ITV Racing Tips: Fingers crossed for ELEVEN ITV contests on Saturday – LIVE

I've been hanging fire with this week's ITV Racing tips piece, but let's wait no longer. Given the decidedly unfriendly weather the ITV schedule has been changing by the day, hour even; but the powers-that-be have settled upon an 11-race extravaganza IF Ffos Las survives a 7.30am raceday inspection, and Fairyhouse is similarly ok, after frosty days leading up to this point.

I'll advise accordingly if there's anything unfortunate to report in the morning but let's keep our fingers firmly crossed that all will be well. This is the state of play as per late Friday afternoon/early evening, ahead of what we hope will be a fantastic day's racing on Saturday. Not quite that which was pencilled in earlier in the week, but hugely entertaining nevertheless.

Horse Racing Odds

Today's Horse Races

Full ITV Schedule;

13.15 Ffos Las DragonBet Towton Novices' Chase (Grade 2), 2m 3½f
13.30 Chelmsford Each Way Extra At bet365 Handicap, 1m 6f
13.45 Fairyhouse SBK Dan & Joan Moore Memorial Handicap Chase (Grade 3), 2m 1f
14.00 Newcastle Gamble Responsibly BetUK Handicap, 1m 2f
14.10 Chelmsford It's Never Ordinary At bet365 Handicap, 7f   
14.25 Ffos Las DragonBet Still Best Odds Guaranteed Handicap Hurdle, 2m 4f
14.40 Chelmsford bet365 Handicap, 1m
14.58 Ffos Las DragonBet The Independent Bookmaker Handicap Hurdle, 3m
15.15 Chelmsford bet365 Handicap, 6f
15.31 Ffos Las Download The DragonBet App Handicap Chase, 2m
15.45 Newcastle Best Odds Guaranteed At BetMGM Handicap, 7f

Rationale;

13.15 Ffos Las - Saint Davy @ 7/2

First up we have an O'Neill family enterprise, involving a Gay Smith-owned novice chaser of undoubted quality.

Saint Davy met today's likely favourite Handstands at Sandown 36 days ago and was beaten 4l at level weights. Jockey Jonjo Jr unfortunately dropped his whip on the run-in, otherwise the gap could have been closer.

Today our selection meets his recent nemesis on 5lb better terms, and as he was reappearing after a layoff of some 265 days at Sandown, the prospects for improvement are extremely good. Connections had a wonderful afternoon at Cheltenham recently with Springwell Bay, and this could be another triumph for those famous silks.

13.30 Chelmsford - Tradesman @ 7/2

Lots to like - six-year-old Mastercraftsman gelding, Hayley Turner up, Dave Simcock-trains.

Tradesman has won four from 21 lifetime, with five placed efforts. Pretty consistent then, and three weeks ago at Southwell he went close off a mark of 75, going down by just a length in a slightly higher grade.

The assessor has generously dropped him a pound for that, and he's a course-and-distance scorer here in Essex. The Queen of Southwell can reign down south, too.

13.45 Fairyhouse - American Mike @ 5/1

Just looking at the form for this one, and the current going in the Racing Post. It's listed as FROZEN. Flippin' eck! Here's hoping for a mighty thaw, hammer or no hammer (sorry, it's been one of those days).

If we do get some action it really should be a thriller. Willie Mullins, Gordon Elliott, Gavin Cromwell and Henry De Bromhead will all be eyeing victory in this G2, but the most compelling credentials for me at least belong to Gordon's American Mike.

Six weeks ago at this track under today's claimer, he returned to the kind of form (close second, conceding a stone) shown in February last, when winning a G2 at Navan. Evidently he's not entirely straightforward, but at eight years old now we could do with all that promise crystallising into more consistent, and dominant displays.

This is a brilliant heat and as I said, let's keep everything crossed that it goes ahead.

14.00 Newcastle - Lerwick @ 4/1

I've previewed this one in my companion Lucky 15 piece, which can be accessed right HERE.

14.10 Chelmsford - Rising Force @ 11/2

An apprentice I must confess I'm not terribly familiar with has the mount here for trainer Robert Eddery, son of the magnificent Pat, probably just about the greatest flat jockey I ever had the privilege of seeing in the flesh. Watch Dancing Brave's Arc de Triomphe win in 1986. Breathtaking.

