Saturday Racing Tips: Two of interest away from Cheltenham

Ignoring the action at Cheltenham - click here for those tips - it doesn't look a vintage afternoon, but I do have a couple of Saturday racing tips from Fairyhouse and Doncaster up for consideration.

14:12 Fairyhouse - Jouster @ 2/1

This 80-102 handicap hurdle over 2m4f is admittedly modest stuff, but I think Gavin Cromwell's JOUSTER is worth a bet at 2/1.

The five-year-old son of Gris De Gris took a long time to come to hand since joining the County Meath handler for £34k back in May last year, showing little in four runs through September-November.

He started to show signs of progression from that point, falling two out when looking the winner of a handicap at Fairyhouse in the new year off a mark of 92, before breaking his duck the following month off two pounds higher. Forget his no-show at Naas off 102 in the spring, for that came at the end of a long season.

Jouster reappeared this term in a beginners' chase at Tramore and was runner-up to Henry de Bromhead's Ballybrack Wood, now rated 104, before going one better at the same venue in November, giving seven pounds and a beating to the 105-rated Pipers Boreen.

Assuming the latter is worth his weight and ran to form, the selection is likely a 110+ horse at this point, yet he runs here off a lowly 102 - and Connor Stone-Walsh takes off a further five.

Of course, he needs to show that same standard back over the smaller obstacles, but I expect he will for he was making good strides in that sphere at the end of last season.

15:15 Doncaster - Altobelli @ 15/8

My other selection for Saturday's racing is Harry Fry's ALTOBELLI in this handicap hurdle over an extended two miles.

I'm convinced this lightly-raced son of Maxios is well-handicapped off his current mark of 130.

He earned an opening mark of 131 after winning two of his first three starts, and was very competitive in a strong handicap on reappearance last season.

Then, off a pound higher, he was third behind Luccia, subsequent Champion Hurdle third, and Impose Toi, who today is rated 10lbs higher, in a lucrative handicap at Ascot just before Christmas.

It didn't go right for him in the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury a couple months later, and we've not seen him since. I presume he's had an issue or two.

He was an intended runner at Sandown last week and was reportedly well backed before his withdrawal due to travel problems, and for me that was a slightly more difficult assignment than this.

It seems the money is already starting to come again and I'm hopeful of a bold bid.

Click the links to find the latest Horse Racing Odds and Today's Horse Races

Find more Horse Racing Tips here at Betfred Insights