ITV Racing Tips: THIRTEEN stunners on the channel, including Breeders’ Cup gems

A Super Saturday with bells on! THIRTEEN races will be beamed LIVE on the ITV channel!

During the afternoon we've got five from Wetherby including the Charlie Hall; four crackers from Ascot; a G1 chase from Down Royal in Northern Ireland; then the small matter of three evening belters from Del Mar, California - the Breeders' Cup Distaff, Turf, and Classic. All G1s, and each worth a small (large) fortune to the winner. Here's our ITV Racing Tips, as we bid a warm (as if) welcome to November.

Buckle up, dive in, and above all have fun.

Horse Racing Odds

Fast Racing Results

Full ITV Schedule;

Wetherby

13:15 - Handicap Chase (Class 3) 2m 3 1⁄2f
13:50 - Mares’ Hurdle (Listed) 2m
14:22 - Hurdle (Grade 2) 3m
14:57 - Charlie Hall Chase (Grade 2) 3m
15:30 - Handicap Hurdle (Class 3) 2m

Ascot

13:30 - Handicap Chase (Class 3) 2m 3f
14:05 - Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) 2m 1f
15:10 - Handicap Hurdle (Class 2) 2m
15:45 - Gold Cup Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) 3m

Down Royal

14:40 - Champion Chase (Grade 1) 3m

Del Mar

21:01 - Breeders' Cup Distaff (Grade 1) 1m 1f
21:41 - Breeders' Cup Turf (Grade 1) 1m 4f
22:25 - Breeders' Cup Classic (Grade 1) 1m 2f

Rationale;

13:15 Wetherby - Glen Cannel @ 13/2

We kick off our sensational mini-marathon with a decent-looking chase at a course I've enjoyed visiting many times down the years, and which always reminds me of the heady days of Michael Dickinson.

In case we get too obsessed with the giants of our current era let's not forget that Michael saddled the first five home in the Cheltenham Gold Cup of 1983, and sent out 12 winners on Boxing Day, 1982. Wetherby, only about six miles from his training base, was his kingdom.

The one I like here is Laura Morgan's Glen Cannel. A seven-year-old Flemensfirth gelding that's had some welcome chasing experience, including point-to-points, and who took a similar event at Perth when last seen in June quite comfortably, having made all.

The excellent Richie McLernon, associated with Jonjo O'Neill for so many years and aboard many a JP McManus inmate as a consequence, gets the ride (he's ridden him once previously, in May 2024). Slight step up in class today but I'm looking forward to seeing him run - and run well.

13:30 Ascot - Viroflay @ 11/4

A novices' chase, thin on numbers but fascinating nevertheless.

My selection Viroflay races in the colours of Paul Nicholls and John Bolton with Nicholls training and daughter Olive, a 7lb-claiming amateur, doing the steering. Massive family affair then.

The eight-year-old signed off for last season with an excellent second in Punchestown's Champion Hunter Chase in May, under today's pilot. Olive is the horse's regular rider and the pair have recorded seven wins together if point-to-point victories are included.

Looks like connections are now trying a more conventional path, going down the novice chase route, and the ploy looks well worth a shot. Olive takes off 7lb from the 11st 10lbs allocated and might just have enough class to get away with it for Team Ditcheat.

13:50 Wetherby - Golden Ace @ 4/9

My selection Golden Ace ran second to State Man at Punchestown when last seen in May. The seven-year-old mare by Golden Horn is the reigning Champion Hurdler and it will be a seismic shock if she's beaten here.

It's sport, it's a horse race, and all that jazz - so absolutely nothing is set in stone. No bet for me, just a cracking race to savour as one of the season's potential big guns gets ready to fire.

14:05 Ascot - Issar d'Airy @ 9/1

Perhaps my favourite race of the day.

A 2m 1f handicap chase, and some grand types set to do battle - among them my selection Issar d'Airy.

The seven-year-old gelded son of the mighty Sinndar (Epsom Derby, Arc), is a considerably better chaser than hurdler, and in the early part of last season looked very promising - including at this meeting, finishing second to the re-opposing Martator, off 128.

He rather lost his way in early 2025, but returns to Ascot with a featherweight of 10st 2lb to carry, PLUS he's got jockey Freddie Mitchell's 5lb claim. At time of writing he's an each-way price and you may want to give that some thought (we're paying 4 places).

Off a mark of 131, fresh, and with some decent course form, he just might be the answer ...

14:22 Wetherby - Potters Charm @ 2/1

The Twiston-Davies bandwagon is rolling along nicely and this six-year-old gelding could have a big part to play for the yard this campaign.

Potters Charm is five-from-seven under rules and is a G1-winning hurdler (Aintree's Formby Novices') from December 2024. He was no match for The New Lion in the Turners Novices' Hurdle when last seen at the Festival in March, and has a fierce-looking opponent today in Olly Murphy's Strong Leader (Sean Bowen).

Indeed, 'Potters' has plenty to do on official marks against that rival but I'm hoping the Naunton gang will have him in fine fettle for what looks a good test in a very tasty race.

14:40 Down Royal - Spillane's Tower @ 9/4

What a crackerjack of a contest! A purse of some €90k too, which won't be going anywhere other than to an Irish entrant. In his heyday Paul Nicholls often targeted this, but not this time (with the likes of Kauto Star, and more recently Frodon).

My selection is Spillane's Tower, trained by James Joseph Mangan and ridden by owner JP McManus' man in Ireland, Mark Walsh. This seven-year-old Walk In The Park gelding is a proper G1 animal and at seven rising eight should really be approaching his peak.

