Saturday Racing Tips: Three to consider if weather permits

Inspections are scheduled for 07:30 at Fairyhouse and Ffos Las - the last-standing National Hunt meetings - on Saturday morning, but I'm cautiously optimistic about their survival looking at the current forecasts.

Hopefully I'm right, for all four of my Saturday racing tips come from the County Meath and South Wales venues.

12:12 Ffos Las - Dunskay @ 7/4

A chance is taken on DUNSKAY in the two-mile maiden hurdle that opens the card in South Wales.

Ben Pauling's six-year-old has to defy a 338-day layoff, during which he encountered a wind issue, which would usually put me off, but he could be much too good for this lot if up to speed.

His bumper form, including a victory over Mares' Novices' Hurdle hopeful Anno Power on debut, is classy and Pauling holds the horse in extremely high regard.

In a stable tour with Sporting Life in November, he said: "I hope he could be part of our Cheltenham Festival team as he has the ability to be part of it."

The 120-rated Lud'or sets the standard, though not a particularly high one as he's yet to win a race, and if the selection is indeed going to pop up at HQ in March, then he simply has to be winning this.

14:58 Ffos Las - Makadet @ 9/1

Speaking of in-form trainers, Philip Hobbs & Johnson White are on fire at the moment, operating at an even better 41 per cent strike rate (seven winners from 17 runners in the last two weeks).

The pair - and jockey Michael Nolan - travel to Ffos Las on Saturday solely for MAKADET in a 0-140 handicap hurdle over three miles.

The seven-year-old son of Kayf Tara was extremely disappointing in the fog at Chepstow on Welsh Grand National day, but his jockey told the stewards afterwards that the gelding stopped quickly before pulling him up three out. The fact he's turned out 15 days later is encouraging.

If he can bounce back to form, he has a right chance in this company. His third at Newbury on reappearance in late November looks solid now and he's lightly-raced enough, especially over this distance, to suggest there's more to come.

Other than Rosscahill, who looks ahead of his mark, there's nothing standing out in the way of opposition so he's well worth chancing at generous odds.

15:26 Fairyhouse - Runcok @ 11/4

Finally, it's Willie's in the bumper.

Five-year-old Cokoriko gelding RUNCOK was highly-tried on debut in the Goffs Defender Bumper at the 2024 Punchestown Festival but, despite being sent off 4/1 third favourite, disappointed as he finished over 34 lengths adrift in 14th.

According to Patrick Mullins via Sporting Life, he "got very wound up" pre-race and "did himself no favours".

Fast-forward 210 days and he went to Tramore for a ladies' bumper and finished an eye-catching third under an inexperienced jockey. I felt he was given too much to do from an unlikely position round a famously tight track, but was taken by the late progress he made.

Patrick takes over on Saturday and fancies there's lots of improvement to come. He said he "has plenty of time" for the Simon Munir & Isaac Souede runner and is hopeful of a bold bid.

This looks a fairly competitive race, but at current prices he's Nap material.

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