Saturday’s Racing Tips: Shan Blue can belatedly deliver

Six meetings are scheduled to take place across Great Britain and Ireland this Saturday.

First off are Haydock, Ascot, Wincanton and Gowran Park over jumps, before two evening all-weather cards from Newcastle and Wolverhampton.

Among our Saturday fancies is a well-treated chaser representing Dan Skelton who looks primed to deliver a belated fourth success over regulation fences at Ascot.

14.25 Ascot – Rare Edition @ 7/1

Each-way punters have a decent opportunity with most bookies in the 16-runner Class 2 extended 2m3f handicap hurdle from Ascot and RARE EDITION, representing Charlie Longsdon, is expected to be right in the competitive mix.

The seven-year-old bounced back to form when second at Doncaster in December and then returned to winning ways in good style at Kempton last month.

The son of French sire Califet is a half-brother to bumper/2m6f hurdle/smart chase winner Pencilfulloflead and he should really appreciate this return to a slightly longer trip on this stiffer course.

Horses aged seven or younger with decent recent form are just the type to prosper in this contest and he can defy a 3lb higher mark on good to soft ground that should suit.

14.40 Haydock – Red Risk @ 4/1

Paul Nicholls won the Grade 2 3m Rendlesham Hurdle at Haydock through Zarkandar in 2017 and RED RISK, his runner this year, makes plenty of appeal dropping in class, back on testing ground after a small break since he finished eighth on good ground at Ascot in the Grade 1 Long Walk Hurdle in December.

Nicholls is 10-32 (31%) in the 14 days prior to racing on Saturday and the selection has decent claims on these favourable terms on the pick of his form.

15.00 Ascot – Shan Blue @ 3/1 

Dan Skelton has had a successful couple of weeks, and he trained the winner of Ascot’s 3m Premier Handicap Chase in the form of Captain Chaos in 2021. His 2024 representative SHAN BLUE has plenty going for him too, if overlooking the fact that he hasn’t actually tasted success since winning a Grade 1 novice chase at Kempton in December 2020.

He is 3-10 on good to soft ground and 2-6 over this trip, and that lengthy dry spell would have been considerably shorter were it not for falling three out when 20 lengths clear in Wetherby’s Grade 2 3m Charlie Hall Chase in October 2021.

Skelton has had to show patience in coaxing Shan Blue back towards being capable of winning a race such as this, but the signs were particularly positive when he stayed on to reach a close third over a shorter trip at this course on good ground in December.

Horses aged ten are 6-16 in this race since 2014 which is also encouraging. The selection is returning from another small break, stepping back up in trip from a 1lb higher mark of 143, and this could be the day he belatedly delivers.

Check out our other Horse Racing Tips here.