Saturday’s Racing Tips: Heed Heltenham’s calling

Six meetings are scheduled to take place across Britain and Ireland this Saturday. First off is Newbury, Doncaster, Navan and Kelso over jumps, before two all-weather cards from Kempton and Wolverhampton (evening meeting).

Amongst our Saturday fancies is a relatively unexposed chaser representing Dan Skelton in the feature Greatwood Gold Cup Premier Handicap Chase on Newbury's Premier Raceday.

13:55 Newbury - Heltenham @ 6/1

Dan Skelton has had a steady stream of winners in the last 14 days and the each-way selection HELTENHAM is expected to build on his encouraging second for the yard at Kempton last Saturday in the feature 2m 4f BetVictor Greatwood Gold Cup Premier Handicap Chase at Newbury.

The seven-year-old is 3-6 on soft ground and has placed on both his two starts on heavy ground. Horses from his age-group are 3-14 in the last eight runnings.

The Masked Marvel gelding is 4-11 racing left-handed compared to two places from two races going the other way around such as at Kempton last time.

He is also 4-10 over this intermediate trip, including an easy course-and-distance success from a 7lb lower mark on soft ground in this month last year, and he will go well if merely returning to that sort of form on Saturday afternoon.

The last five winners were officially rated between 128 and 147 and four carried 11st 5lb or less for victory. The selection has a handy position in the handicap from a mark of 130 and carrying 10st 9lb.

14:50 Kelso - Bass Rock @ 16/1

We're offering five places in the big-field Class 2 bet365 Morebattle Handicap Hurdle from Kelso.

Last year's winning trainer Sandy Thomson is 6-15 in the last 14 days. He saddles last year's winner Benson, who is respected from a 5lb higher mark, and BASS ROCK, who is the each-way suggestion reverting to hurdles from chasing, and attempting to exploit a 5lb lower mark.

His jockey Lewis Dobb has ridden a winner for the Thomson yard, and he can claim a handy 7lb off the gelding, who is 3-9 on ground described as good to soft or soft and a strongly-run two miles on this course may suit.

15:40 Doncaster - Hidden Heroics @ 28/1

We go four places each-way in the 13-runner Class 2 3m2f Grimthorpe Handicap Chase, the feature contest at Doncaster on Saturday, and once again there may be some mileage in backing Dan Skelton's representative HIDDEN HEROICS on those terms.

The seven-year-old will be ridden by the 7lb-claiming jockey Heidi Palin, who is 3-17 when riding for the yard.

The selection races off just below a winning mark and proved this sort of trip is within his compass when winning well on soft ground at Ludlow in December.

He is a double-figure price due to performing below-par on his follow up attempt at Kempton 21 days later, but may now resume his progression after a 66-day break.

Horse Racing tips from Betfred Insights.