saint Des Saints was a previous winner at Cheltenham over the smaller obstacles, landing a listed event in January 2020 and since then has finished third in a Grade Two at the same track whilst running a modest race at the festival in the Coral Cup.

Now chasing he looks to be a different proposition all together and on his chase debut looked to be something special, and franked that form next time out at Cheltenham when landing a four runner Novices' Chase at Prestbury Park.

He showed serious ability that day to win the event by 17 lengths from the smart Southfield Stone and Paint The Dream, with the latter winning last time out.

He is the one to beat and looks to be progressing into a smart novice chaser this term and although he would have preferred the race at Cheltenham, he should handle Wincanton.

The first big race of the day at Kempton is the rescheduled Grade Two Relkeel Hurdle over 2m5f and we have sided with the favourite McFabulous.

The gelding has promised so much in the last few seasons but this year stepping up in trip should see him flourish and having landed the Grade Two Persian War Novices' Hurdle on debut, he proved how good he can be.

The six year old was a superstar in bumpers, landing three of his four outings, including the Grade Two contest at the Grand National meeting at Aintree.

He stepped up to hurdles last term and took some time to fully get warm to jumping the obstacles, but on his third start got off the mark over timber at Market Rasen, he then backed that up at Kempton next time out to land an 18 runner Grade Three Handicap Hurdle.

The gelding made his seasonal debut at Chepstow in the Grade Two Persian War Novices' Hurdle and blew a decent field away by three lengths.

He then stepped out of novice company in the Grade Two Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury and he finished a good third behind Paisley Park and Thyme Hill.

Those two runners have since gone on to frank the form in Grade One company and that leaves McFabulous the right favourite for this event and the one to beat.

The second race of the day from Wincanton is the Class 2 Handicap over 2m4f and with some horses still in the line up also declared elsewhere, the race could fall apart slightly.

If this does happen, Gala Ball for Philip Hobbs looks to be a big player off the back of his seasonal debut, showing that even at the age of 11, he still has plenty of ability.

The gelding finished a good second in a hot handicap at Newbury over a similar distance with the winner since going on to place in a Grade Two event at Cheltenham.

We think this is stand out form and with the gelding set to be fitter for the run he could go well again.

The other feature race at Kempton on Saturday is the Grade Two Silviniaco Conti Chase and the standout entry is the Kim Bailey trained Imperial Aura.

The seven year old last season rose through the chasing ranks, racing four times at Cheltenham placing in two smart events before going on to win another two.

One of those wins came at the festival in the 20 runner Listed Novices' Handicap Chase and the form line he holds has been franked by many horses throughout last season.

The superstar stepped up for his seasonal debut at Carlisle last week in the Colin Parker Memorial Intermediate Listed Chase up against some proven chasers.

However, the gelding showed massive improvement to land the event and his handler stepped up him up next time out to the Grade Two 1965 Chase at Ascot.

Imperial Aura is quickly becoming one of the most improved chasers throughout the season after going on to land the event with ease.

He heads back into in another Grade Two as favourite on Saturday and is odds on to keep his unbeaten run for the season going and on form looks tough to beat.

The rescheduled Welsh Grand National is one of the spectacles of the day at Chepstow and with so many runners heading to post we have two nicely priced each way selections.

The first is the Tom George trained Springfield Fox, who is a horse that you definitely want on side in these types of races being an out and out stayer.

The eight year old has been highly consistent during his career not finishing outside the top two on five of his last six races.

Although flopping at the Cheltenham festival in March 2020, his performances before that were very good and on his seasonal this term he gave a pleasing run that he will certainly come on for.

A staying trip is what he revels in and he has previous form winning on heavy ground.

At a bigger price and again in the category of out and out stayer is the David Pipe trained Ramses De Teillee who has not been as consistent this season, but still has a big run in him and is 16/1 because of that.

The gelding has been a superb yardstick for the Pipe yard, running over both hurdles and fences frequently, with his last two runs coming over the biggest obstacles.

The grey truly showed how smart he can be two starts ago when beating rival in this race Yala Enki over 3m3f at Cheltenham in a Grade Three Handicap Chase.

Set to run another big race, the gelding fell short at Aintree in the Becher Chase never getting into a jumping rhythm and finishing a weak seventh.

However, we feel you can put that run down to a blip and having finished second in this race two years ago he is worth another go only 4lb higher than his last winning mark.

The final selection of the afternoon at Kempton from us on ITV is the Listed Lanzarote Handicap Hurdle over 2m5f and huge filed of runners head to post for this one.

The one that takes the eye at the weights and for ability is the bottom weighted Misty Whisky for Harry Fry who looks a big contender getting weight off the rest of the field.

The seven year old mare is overly consistent finishing second in all three of her events over hurdles last term and this season is currently unbeaten on both her starts.

Having put the seconditis behind her, she got off the mark for the campaign at Uttoxeter in a Mares' Handicap Hurdle and then backed that up last time out at Ludlow when stepping up in trip.

She runs in this race off 120, which is the same mark as her last win and also having a handy 3lb claimer on board could make her very well handicapped.