Saturday Racing Tips: 6/5 Nap tops Owen’s four fancies

It's the penultimate Saturday before Cheltenham and there's six meetings - four over jumps and two on the flat - to enjoy as we build up to the greatest four days on the calendar.

My Saturday racing tips comprises of four selections - including a 6/5 Nap from across the Irish Sea.

13:10 Kelso - Helnwein @ 13/8

The opener at Kelso - a 0-135 handicap chase over 2m1f - looks a match between Real Stone and HELNWEIN, and my vote's for the latter.

Alan King's seven-year-old was a classy novice hurdler who beat Dan Skelton's Greatwood runner-up Be Aware (second favourite for the Coral Cup in under a fortnight) in the lucrative Novices' Championship Final Handicap Hurdle at Sandown last April.

It's fair to say he hasn't really kicked on over fences this season, though there's been promise in a couple of his runs - and the fact he underwent wind surgery in late January suggests a physical issue has been present.

If that's had the desired effect, he should be hard to beat off a mark of 128 in a race of this quality.

The aforementioned Real Stone is respected after a comfortable victory at Wetherby four weeks ago, but he's 10 years old and has to defy a rise of six pounds, which is essentially nine considering he had three pounds taken off his back the last day. That won't be easy.

As for the other four, I'd be very disappointed if Helwein can't account for them. The selection's hurdling form and even his defeat to Mares' Chase hopeful Telepathique on his debut over the bigger stuff back in November is better than anything his rivals have achieved.

14:25 Navan - Sermandzarak @ 6/5

My Nap on Saturday is SERMANDZARAK in this maiden hurdle over an extended 2m6f.

Winner of the €59k Goffs Defender Bumper at the 2024 Punchestown Festival, Gordon Elliott's five-year-old was very much on my radar heading into the current season and I thought he made a highly-encouraging start over hurdles with a staying-on second to a well-regarded Henry de Bromhead inmate at Punchestown back in November.

You can put a line through his subsequent effort at Leopardstown over Christmas, for jockey Danny Gilligan reported he never travelled and a vet found him coughing post-race, while his second to Willie Mullins' Port Joulain at Punchestown last time out is another good piece of form, certainly in the context of Saturday's race.

He looked a difficult ride in County Kildare, so it's no surprise to see him sporting first-time cheekpieces. That ought to be a big help, as should the step up in trip. He looks a real stayer who appreciates deep ground, which he gets again on Saturday.

On top of all that, this looks a very modest contest. His closest rival according to the betting is Bossofthebrownies, whom the selection has already put aside by 10 lengths.

It'll be a real headscratcher if he can't open his account over hurdles here.

14:55 Kelso - Chart Topper @ 11/4

I'm surprised Willie Mullins' CHART TOPPER isn't - at least at time of publication - the clear favourite for the G2 Premier Novices' Hurdle.

Not only does the six-year-old son of Walk In The Park represent powerful connections, but for me he boasts the strongest piece of form in the 10-strong field courtesy of his novice hurdle victory at Wetherby just over a month ago.

He barely needed to be asked by Patrick Mullins, who maintains the partnership on Saturday, to beat Jonjo & A J O'Neill's 125-rated Peso by four-and-a-quarter widening lengths in West Yorkshire.

One hundred and fifty days before that, he won a maiden hurdle at Downpatrick by 25 lengths, missing a Grade 3 engagement in-between due to coughing.

He's now travelling the UK with Patrick, who's on a mission to ride a winner at every racetrack, and the pair look set for another victory.

Vanderpoel is an interesting rival with plenty of scope, but he's beaten little of note in his three wins to date. Castle Carrock is respected after his beating of Diva Luna last time out, but he still has to improve to reach the selection's level.

I think he'll take a good bit of beating here, to be frank.

15:15 Doncaster - Weveallbeencaught @ 5/1

Finally, I'm backing WEVEALLBEENCAUGHT to land the Grimthorpe Handicap Chase (3m2f) at Doncaster.

After a short spell with Christian Williams in South Wales, the eight-year-old son of Getaway was switched back to Nigel Twiston-Davies' Cheltenham base and bolted up by nine-and-a-half lengths in a handicap here at Donny on his first start since returning to familiar surroundings.

He also appreciated a return to more aggressive tactics. He was held up on his last two starts for Williams, finishing pulled-up and fifth, but this time was allowed to bowl along in front, which worked wonders. I expect him to do the same here.

A rise of eight pounds is harsh enough, but he's still young enough and relatively unexposed as a staying chaser. Conditions are perfect for this good-ground lover too. He must have a great chance.

The Cheltenham Festival is right around the corner - check out the latest odds for all the Cheltenham Races 2025, including the Gold Cup Betting Odds, over at betfred.com

Find more Horse Racing Tips here at Betfred Insights