Horse Racing Tips: Nicholls to land more Pendil glory

A really busy day of racing on Saturday across Britain and Ireland, with a sextet of meetings headlined by action from Kempton over jumps.

Their card includes a trio of Grade 2 contests for rising stars, while further jumps offerings are from Chepstow, Newcastle and Fairyhouse alongside all-weather cards at Chelmsford and Southwell – where the Group 3 Winter Derby gets top billing. Our trio of Saturday fancies includes one for Paul Nicholls in a Kempton contest the Ditcheat trainer has made his own.

Horse Racing Odds

Today's Horse Races

13:50 Kempton – Rubaud @ 6/4

The Grade 2 Pendil Novices' Chase has been won by Paul Nicholls an incredible 13 times, including six in the last decade, and the Ditcheat supremo could be set to score now with RUBAUD.

The seven-year-old has figures of 21121 at this track over hurdles, with one of those being a second behind Constitution Hill in the Christmas Hurdle.

He fell on his chasing bow here at Christmas but that was behind star novices in Sir Gino and Ballyburn, while a fortnight ago he was second behind leading British-based Arkle contender L'Eau Du Sud in the Kingmaker at Warwick, jumping in satisfying fashion.

He should get the increased trip on this track and could be too smart for the five rivals he meets now, as Nicholls and Harry Cobden look to make it four wins in five years in this race.

15:15 Southwell – Champagne Prince @ 11/2

The Group 3 Winter Derby, now in its second year at Southwell, is the biggest race of the calendar year to date on the Flat.

Karl Burke's Royal Champion sets the benchmark but four of the last six winners have been four-year-olds and he could be vulnerable to an upwardly mobile sort.

Military Academy for John & Thady Gosden is one such contender but Jane Chapple-Hyam's CHAMPAGNE PRINCE is preferred.

19:00 Southwell – Mr Mistoffelees @ 6/1

Later on the Southwell card, look out for MR MISTOFFELEES in the concluding handicap over a mile.

He was an eye-catching third over C&D three weeks ago, making lots of late ground from an improbable position with a furlong-and-a-half to run.

That was just his second run since he joined Sam England and his first on the Flat. He competes from an unchanged mark now and based on his best 2024 efforts, looks well treated.

He is not yet exposed on the synthetic surfaces and the form of that previous run here could be advertised in the first division of this race when runner-up Kingdom Of Time goes for Archie Watson and Hollie Doyle.

Horse Racing Tips from Betfred Insights.