Saturday Racing Tips: Reckless to confirm Kempton promise

It’s a bumper day’s action on Saturday, six meetings scheduled (weather permitting) across Britain and Ireland, including a Premier Raceday fixture from Ascot and a couple of strong cards from Haydock and Wincanton.

First off is Wincanton (12:35), closely followed by Gowran, Lingfield, Haydock and Ascot. Newcastle stages the only evening fixture of the day, the first race due off at 16:25. Amongst our Saturday fancies is one for trainer Nicky Henderson, who created a good impression when opening his account at Kempton recently. 

13:35 Wincanton - Alexei @ 4/6

Testing ground is a major concern to the Paul Nicholls-trained Rubaud, so he’s readily overlooked in favour of the progressive ALEXEI, who won the Greatwood Hurdle at Cheltenham in November on soft ground.

Joe Tizzard’s representative did well last season, winning twice at Taunton, but he’s really taken his form to a whole new level this term, finishing second in the Welsh Champion Hurdle on his return, prior to winning at Ascot and Cheltenham.

He was hit with a 13lb rise for his runaway Greatwood win, but improved again when third in another valuable handicap back at Ascot.

Now rated 148, he’s 1lb well in with Rubaud on these terms and looks sure to make a bold bid.

14:40 Haydock - Reckless Spending @ 4/1

Nicky Henderson’s RECKLESS SPENDING won in the style of a smart sort at Kempton at the beginning of the month and looks the one to beat on his return to Grade 2 company.

Runner-up in an Irish point behind subsequent Grade 1 winning hurdler, Skylight Hustle in October 2024, his 15-length defeat of stablemate Padre Arthur 12 days ago was a first career success for the six-year-old.

However, he’d shaped nicely when third behind Kripticjim (won a Grade 2 since) at Ascot in November and had excuses for a comprehensive defeat at Cheltenham afterwards, having been too keen and made mistakes.

A flat track is likely favoured too, so Haydock should suit and Henderson has a 25% strike-rate (6-24) with his runners here over the last five years.

15:50 Haydock - Stay Away Fay @ 12/1

Paul Nicholls’ STAY AWAY FAY isn’t the force of old, but he’s handicapped accordingly and shaped like a first win since December 2023 might be just around the corner when runner-up in first-time blinkers over course-and-distance last month.

The nine-year-old, who won the Grade 1 Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March 2023, was rated as high as 159 in his pomp and had slipped to 136 ahead of his last run when he travelled with plenty of enthusiasm and kept on well to be beaten less than two lengths.

He’s back up to 140 now, but he put ten lengths between himself and the third and shouldn’t be overly inconvenienced.