Saturday Racing Tips: Owen’s four features 3/1 and 11/2 shots

Six cards form the racing schedule on Saturday, with Jumps action from Wincanton, Aintree, Kelso and Gowran Park alongside Flat fare from Doncaster and Chelmsford.

As always at this time of year, it's the National Hunt action that piques my interest, with four Saturday racing tips up for consideration.

12:42 Kelso - Choose A Copper @ 15/8

I've got high hopes of making a strong start on Saturday, for my first selection - CHOOSE A COPPER - is also my Nap of the Day.

Lucinda Russell's six-year-old, who fetched just shy of £100k at the sales in May last year following three efforts between the flags, was always likely to be a better chaser than hurdler, and his debut over the bigger obstacles at Hexham last month proved as much.

After a couple of hairy leaps early on, he quickly warmed to the task and was jumping for fun in the latter stages.

Off a mark of 117, he made no mistake at the first time of asking, pulling over a length clear of the useful Dare To Shout, who was also making his debut in this discipline, with the rest of the field over 21 lengths behind.

That form was franked by Dare To Shout winning easily at Carlisle last weekend, and I'm extremely hopeful that a rise of just four pounds underestimates the selection.

Russell holds this son of Well Chosen in very high regard, calling him "one of our nicest novice chase prospects" in a recent stable tour with Sporting Life, before declaring "he should be able to rate much higher over fences than he did over hurdles."

I also think there's a lot more to come from him and he's a confident choice in this 2m5½f handicap chase.

13:09 Wincanton - Beau Balko @ 3/1

Paul Nicholls has made an uncharacteristically slow start to the season, but we're getting to the stage where his string will be having their second outings and hopefully strip much fitter.

Six-year-old BEAU BALKO is one that made a lacklustre reappearance at Kempton last month, but if he indeed takes a sizeable step forward from that, he ought to be very competitive in this conditional jockeys' handicap chase over 2m4f.

Three-pound claimer Ben Bromley rides and according to Nicholls he has a good rapport with the son of Balko, which is a big positive, as is a two-pound reduced mark.

The selection's main rival looks to be Tedley for Nigel Twiston-Davies, but he's essentially 10lbs higher than when winning at Wetherby just seven days ago. His hat-trick bid could be cut short.

As for the other three in the field, they're not without a chance by any means, but Beau Balko has fared better against much stronger opposition in recent times and if he's 100%, I'd expect him to put them in their place.

13:30 Aintree - Guard The Moon @ 3/1

I have a love/hate relationship with Pertemps Qualifiers. They can be extremely tricky to figure out, but sometimes I think there's an obvious option for punters. For me, GUARD THE MOON is exactly that on Merseyside this Saturday.

Rated just 120, Nigel Twiston-Davies' six-year-old could do with winning this in order to get his mark raised, rather than protect it. That applies even more this season, with winners of these contests now guaranteed a place in the final at the Cheltenham Festival in March.

He has strong claims, too. He won a handicap at Warwick last month, on his seasonal reappearance, off a mark of 114 with a bit to spare, and I don't think a six-pound rise is enough to stop him.

He's very unexposed so surely has a lot more to give, and he boasts a crucial fitness edge over the likes of Harbour Lake, Bold Endeavour and Magical King, who according to the betting are the selection's biggest dangers.

There's plenty going for him and while it's not one to go crazy on, he's well worth a couple of quid.

Betfred are offering your stake back (up to £10) as a free bet if your selection in this race finishes 2nd.

15:15 Aintree - Diamond Dice e/w @ 11/2

Finally, a chance is taken on DIAMOND DICE in this 2m1f handicap hurdle for Jonjo and A J O'Neill.

The five-year-old was useful in bumpers at the start of last term, prior to going novice hurdling in the new year. He got off the market at the second attempt in that discipline, before a couple of adequate runs in defeat in decent races at Taunton and Sandown to sign off for the season.

His first start out of novice company was at Market Rasen a few weeks ago, where he finished a remote third of eight. The winner looked a very well-handicapped type, however, so I don't think it was a bad run at all.

With that run under his belt, a pound lower in the handicap, he's worth an each-way play with Betfred's enhanced terms.

This is an Extra Place Race, with three places available instead of two at 1/5 the odds for all each-way bets.

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