ITV Saturday Haydock, Ascot and Wincanton Preview

The first black type event of the day is the Grade Two Reynoldstown Novices' Chase over three miles and the favourite Severano takes the eye.

The Oliver Sherwood trained eight year old was a smart hurdler earlier in his career and this term has converted that form over fences.

He looks a very sharp jumper over the larger obstacles, running three times over fences now and winning two of those events.He made his seasonal debut at Sandown in November in a Limited Handicap Chase and was a narrow winner of the event, giving weight away to the field.

He then backed that up at Exeter over 2m3f in another Handicap Chase and on this day he was a run away 18 lengths winner, jumping the field into submission.

Last time out at Newbury he was stepped up in trip to 2m6f for the first time and although finishing fourth, still ran a credible race giving weight away to good horses.

He does have questions to answer over this trip but going off level weights with these horses is a big help and there should be more improvement from this gelding.

Our selection is the Warren Greatrex trained Emitom, who heads back to the Merseyside track for the first time in a year, looking to defend his title in this Grade Two Rendlesham Hurdle.

The seven year old has been a smart performer for the most part of his career, landing six of his 11 races including four times over hurdles and twice in bumpers.

Last season the gelding was only seen three times, winning this event over three miles in fine style on his penultimate start and off the back of that went to Cheltenham and finished a good fourth in the Grade One Stayers' Hurdle.

This season the gelding was sent chasing by his trainer and it has not worked out, finishing second on debut at Uttoxeter, before being outclassed last time out at Ffos Las when finishing third of three runners behind If The Cap Fits and Fiddlerontheroof.

The team have now abandoned the chasing dream and are sending him back over hurdles where he can flourish again, especially if getting the testing conditions he revels in.

Currently at 5/1, Emitom looks great value.

A fine race over fences on Saturday sees the Limited Handicap Swinley Chase over three miles and in a field that offers huge value, we have gone for the double figured price of Newtide.

The Kim Bailey yard are in remarkable form of late having four winners from his last 10 runners over the last two weeks which sees him pose a 40% win rate.

The eight year old gelding ran four times over fences last term, winning his first three events in good style and then heading to the Cheltenham festival and falling short in the National Hunt Chase.

Having his first run since March he made his seasonal debut in a Handicap Chase at Haydock finishing a nice third over staying trip behind the smart Snow Leopardess.

He will definitely improve for that run and off a workable mark can outrun his odds.

One of the big events on a classy card at Haydock is the Grade Three Grand National Trial Handicap Chase over 3m4f and Enqarde for Dr Richard Newland seems to be one of the few horses on the upgrade.

The seven year old heads into this event weighted to strike and unlike the rest of the field is pretty unexposed for the usual types of horses that run in these events.

Enqarde this term has turned his form around, finishing second on seasonal debut over hurdles having had close to a year off the track.

Another confidence run was in the offing and he was sent over hurdles once more at Newcastle and went on to land a Novices' Hurdle.

Stepping up to fences he unfortunately unseated his rider at Haydock on his British Chase debut, but put things right last time out at Ascot over three miles when landing a decent Handicap Chase.

He has gone up 8lb for that run, but it looks as though the further he goes the better he will be and staying on an upward curve can see him run well again.

Back over the hurdles at Ascot and the Class 2 Handicap Hurdle over 2m3f sees a very competitive field of runners head to post.

Arrivederci for Jonjo O'Neill looks a class act that has promised so much this season and we believe he can finally fulfil his potential on Saturday.

In October the gelding made his seasonal debut at Wetherby and won a strong Handicap Hurdle with what looked to be an amount in hand.

A big player again in a similar event next time out at Haydock he unfortunately fell and that seemed to knock his confidence as he was a poor 11th of 17 at Ascot next time out.

However, he bounced back to form last time out over course and distance when a good second behind the well handicapped Craigneiche in a Grade Three event.

That is the leading form heading into the event and only going up 2lb for the run makes him a worthy favourite.

Tom Symonds does not have many superstars and this five year old is turning out to be just that having landed this Grade Two event on his final start of last term.

Last season the gelding was a model of consistency winning at Fontwell on debut before finishing a decent third behind Mack The Man and Protektorat in a strong handicap hurdle.

He stepped up to a Grade Three event at Ascot where he was a length behind Supreme Novices' Hurdle second Thomas Darby and he used that experience to win at Kempton.

On his seasonal bow this term the five year old really made his present felt in the division, landing the Grade Two Ascot Hurdle, seeing off last year's winner of the International Hurdle Call Me Lord and Cheltenham Festival winner Laurina.

Symonds believes his gelding although showing clear stamina does not lack pace and he proved this last time out when going on to win the Grade Two International Hurdle at Cheltenham in December.

He showed gritty determination that day, that again he will need in this event and he will be hoping for another big run ahead of the Champion Hurdle in March.

The feature race of the day on Saturday is the Grade One Ascot Chase and Cyrname is coming to regain his title having fell in the event last term.

The eight year old started last season perfectly by ending the mighty Altior's 19 race unbeaten run in the Grade Two 1965 Christy Chase which saw the Paul Nicholls' star raised to a new rating of 178 after his performance in a first-time Grade One field, which has only been bettered by seven horses since the turn of the century.

After that he was a disappointing second in the King George when not staying the trip and having fell when the strong favourite to land back to back renewals of this race last year, with Nicholls lucky to see him back for another season.

The Son of Nickname although falling would not have won the contest having dropped back through the small field near the finish and overall did not show the true Cyrname at his home track.

After the heavy fall, many punters were wondering how he would return this term, but on his seasonal bow he put all those questions to bed when winning the Grade Two Charlie Hall Chase in fine style.

However, it was one step forward and then two steps back as he headed into the King George VI Chase in December for the second year running with a live chance and again he underperformed.

He was pulled by Harry Cobden that day, but the rider must still believe he can get back to his star ability by siding with him in this race over stablemate Master Tommytucker and we think he is the class act in the field.