ITV Saturday Newbury, Kelso and Doncaster Preview

The Henry Oliver trained Singlefarmpayment has been such a nearly horse in staying chase events during his career having been in and around the frame in competitive handicaps at Cheltenham mostly.

Although not winning on many occasions he has placed in races like the Grade Three Ultima Handicap Chase on two occasions showing he is a very experienced runner is these contests.

This season he made his seasonal debut in November at Sandown in a Veterans' Handicap Chase and finished a good fourth behind horses that have since franked the form.

The 11 year old then went to Doncaster last time out over three miles and again threatened to run a big race but settled for fifth behind some less exposed types.

However, what makes him interesting today is that he is having his third start for his new yard and is set to race off only 1lb higher than his last winning chase mark.

He is a tricky customer, but is handicapped on Saturday to run his best race for a while.

Our selection in the Grade Two Premier Novices' Hurdle at the Scottish track on Saturday is the Dan Skelton trained My Drogo.

The six year old looks to be a superb recruit for the yard having made an impressive debut for the yard in a bumper back in October at Cheltenham when a good second.

Skelton decided to send him straight over hurdles and it was a superb decision with him scoring at the first time of asking at Newbury, seeing off the highly touted Flinteur Sacre.

My Drogo was then stepped up to the Grade Two Supreme Trial Novices' Hurdle at Ascot in December and in the two mile event that saw the likes of Llandinabo Lad and Soaring Glory, the gelding saw them off in fine style.

That was a very impressive run, with the third that day since going on to land the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury a few weeks ago, franking the form.

My Drogo has been taken out of Cheltenham and will instead head to Aintree in April and this looks a perfect prep run ahead of his bigger targets.

One of our best each way punts on the ITV card comes in the Grade Three Greatwood Gold Cup Handicap Chase over 2m4f, with Killer Clown for Emma Lavelle looking like a big player.

The six year old has progressively got better this term when taken over the bigger obstacles, having shown glimpses of form over hurdles last season.

Having unseated his rider on chase debut, he then went to Uttoxeter and finished a good sixth of 18 in a handicap chase showing that he jumped fairly well.

Next time out the gelding stepped up again to finish third behind Alnadam at Sandown, but last time out reversed the form with that horse when winning at Kempton on Boxing Day in a tough Limited Handicap Chase.

He has not been seen since that race although going up in the handicap is still nicely treated off the back of how the form of his races have turned out.

Should be fresher than most horses.

A Handicap Hurdle over 2m4f comes next and we are siding with the Paul Nichols trained Flash Collonges who looks one of the most progressive horses in the field.

The six year old started his career off this term in November, going straight over hurdles at Exeter and showing bundles of ability to get off the mark.

He then went to Doncaster where he unfortunately fell, but bounced back from that next time out when a nice second at Newbury in a Novices' Hurdle.

The fall was well and truly behind him last time out when getting back to winning ways at Wincanton on good to soft ground, bolting up by close to nine lengths.

He has only gone up 6lb by the handicapper which seems extremely fair and with that in mind can go well again.

The first race on ITV from Doncaster sees the Listed Mares Novices Hurdle over three miles and we cant see past Wynn House for Alan King.

The six year old mare was a smart horse in bumpers back in 2019 running three times and getting off the mark at the first time of asking, then backing that up with two seconds.

Having been off the track for over a year the mare returned at the start of this season in September over hurdles at Bangor and was a ready winner of a Mares Novices' Hurdle, seeing off rival on Saturday Go Millie Go by six lengths.

She then went to Ludlow and backed the run up in taking style by landing anther event and she was then upped to three miles for the first time at Cheltenham.

Last time out she was seen finishing a good fourth in the Grade Two Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle Trial in December behind some nice types.

Dropping in class today makes her a big player and she will be sure to get the three miles unlike some in the field.

One of the feature events of the day at Kelso is the Listed Premier Handicap Chase over three miles and it sees a superb field go to post.

Although the Ladbrokes trophy winner Cloth Cap and frequently consistent chaser Two For Gold make appeal, at the weights we can't look past Aso.

The Venetia Williams trained animal although not winning for two years has put up some superb performances in much better races than this and now being dropped into this company, receiving weight off some in the field, it makes him a logical value bet.

The gelding finished a close second behind Frodon in the 2019 Ryanair Chase and has also finished a good third in the Grade Two Charlie Hall Chase over three miles at Wetherby.

Having been racing in tough events, his mark has finally started to drop and although second behind Two For Gold last time out, he is now 9lb better off in the weights against him and that should be the difference.

The two mile Handicap Chase looks to be a quickly run event and the horse we believe can pick up the pieces is the Philip Hobbs trained Zoffee.

The five year old was a smart hurdler last term coming from the flat, running four times, placing twice and getting off the mark over course and distance at Town Moor.

Hobbs this season stepped the youngster up to fences and having shown signs of ability he now has an opportunity on Saturday to kick on.

On his chase debut at Warwick he was a good second behind rival Getaway trump on good ground and he backed that up at Exeter when getting off the mark in a three runner event.

Last time out he was pitched into a very tough Handicap Chase at Newbury over two miles and finished a good fourth behind the smart types Eritage and Elusive Belle.

Having not been seen since November he will be fresh today and although he needs to improve he is getting his quick conditions over a course and distance he has previously won at.

Another classy event which looks a very competitive affair is the Morebattle Handicap Hurdle over two miles and the each way value in this race lies with the Ann Hamilton trained Tommy's Oscar.

Receiving weight from the runners at the top of the market makes him a big player having been ultra consistent in all of his runs this season.

Having been a superb horse in point to points, he made his rules debut in a bumper at Newcastle in November and finished a nice second.

He was sent straight over hurdles next time out at Sedgefield and blew the field away in a Maiden Hurdle over two miles.The son of Oscar then went back to Newcastle and backed up his previous win with another smart performance in a Novices' Hurdle.

He landed a hat-trick at Musselburgh the time after that winning again by a clear margin and over the same course and distance last time out was a fine second by Bareback Jack who runs in the Grade Two event earlier on in the card.

That run in the Scottish Supreme Novices' Hurdle looks solid form and dropping into this handicap off a nice mark makes him a big player at an each way price.

The final selection from us at Doncaster on Saturday sees us put up our best bet of the day at Town Moor with Canelo looking to jump his rivals into submission in the Grimthorpe Handicap Chase.

The eight year old has really clicked into gear this season over fences having shown plenty of ability but not always backing that up in his races.

However, this term he has been largely consistent running five times, winning twice and placing in another event.

He landed his first race of the season at Aintree in a Limited Handicap Chase and then backed that up next time out at Newbury when a good second behind nice type Cap Du Nord.

He was stepped up to three miles at Wetherby two starts ago and got back to winning ways, seeing off Snow Leopardess for Charlie Longsdon, who has since franked the form.

Canelo was last seen over three miles at Doncaster in tricky conditions which did not play to his strengths and he still managed to finish a good fourth in a better Listed Handicap event.

Getting his quicker ground today makes him a big player in what looks a weaker event.