ITV Racing Tips: Buick in the fast lane at Newbury & National magic at Ayr

Another Saturday, another Grand National - from Scotland this time, as the ITV cameras bring us top-quality jumps action from Ayr, PLUS high-class flat racing at Newbury.

NINE live heats all told, with the battle for the NH Trainers Championship front and centre involving Dan Skelton and Willie Mullins. Prize-money at Ayr would certainly help, and they're both firing plenty of missiles north of the border. It's sure to be brilliant. Enjoy!

Horse Racing Odds

Today's Horse Races

Full ITV Schedule;

Ayr
13:10 - 2m 1/2f Scotty Brand Handicap Chase
13:43 - 3m CPMS Novices’ Handicap Chase
14:15 - 2m Coral Scottish Champion Hurdle
14:55 - 3m Greentech Seafield Trophy (Handicap)
15:35 - 4m Scottish Grand National (Handicap Chase)

Newbury
13:25 - 1m 4f Dubai Duty Free John Porter (Group 3)
14:00 - 7f Dubai Duty Free Fred Darling (Group 3)
14:35 - 7f Watership Down Stud Greenham Stakes (Group 3)
15:12 - 1m Spring Cup (Handicap)

 Rationale;

13:10 Ayr - Western Diego @ 10/3

Willie Mullins is locked in battle with Dan Skelton for the British NH Trainers title, and nephew Danny looks to get him off to a flyer here with an eight-year-old Westerner gelding.

Western Diego is very lightly-raced with two wins from nine starts under rules. There have been several quite substantial 'resting' gaps in his career which hints at all not being terribly straightforward, but there's also evidence that he goes well after such breaks.

Last time out 51 days ago at Punchestown, a real Grade 1 test, he ran a creditable second beaten 3l by a decent Gavin Cromwell rival and he's almost certain to be highly competitive in this, despite being a novice stepping up to handicap company.

Time will tell whether his mark of 134 is kindly or punitive, but we're talking Willie Mullins here, right?

13:25 Newbury - Ancient Wisdom @ 3/1

Can't deny I love this time of the season in most sports, but as the Flat begins to flex its muscles and we look forward to the big meetings and festivals it's all a wee bit extra-special.

Newbury has a great card with traditional Guineas trials, an opening G3 and the Spring Cup - just fabulous. We start then with the Group contest, The John Porter, and our selection is Ancient Wisdom, from the team of Charlie Appleby and jockey William Buick.

The four-year-old Dubawi colt didn't seem to stay this mile-and-a-half trip in last year's Derby won by City Of Troy, but then won a G3 over slightly further at HQ, before signing off for the season in November with a narrow defeat in a German G1.

Perhaps he just didn't take to Epsom, but it's significant that he's being kept in training and this looks an ideal place to start for 2025. He's bang there on official marks with only Sunway marginally better treated, and the yard have had three winners from just eight starters in the last fortnight.

13:43 Ayr - Masaccio @ 3/1

Trainer Alan King and regular pilot Tom Cannon combine with this eight-year-old McNeill Family & Niall Farrell-owned Mastercraftsman gelding.

Masaccio has been very highly-tried of late in some of the most searching handicaps at the biggest get-togethers, and has earned his topweight steadier of 12st.

He last won off 131 in November but has shot up the handicap courtesy of excellent, consistent displays to the point where he's operating off 146 this afternoon. A win would be an appropriate reward for hunting up the likes of Jagwar and The Jukebox Man and chasing has been the making of him, going from a 131-rated hurdler last summer to his current lofty perch over the larger obstacles.

Cracking race - might be saying that a few times more in the coming paragraphs. If I resist, take it as said anyway.

14:00 Newbury - Simmering @ 10/3

Three-year-old fillies now, and a selection who is one with a Betfred 1000 Guineas entry.

Simmering needs to be winning this, or going mighty close, to justify that HQ assignment in a few weeks time. The great Belgian Christophe Soumillon is on board Ollie Sangster's daughter of Too Darn Hot, and she's owned by Al Shaqab Racing.

