ITV Racing Tips: I spy a winner at Donny on Saturday

ITV racing Saturdays never disappoint - and the latest offering from the channel is right up there. We're off to jumping HQ with four from Cheltenham; and we've three crackers to savour from Doncaster, too.

There will doubtless be Festival clues from Prestbury Park, but importantly prestigious races boasting excellent prize money are up for grabs, to kickstart Christmas early for those who come out on top. Should be a fabulous afternoon's sport - enjoy.

Horse Racing Odds

Today's Horse Races

Full ITV Schedule;

13:50 Cheltenham - December Gold Cup Handicap Chase 2m 4 1/2 f
14:25 Cheltenham - BETMGM Handicap Chase 2m 1/2 f
15:00 Cheltenham - Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle (Grade 2) 3m
15:35 Cheltenham - BETMGM Mares' Handicap Hurdle 2m 4 1/2f

14:05 Doncaster - bet365 Handicap Chase - 3m
14:40 Doncaster - bet365 Doncaster Mares' Hurdle (Listed) 3m 1/2 f
15:15 Doncaster - bet365 Handicap Hurdle 2m 1/2 f

Rationale;

13:50 Cheltenham - Ga Law each-way @ 13/2

I tipped up this fella in the big Grade 3 here four weeks ago and he ran an absolute blinder in finishing a 4.5l second to Il Ridoto, giving the winner over a stone. They clash again, and Il Ridoto, one of two saddled by Paul Nicholls, must defy an 8lb hike - a tough ask.

Things didn't quite go as smoothly as possible in the home straight for Jamie Snowden's gelding that day - Ga Law slipped on the turn and wasn't fluent over the last two, otherwise he could have gone very close indeed. That doesn't detract from the fact that he travelled supremely well and is only up a pound, to a mark of 156, today.

He was a very useful 140-rated hurdler but has developed into a much better chaser. Eight-year-old Ga Law goes well here, is a course-and-distance scorer, Mr big-race Saturday Gavin Sheehan again takes the mount, and as we're paying four places each-way that seems an eminently sensible way to proceed.

What a thriller to kick-off the channel's coverage.

14:05 Doncaster - Gaboriot @ 7/2

There's something of a theme today - looking to revisit one or two horses tipped up in previous weeks and backing them to do what they were supposed to back then!

Here's a case in point - ish - with Gaboriot. Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero train the eight-year-old gelding, and Henry Brooke takes the mount. It was five weeks ago at Aintree in the Grand Sefton that I tipped him up, and he ran a belter to reward each-way support with a third-place finish, beaten just over 4l.

Crucially he's a course-and-distance winner here at Donny, and is just a pound higher than last time on Merseyside. He's got no Grand National fences to contend with today, and as he was doing his best work at the end of that 2m 5f trip he's in more appropriate and familiar 3m territory today, which looks sure to suit.

It's a lovely prize, and what a cracking racing weight he has, just 10st 7lb. I'm very hopeful, and as it's another of Betfred's four places each-way contests, there is that option - but I note that lots of early support has contracted the price.

14:25 Cheltenham - Issar D'Airy @ 4/1

Another that I championed recently - fancying the six-year-old Sinndar gelding at Newbury two weeks ago. He never really got competitive that day, some 11.5l adrift at the finish, but for me remains of great interest off the same mark of 130.

Issar D'Airy represents Gary and Josh Moore, and claimer Freddie Mitchell takes over in the plate. It's the French bred's first look at Cheltenham, and given that he failed to land a meaningful blow at Newbury, a flat, galloping course, this far more exacting, undulating, physical test could be just what he needs.

Before disappointing slightly last time in Berkshire he'd been second to Martator at Ascot, and that rival then sluiced up under a penalty at the same venue. That's very solid form, and with a glorious racing weight of just 10st 4lb, reduced by the majority of Freddie's 5lb claim, he's got a massive chance in my book.

14:40 Doncaster - West Balboa @ 8/15

The Skeltons field an eight-year-old mare by the mighty Yeats; one who in my book ought to have too much firepower for her rivals this afternoon.

She's officially rated 143 for this Listed affair, and in a handicap would notionally be giving her rivals 12lbs and more. Regular pilot Harry Skelton is inevitably at Cheltenham, so Kielan Woods comes in for the ride - fortunately he's ridden her more than once previously.

West Balboa has tried a couple of novice chases this autumn, but the move has not been successful. She reverts to the smaller obstacles on something of a retrieval mission then, and I guess enthusiasm must be tempered slightly by those lacklustre displays.

If she can find her normal hurdling form this afternoon the others have it all to do, frankly, and who would back against her outstanding trainer having her cherry-ripe for this? It's hers to lose for me.

15:00 Cheltenham - Skyjack Hijack @ 15/8

Promising young staying hurdlers now, and for me a standout bet in Skyjack Hijack, trained by Jennie Candlish in Staffordshire.

Two weeks ago this progressive six-year-old hosed up in a career-best display at Newcastle, notching a stunning six-timer in the process. He scored off a mark of 97 at Cartmel in August, and is now rated 138!

It's time for a brush with the bigger leagues courtesy of a Grade 2 at the home of National Hunt racing, but on official figures he holds the aces in my view. Though jumping very well in the main he's shown a tendency to go slightly left at the obstacles, which won't be much of an issue here at left-handed Cheltenham.

Fascinating to see how he takes this step up, and regular pilot Sean Quinlan is doing the steering.

15:15 Doncaster - Deploy To Spy @ 5/1

I'm going for a Kielan Woods red-letter day in South Yorkshire, as he's aboard this six-year-old Telescope gelding, too.

Olly Murphy (23% strike-rate in the last 14 days) trains, and here's another rapidly-improving type looking to secure a four-timer this afternoon; a run that began with two novice successes, an easy Class 4 handicap victory at Aintree off 118 five weeks ago, and now a loftier Class 2 heat off 125.

His regular pilot is the brilliant Sean Bowen, top dog in the weighing room in my estimation these days, but another drawn to the delights of Cheltenham, unsurprisingly.

Deploy To Spy is very lightly-raced, with today being just outing number six; and he didn't run at all until July '23. That patience is being rewarded in spades now, and this gorgeous £26k pot could be the latest chapter in what's becoming quite the story.

15:35 Cheltenham - Georgi Girl each-way @ 13/2

Competitive-looking mares' handicap hurdle, and as Betfred are going four places each-way I'm definitely leaning that way.

Georgi Girl is housed in Somerset with training combo Philip Hobbs & Johnson White, and will be ridden by Ben Jones (19% strike-rate in the last fortnight). She's a five-year-old by Group 1-winning middle-distance performer Getaway, who is proving to be a very potent NH sire (Verdana Blue, Cooper's Cross, etc).

Last time three weeks ago at Warwick she dotted up at this trip bar a few yards further, and that was on seasonal reappearance after a break of 217 days. With that race under her belt, and only rising six age-wise, I see the potential for bags of improvement; and running so well at Warwick is another massive plus.

It's a course that for me mimics lots of the characteristics of Cheltenham; left-handed, undulating, and with a stiff finish to negotiate. It's no surprise that lots of Festival hopefuls turn up for prep races at the course.

She can put that experience to excellent use on Saturday afternoon and defy both the slight rise in grade and a 5lb reassessment.

ITV Racing Tips, From Betfred Insights.