Saturday Horse Racing Tips: Alcedo worth watching in Midlands National

After a cracking Cheltenham Festival, the jumps season continues on Saturday with competitive cards from Uttoxeter and Kempton. The race of the day is the Midlands National at Uttoxeter, while they also race at Newcastle, Fontwell and into the evening at Southwell.

We have Saturday horse racing tips for three of the races from across the cards - including a couple of each-way selections.

14:08 Kempton - Secret Des Dieux @ 4/1

Over at Kempton, Sean Bowen has a good book of rides which includes Secret Des Dieux for James Owen.

This lightly raced chaser got firmly back on track with a wide-margin success last time out and he has some smart form from earlier in the season, including a big run at this venue.

There's more to come from him over fences and he looks well treated from his revised handicap mark.

14:25 Uttoxeter - Red Risk @ 16/1

The ground may have been advertised as good to soft at Uttoxeter's Midland National meeting last season, but the times suggest it was soft bordering on heavy and, with plenty of rain around the Midlands in the 48 hours before racing, conditions could be similar again.

On that basis, last year's winner, Red Risk may have been underestimated in this market. Paul Nicholls' charge left a low-key reappearance behind to win a Pertemps Qualifier at Musselburgh last month and a 2lb rise looks lenient for that success.

He was successful in this race off 6lb lower last season and this time around, he has the services of Freddie Keighley who is excellent value for the 5lb he can still claim.

He's at his best when coming off a slow pace, which he's likely to get again in this year's renewal and he looks overpriced from an each-way perspective, particularly with Betfred paying an extra place on the race.

15:00 Uttoxeter - Alcedo @ 14/1

The feature race of the day is the Midlands National and one that looks appealing from an each-way perspective is Alcedo.

Venetia Williams is yet to get her name on the roll of honour for this race, but that could all change with this lightly raced eight-year-old for a number of reasons.

Alcedo has made a really bright start to his career over the larger obstacles, finishing in the first two on four of his seven chase outings and he's left the impression that he's been progressing over his last three starts.

That includes a 2m4f success over Grand Geste, who has done plenty for the form in the interim and he was subsequently only beaten a length at Doncaster in December.

He ran another promising race at Warwick last time out and perhaps noticeably these promising efforts have come while the yard have been really struggling for form.

Therefore, better can be expected now that Williams seems to be turning the corner, including a Cheltenham Festival success this week.

He still has to prove he stays this marathon trip, but he has the right profile for this race and will be a major player at big odds if he does stay.

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