On official marks she's comfortably top of the shop, and took both a G2 and G3 last term as a juvenile. Ran the mighty Lake Victoria close too, in the Moyglare, and she's got plenty going for her this afternoon.

You can't legislate for or predict either failing to train on, or making stunning progress from two to three, but on all known angles she's got a terrific chance.

14:15 Ayr - Kabral Du Mathan @ 10/3

The old firm of Paul Nicholls and Harry Cobden now, on a five-year-old French-bred gelding with bags of promise.

Kabral Du Mathan is two-from-four over hurdles for present connections after shipping in to Paul's from France in January last year. Has had a nice break of some 85 days since running Secret Squirrel close in a £50k+ affair at Windsor, and arrives here fresh.

His mark of 139 is unchanged from Windsor and having resisted any Cheltenham or Aintree distractions he should be cherry-ripe for this.

14:35 Newbury - Rashabar @ 10/3

Turn of the colts now for their Betfred 2000 Guineas test - the Greenham.

Of course, many Classic contenders in recent years increasingly head to Newmarket without a prep, but these trials are lovely G3 prizes in their own right. Rashabar begins his three-year-old campaign nicely best-treated of these on official marks, is housed with Brian Meehan at Manton, and carries the legendary Sangster silks now associated with Manton Thoroughbreds.

He took the 6f Coventry by a whisker at last year's Royal Ascot and ended the campaign with a narrow autumn G1 defeat at Longchamp to Ballydoyle's Camille Pissarro, ironically ridden by Soumillon, over today's 7f.

Meehan remains highly capable if rather low-profile compared to the triumphs of yesteryear, and he could have a live one on his hands with this striking son of Holy Roman Emperor out of a Camelot mare. He's entered in the big one but needs to impress here.

14:55 Ayr - Rockola Vogue each-way @ 6/1

A good-looking mares' handicap hurdle.

Rockola Vogue represents the Gloucester-based training duo of David Killahena & Graeme McPherson, and is a six-year-old daughter of Jukebox Jury, remarkably potent on the flat at trips ranging from 7f to nearly 2m!

She's progressive, and arrives here off the back of a win at Musselburgh 22 days ago. Racing off the same mark of 115, and with regular pilot Kielan Woods doing the steering, she can reward each-way support stepping up in trip to a little over 3m - surely a sound ploy given her bloodlines (she's out of a Presenting mare too, and that sire gave us Denman!)

15:12 Newbury - James McHenry @ 9/2

Classy milers look to take down the Spring Cup, a high-quality Class 2 handicap.

James McHenry, a five-year-old Starspangledbanner gelding, makes the trip down from Ed Bethell's Middleham base. Connections have gone for Will Buick in the plate, which I see as a massive plus and an indication of stable belief.

Last term he was extremely consistent, taking a little Carlisle handicap off 87 in May before, after four close-up efforts in warm company, winding up with a terrific second in the Cambridgeshire at HQ off 92.

He races off 95 this afternoon but there could well be more to come - and I just love that Buick booking.

15:35 Ayr - Surrey Quest each-way @ 9/1

Time for the Scottish Grand National, over £100k to the winner, and the small matter of four miles/27 fences.

Surrey Quest is eight years young, and last season in this very contest failed by a nose to lift this coveted prize. Fine effort then for a young horse, it was 4l+ back to the third, and I'm thinking that connections pretty much started plotting this revenge mission as soon as the photo-finish result was called.

He's run three times since that agonising near-miss, an ordinary Newbury spin sandwiched in between two creditable efforts at Cheltenham and last time at Musselburgh, 69 days ago, beaten just over 10l in a test 2.5f short of this one.

He ran off 133 last year and unsurprisingly he's up to 139 now; but he's got another year on his back, last April was exceptional, and perhaps he can indeed go one better this afternoon. Each-way is recommended, as we're 1/5 the odds, SIX places.

Kevin Brogan rides, as he did last year, for Surrey-based trainer Toby Lawes.

ITV
 ITV Racing Tips from Betfred Insights.