Betfred Saturday Horse Racing Tips: Matt’s selections for a testing afternoon

After an unforgettable four days at Cheltenham, the roadshow moves on to Uttoxeter and Kempton in front of the ITV cameras on Saturday, with the Midlands Grand National at the Staffordshire track the feature.

That contest will be attritional, as the calendar's second-longest race is set to be run on very testing conditions.

14:10 Kempton - Titan Discovery @ 9/2

The form the Skeltons have been in this week, you could look at any of their trio in this, but they all have some form of question to answer.

Irish Hill ran better at Ascot and a small drop in the weights will aid his cause, but the verdict goes to TITAN DISCOVERY.

He chased home a good type at Sandown early last month and was then a comfortable winner back there a fortnight later ahead of a nice type in Classic Lord. I'm sure this unexposed six-year-old can overcome a six-pound rise on his toughest task to date.

14:25 Uttoxeter - White Rhino @ 7/1

What a brilliant staying handicap hurdle in very testing conditions.

Plenty of these have had their form franked at the Festival this week, including Lord Snootie whose second to Cuthbert Dibble was advertised when that one was placed in the Pertemps. That effort was on heavy ground at Haydock and he is four pounds higher than when runner-up in this event 12 months ago.

Another whose form looks better now is WHITE RHINO, who just missed out on a run on Thursday, as his Cheltenham victory in December was franked after Bold Endeavour was also placed in the Pertemps Final - while the third that day has also run well in defeat since.

I was gutted he didn't get to run at the Festival and off the same mark as when third at Huntingdon, and back on a lot softer conditions, this rapid improver could be the one to beat.

Saint Davy has only tasted defeat once in a six-race career and that was in top company at Aintree. He was gutsy in success at Sandown six weeks ago and this lightly-raced seven-year-old is feared most.

There are plenty of others in cracking form with Supremely West, Hititi and Seefin all ultra-consistent and lightly-enough-raced to expect further improvement.

14:45 Kempton - Flegmatik @ 5/2

Again, the Skeltons appear to hold the key here with two in-form contenders.

Our Jet won well over course and distance in November and he's only five pounds higher here after a couple of solid efforts at Wetherby, but it is hard to get away from FLEGMATIK after what we have seen at Cheltenham this week.

He beat the easy Ultima winner Chianti Classico over three miles here in January and was a close fourth in the old Racing Post Chase last month. The drop in trip won't inconvenience him, he loves Kempton and going right-handed and his stable could hardly be in better form.

Lord Baddesley would have a big chance if putting his best foot forward and a repeat of his Newbury second would see him go close, but he is a little hit and miss.

15:00 Uttoxeter - Autonomous Cloud @ 6/1

The Midlands Grand National. The second-longest race on the calendar behind only the Aintree Grand National itself - although this year it may well feel the longest being on heavy ground.

A smaller field than normal of just 13 will face the starter, but plenty of these will fancy their chances in another wide-open renewal.

Welsh National runner-up and Grand National Trial third Iron Bridge represents the 2021 winning team of Jonjo O'Neill and Jonjo O'Neill Jr.

He is a proper old staying chasing type in the famous Trevor Hemmings silks and will be popular on his form this season.

Mr Incredible was sent off just 14/1 when last seen in the Aintree marathon and he's five pounds higher than when third in last year's Kim Muir at the Cheltenham Festival.

Inis Oirr was a runaway winner of the Edinburgh National six weeks ago, but there's a lot more on his plate now upped a stone in the handicap.

My Silver Lining was ahead of Iron Bridge at Haydock and was a narrow winner of the Warwick Classic Chase in January, but is another off a career-high mark.

Guetapan Collonges was fourth for this race last year when sent off favourite and returns higher in the weights himself although does have a tongue tie fitted for the first time.

The percentage call though is to give another chance to AUTONOMOUS CLOUD.

He was sent off favourite for the Welsh National over Christmas but was pulled up when never really getting involved. He is 7lbs worse off with Iron Bridge for their meeting at this fixture last year when only beating him by head, but he won here again on heavy ground in November to make it two wins and a second from three course visits and Fergal O'Brien deserves to have a good end to the week that has been challenging to say the least.

15:35 Uttoxeter - Val Dancer @ 5/1

This contest usually produces a nice stayer for the future, but this race could look very different pending on the participation of Marsh Wren who was due to tackle the Mares' Chase at Cheltenham on Friday.

Gavin Cromwell has had a fair week at the Festival and his Evies Vladimir will no doubt attract plenty of attention. All his races under rules have been over fences and he's improved for softer conditions this winter. This will be his first try at three miles, but he looks sure to stay.

However, if course winner Marsh Wren doesn't appear here then I will happily take a chance on VAL DANCER completing a four-timer.

The yard had Kyntara run a gallant second in the Pertemps on Thursday and their contender here was put up just two pounds for narrowly beating a progressive rival at Catterick five weeks ago. He is also two-from-two on heavy ground and may just be a value alternative to the Irish raider.

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