Nick Luck’s blog: A bumper Saturday of racing

There’s the small matter of 10 races in front of the ITV cameras on Saturday with action up and down Britain.

Nick Luck has had his head deep in the formbook and here are his fancies from Newbury, Kelso and Doncaster.

Newbury

PRIME VENTURE (13/2) can take another nice prize in the TV opener at Newbury on Saturday (1.15pm). These are a ragged bunch on current form, but he’s only a few pounds higher than when romping in bad ground in the final of this series, and a spin over hurdles last week should have him spot on.

TAMAROC DU MATHAN is chancy, but he’s really well treated on the best of his novice form and can step up in the Greatwood Gold Cup (1.50pm) at 9/2. He had a breathing op before his last run, where he ran okay up to a point at a time when the stable was really struggling for winners. Expect a bit better here.

Kelso

IT’S GOOD TO LAUGH looks quite a big price at 11/1 in the Premier novice at Kelso (1.32pm). A very smart Flat horse, he looks to be brushing things up in the jumping department and comes out very competitively at these weights on his current rating.

FAMOUS BRIDGE (7/2) ought to take advantage of the handicapper’s mercy against his more experienced rivals in the handicap hurdle (2.05pm). He would have won here last time but for unseating two out and races off just a pound higher. This is just a slightly better race and he should go very well.

ESPOIR DE ROMAY is evidently not the easiest to train, but he’s very smart when he gets it right, and the Listed Premier Chase (2.40pm) looks a lovely spot for him. I’m not normally tempted by short ones returning from a break, but these are his conditions and he will take a lot of catching if he’s ready at 7/4.

AUTUMN EVENING must surely go very well in the Morebattle Hurdle (3.15pm) before chasing the bonus at Cheltenham. He was found a lovely opportunity at Fairyhouse in the New Year, but stepped up markedly on that at the Dublin Racing Festival. Provided the ground is not desperate, the Brits will find him hard to beat at 9/2.

DUBAI DAYS is not entirely bombproof, but he looks a likely winner of the Cyril Alexander (3.43pm) at 4/1. He’s been running fine this season without damaging his mark, but a well-run two miles on soft ground under today’s jockey saw his form elevated above that mark over hurdles and – granted those circumstances and a slightly iffy overnight favourite – he’s worth backing.

Doncaster

HOLLY HARTINGO looks a pretty decent mare, and she can confirm that by winning the Listed novice at Doncaster (2.20pm) at 9/2. Her form is not the best as it stands, but she was really impressive in beating the fairly useful Hillfinch at Huntingdon and her old school pedigree suggests the further the better.

BUN DORAN, the old timer, must have a decent chance of a seasonal hurrah in the two miler (2.55pm). His best run this season came on heavy ground under forcing tactics and there must be a chance he gets a relatively soft time of it on the lead here. That, combined with a continually tumbling mark, makes him fair value at 6/1.

UNDERSUPERVISION hasn’t really had the rub of the green this season, but I’m pretty sure he’s better than his mark and, if ridden conservatively, might take advantage of a bit of a burn-up in the Grimthorpe (3.30pm). Not many of these really want very soft ground, but I suspect he’ll enjoy it and is open to a good deal more progress than most. If everything clicks, he could win race like this quite tidily at 8/1.