Mason Paetel has had one winner I understand so far in a relatively brief career, but has an outstanding chance to double that tally on Saturday. Rising Force is a four-year-old Mehmas gelding who ran here just a couple of days ago, finishing a fine half-length second in a similar affair.

Mason was on board the time before that, at Wolves in December, and over slightly further again ran an excellent race, beaten 2.5l. He runs here off 53, same as the last day - and Mason's 7lb claim can make all the difference in enabling him to get Rising Force's head in front where it matters.

14.25 Ffos Las - Getaway With You @ 4/1

Big-race Mr Saturday himself Gavin Sheehan is on board here for Towcester-based trainer Billy Aprahamian, but this is 'just' a little division of a lowly handicap hurdle.

Getaway With You has been a model of consistency of late, and the seven-year-old Getaway gelding, under Gavin, ran well enough at Market Rasen 37 days ago to be a close-up third.

He didn't really jump with the required fluency though, but with modest efforts both there and at Huntingdon, compared to far better ones at Lingfield and Ffos Las, it could be that he much prefers going left-handed - as today. Chance, in an open contest, under such a talented rider.

14.40 Chelmsford - Apiarist @ 5/1

Topweight, for the top-notch combo of trainer Kevin Ryan and jockey Tom Eaves.

Apiarist is in decent order and was a very good second last time at a slightly higher level, but for rather less prize money, at Newcastle. This is a very warm affair for a pot of some £20k, and while this gelded son of Night Of Thunder isn't prolific, he's been keeping very good company and can score here for the north.

14.58 Ffos Las - One Big Bang @ 9/4

I tipped up this one at Chelters on New Year's Day in a slightly higher grade, and he finished a staying-on fourth, beaten just 4l.

One Big Bang now navigates slightly calmer waters in my book and Henry Brooke takes over from Harry Cobden in the saddle, though Harry is indeed present at this meet. Nice contest, huge chance. Should be a very informative staying hurdle.

15.15 Chelmsford - Brooklyn Nine Nine @ 6/1

A winner three weeks ago, looking to defy a 3lb hike.

Tip-top handler Richard Fahey raids from his North Yorkshire base at Musley Bank, and Billy Garrity renews a partnership last glimpsed at Ascot in September.

The five-year-old No Nay Never gelding Brooklyn Nine Nine has two wins from 13 career starts, but both have been achieved on the all-weather. Both 5f and 6f seem to come alike to him, and he's won over the six, today's distance.

Usually held up, he's ideally boxed in five for a mid-pack stalking run. Has this career-high mark of 85 to deal with, but is likely to be the kind of price where each-way opportunities present themselves, too.

15.31 Ffos Las - Beat Box @ 7/2

The Skeltons have a few chances today, and I'm rowing in with this nine-year-old gelding who's just taken his form to a whole new level.

Beat Box won effortlessly 13 days ago north of the border off 120, and must defy a mark of 130 today. On Kelso evidence that's entirely feasible. He joined team Skelts in July from James Ewart and has been absolutely prolific since settling in at Alcester.

We'll get to his celling one of these days but I'm hoping it's not going to be on Saturday. Jumped a little left on occasion two starts ago at Hereford, but at this left-hand venue that shouldn't be much of an issue. Really looking forward to this one.

15.45 Newcastle - Arantes Nascimento @ 3/1

This name has echoes of the great Brazilian Pele (best I ever saw), and the equine star is a four-year-old gelding with the excellent Julie Camacho in Norton, North Yorkshire.

Today's trip is 7f, and I'm not really sure he welcomes going further, as a few shots at a mile haven't borne fruit. Last time, on this track and at the trip/grade, he recaptured some of his spring form to finish second, beaten just a neck, and 3lb claimer Oisin McSweeney retains the partnership this afternoon.

He had a little wind op in November prior to that last rejuvenated run and any repeat, or perhaps even modest improvement, could make him very hard to beat.

I've offered up Calliannasa as an each-way shout in a companion piece and you might just want to check it out, from the ace yard of Brian Ellison.

ITV Racing Tips from Betfred Insights.