Consistency has been a slight issue and he's tended of late to put together a little cluster of fine performances before tailing off with lesser efforts, while still well-fancied. It has to be remembered though that the elite staying chase category in Ireland is invariably a very competitive one indeed.

He ran Fact To File to half-a-length in a Punchestown G1 last November - a serious piece of form, especially when you consider that Galopin Des Champs was a couple of lengths back in third, and the season's eventual Cheltenham Gold Cup-winning hero Inothewayurthinkin was tailed off!

Terrific race this; and could it be a third G1, in those famous green and gold hoops?

14:57 Wetherby - Hewick @ 10/3

Kempton's King George hero from Christmas 2023 bids to take the Charlie Hall en route to doubtless even more ambitious targets in the months to come.

'Shark' Hanlon's admirable ten-year-old gelding Hewick has a sensational turn of foot at the business end when on-song and gets along beautifully with fairly regular pilot, of late anyway, Gavin Sheehan.

Team Skelton field Protektorat, best-in on official marks, but I'm hoping the little superstar, bought for a song as a two-year-old (reportedly about £800), can show them all a clean pair of heels up the straight. He warmed up nicely for this by taking a Thurles hurdle comfortably 16 days ago.

Some good 'uns have won this down the years - the likes of Cue Card, See More Business, One Man and Wayward Lad among so many - and Hewick would be joining some exceptional champions on the roll of honour if he can pull it off for the Shark and owner TJ McDonald.

15:10 Ascot - Dance And Glance @ 6/1

The Dorset stable of Anthony Honeyball is flying right now - 30% strike-rate in the last 14 days - and he saddles another with a big chance here in the five-year-old Passing Glance gelding Dance And Glance.

Nine runs so far have yielded three wins - the last off a mark of 115 at Taunton in March. He had a pipe-opener at Newton Abbot a fortnight ago and ran well, especially after making a significant mistake, to finish second, beaten 4l.

That was off 116 and the assessor was impressed enough to nudge him up a pound; but the outing will have done him the world of good no doubt and though up a touch in class he could be very dangerous this afternoon with the yard in such great form.

15:30 Wetherby - Go Dante @ 5/1

This isn't arguably perhaps Sean Bowen's most likely winner on the card if the champ is to continue his phenomenal recent form, but Go Dante will do very nicely for me.

Olly Murphy trains (42% strike-rate in the last fortnight as I write), and this nine-year-old gelded son of Kayf Tara ended last term with a magnificent win in Sandown's Imperial Cup - a fiendishly-difficult handicap and worth around £50k to the winner.

This looks a good start point for the new season and he's just 4lb higher than for that last big success. He's won here before which is a plus but of course must concede lumps of weight at this slightly lower level.

If anyone can, it's that man Bowen. Currently redefining the sport and looking to be on another plane, or indeed planet, frankly.

15:45 Ascot - Le Coq Hardi @ 6/1

Another hugely competitive-looking chase for a terrific pot of some £56k to the winner.

Le Coq Hardi is a six-year-old gelded son of Youmzain (Arc runner-up), in the care of the great Henry de Bromhead in County Waterford. We last saw the selection in the Kerry National at this 3m trip in late September; a satisfactory seasonal bow, beaten 15l, fading late.

It has to be said he's off a stiff-looking mark of 141 this afternoon, but Irish raiders are always to be treated with the utmost respect - especially those from Henry's Knockeen base.

He's yet to win over the larger obstacles but I'm guessing that will happen sooner rather than later. Connections are being patient and that can have its own reward - perhaps on Saturday.

Mike O'Connor, a 3lb claimer attached to the yard, takes the mount.

21:01 Del Mar - Dorth Vader @ 11/2

Filles and mares go 1m 1f, and though we've selected one with a dreadful draw there's little doubt about the seriousness of the engine.

The five-year-old mare Dorth Vader is a high-quality G1 performer who narrowly missed out (beaten a nose) in a Saratoga race of this nature on fast ground 70 days ago. It was over 9l back to the third. Presumably this has been the plan ever since.

George Weaver trains, and the legendary John Velazquez is in the plate; as he has been on the mare's previous eight spins. She's probably in just about career-best order and arguably will need to be to overcome that 12-of-12 box. Tremendous contest.

21:41 Del Mar - Minnie Hauk @ 11/10

The ground might be fast. She's been racing, highly successfully, since early May. It might conceivably be one battle too many - but I can't find it within me to desert the magnificent filly Minnie Hauk at this point.

Five-from-seven lifetime. A Betfred Oaks. The Irish and Yorkshire versions too; before a heart-breaking, heart-stopping near-miss in the Arc, going down by a head with the third over 5l away.

If she's still sweet and bouncing, for me the others would have to start now. Though this field contains the likes of Rebel's Romance and Goliath she's the one they've all got to beat in my book.

Tactically versatile, this daughter of Frankel deserves a grand exclamation point to a magnificent three-year-old campaign.

22:25 Del Mar - Sierra Leone @ 11/4

The Breeders' Cup Classic, with not far off £3m to the winner. Mind-blowing!

My selection is a States-bred four-year-old colt in the care of Chad Brown. French jockey Flavian Prat, a fixture Stateside since 2015, has the riding assignment.

Sierra Leone is five-from-13 lifetime, and won this very race here last year. He was drawn 11 of 14 on that occasion and didn't start too well - but picked them up gradually and asserted close home.

He's drawn seven of nine today, not much better arguably, but last year tempers any doubts about that being too detrimental. He's following the same route into this, with an outing at Saratoga in August then straight into this cauldron.

It's sure to be fast and furious, and I'm banking on lightning striking once again for this son of Gun Runner, himself a Breeders' Cup Classic winner back in 2017 - right here at Del Mar.

ITV Racing Tips from Betfred Insights.