Saturday Racing Tips: Owen’s four on a super Saturday

It's truly a super Saturday that awaits racing fans, with a mouth-watering renewal of the Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown and the Betfair Chase at Haydock being the highlights.

Neither feature in my Saturday racing tips, but there's plenty of runners that have caught my eye across the cards.

13:15 Haydock - Steel Ally @ 11/2

My first interest on Saturday is STEEL ALLY for this 15-runner handicap hurdle over 2m3f at Haydock.

Sam Thomas' six-year-old has developed into a useful hurdler whose form gets stronger by the day. His narrow second to Doyen Quest, then rated 112 and in receipt of 12lbs, at Newbury back in March was franked when Dan Skelton's gelding, who's favourite for the big stayers' handicap later on the card, made light work of a mark of 125 at Cheltenham's November Meeting last weekend. Nine lengths behind in Berkshire was Imperial Saint (119), now a 138-rated chaser.

His subsequent third in the lucrative Novices' Championship Final Handicap Hurdle at Sandown in April speaks for itself, while his second to stablemate Lump Sum in the Welsh Champion Hurdle on seasonal reappearance last month looks solid too.

Steel Ally was making serious ground on the winner at Ffos Las, suggesting this step up in trip will suit, and his three-pound rise is negated by the very useful Dylan Johnston's claim.

I think he should probably be favourite here, over the reappearing Beat The Bat, and at current prices I think he's a great bet to hopefully get us off to a flyer.

13:58 Huntingdon - Lilting Verse @ 13/8

This - being Fergal O'Brien's LILTING VERSE in the 0-120 mares' handicap chase over just shy of three miles at Huntingdon - is my Nap of the Day.

The seven-year-old daughter of Yeats was underwhelming in novice hurdles last season, but her chasing debut at Ffos Las a month ago was full of encouragement.

She was third, just five lengths off the pace, behind two nice mares for Nigel Twiston-Davies and Sam Thomas in south Wales, travelling eye-catchingly well before fading late on when hardly knocked about.

She was dropped a pound as a result and stable jockey Connor Brace takes back the reins Saturday for a much easier-looking assignment, with three of her rive rivals returning from layoffs and one a long way (-16) out of the handicap.

Melusine De Pail is the main danger in my book. Seven-pound claimer Callum Pritchard is excellent value in these races and his mount is entitled to go well on her first attempt over the bigger obstacles, but I strongly fancy O'Brien's mare here.

14:30 Haydock - Kerryhill e/w @ 12/1

Betfred are offering five places on the Stayers' Handicap Hurdle at Haydock, and I suggest making the most of that with an each-way play on KERRYHILL.

This 16-strong field is full of race-fit, unexposed types and while Ruth Jefferson's six-year-old isn't the former, he most certainly is the latter.

The Soldier Of Fortune gelding has just three runs under rules to his name, including victory in a novice hurdle at Kelso last November before a fine fourth, beaten just over seven lengths, in a Grade 2 at Cheltenham before Christmas.

He was only seen once in the new year, when winning the G2 River Don at Doncaster around 300 days ago. He was extremely impressive that day, pulling over seven lengths clear of the 130-rated Welcom To Cartries, who had some useful rivals - including the now 137-rated chaser Destroytheevidence - even further adrift.

I suspect his mark of 137 is fair, and given how much more he ought to have to give, I'm excited to see what he can do this term.

A chance is taken on him being 100% ready, as he'll have to be to win a competitive handicap like this, but it's a chance well worth taking in my view.

14:45 Ascot - Lucky Place @ 9/2

Finally, a fascinating renewal of the G2 Ascot Hurdle over 2m3½f.

I'm a huge fan of current favourite Golden Ace, who won the Mares' Novices' Hurdle at this year's Cheltenham Festival, but she's had an interrupted preparation and trainer Jeremy Scott has said she'll need the run, so I'm happy to oppose her.

Blueking d'Oroux could certainly lower her colours, but he's penalised and Nicholls' string have also been needing their first run, so I'm more reluctantly passing on him too.

Thunder Rock hasn't run over hurdles since April 2022 and it can't be guaranteed his recent form over fences will translate back in this sphere, while Colonel Mustard continues to get exposed at this level.

That leaves Salver and LUCKY PLACE. The former was third in the Triumph Hurdle eight months ago and I've got high hopes for him this season, but the Moores have always avoided good ground for him and his participation, let alone winning chance, must be in doubt.

Nicky Henderson's five-year-old isn't the choice purely out of process of elimination, however. He boasts good form, including when pushing the aforementioned Golden Ace right to the line in a novice at Taunton back in January. The selection was giving a stone away that day, whereas it's only for pounds this time, which reads well.

His fourth in the Coral Cup at the Cheltenham Festival, when Henderson's yard was operating under a cloud, is an even bigger advertisement for his claims.

I think he's too big at current prices and is worth a small wager on Saturday. Nothing to go crazy on, though.

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