| Friday, January 19, 2024 6:30 PM

Saturday’s Horse Racing Tips: Ascot, Lingfield, Haydock January 20th

Stephen Harris

Today’s Racing Tips – January 20th

Saturday’s ITV action features two cracking and competitive jumps cards to get stuck into, with Ascot and Haydock putting down frost covers to try to beat the freezing weather conditions that have dogged turf fixtures all week. Their prospects depend very much on an improving forecast on through the day, and Lingfield’s AW meeting has been moved to the afternoon as a possible substitute if the freeze strikes again.

In this article:

Today’s Daily Nap
Today’s Value Angle
Saturday’s ITV Racing Tips

Today’s Daily Nap

Edwardstone

Lingfield 2:00 (UK time)

John Quinn’s raiders from the north are always entitled to maximum respect, particularly when the market speaks in their favour, and this handicapper is now very well treated on the pick of his form in the last couple of years. He should strip a good deal fitter for a pipe opener at Newcastle at the start of January (first run since July and soon dropped out in rear), and the booking of Jason Hart certainly increases confidence of a much more forward showing here.

Odds: NA

Today’s Value Angle

Toonagh Warrior

Ascot 3:00 (UK time)

Stuart Edmunds does well every winter with a relatively small team of horses, and his novice ran really well when just denied at this track last time out (handicap debut and just denied on the nod by Titan Discovery). He now steps up over three furlongs in trip which should suit ideally, and a strong pace up front in this big field should set things up ideally for a late charge under Charlie Hammond.

Odds: NA

Odds are best odds available as at 9am January 20th 2023. Odds may now differ.

ITV Racing Tips – Saturday January 20th

Time (UK)	Track	Horse	Analysis
1:50	Ascot	Coquelicot	Anthony Honeyball has maintained a terrific strike rate over the last few months, and his battle-hardened and versatile mare seems sure to give her running again at Ascot on Saturday. She has proven stamina for beyond three miles, so a positive ride from Rex Dingle (on the expected “good to soft” ground under the frost sheets), should make her tough to pass up the straight.
2:00	Lingfield	Tropez Power	John Quinn’s raiders from the north are always entitled to maximum respect, particularly when the market speaks in their favour, and this handicapper is now very well treated on the pick of his form in the last couple of years. He should strip a good deal fitter for a pipe opener at Newcastle at the start of January (first run since July and soon dropped out in rear), and the booking of Jason Hart certainly increases confidence of a much more forward showing here.
2:05	Haydock	Fiercely Proud	Ben Pauling has a cracking team of young horses assembled this winter, and his progressive novice looks worth siding with now stepping up in company to a Grade 2 at Haydock. He has impressed at Hereford and Taunton in fair company so far in two runs over hurdles, and the increased demand on stamina up the long straight here should be very much in his favour.
2:25	Ascot	Triple Trade	Joe Tizzard’s progressive chaser overcame plenty of adversity to win here over 2m3f last time out, running on strongly from out of his ground to lead after the last. He should relish the step up in trip to 2m5f for the first time under regular rider Brendan Powell, and the decent ground conditions and strong pace should suit ideally.
2:40	Haydock	Tanganyka	Venetia Williams progressive stayer has gone with real zest in deep ground this winter, and should relish the demands on stamina up the long Haydock straight. He was rather left out of his ground in a muddling small field at Chepstow last time out, and Charlie Deutsch is likely to be a lot more positive here with the 3m trip well within his compass.
3:00	Ascot	Toonagh Warrior	Stuart Edmunds does well every winter with a relatively small team of horses, and his novice ran really well when just denied at this track last time out (handicap debut and just denied on the nod by Titan Discovery). He now steps up over three furlongs in trip which should suit ideally, and a strong pace up front in this big field should set things up ideally for a late charge under Charlie Hammond.
3:15	Haydock	Famous Bridge	Nicky Richard’s has maintained an excellent strike rate in the north this season, and his stayer is ideally served by a through test of stamina in the mud. He has won 4 from 7 over fences, showed career best form over this course and distance last time out on heavy ground, and represents much better value than some short-priced sluggards at the head of the market.
3:37	Ascot	El Fabiolo	Willie Mullins top class two-miler has won all five of his starts so far over fences, including when seeing off Jonbon in the Arkle at the 2023 Cheltenham Festival. He has plenty of speed to deal with drying ground round this track over 2m1f, and should be spot on fitness wise after winning hard held at Cork in December (first run for 8 months and landed the odds with the minimum of fuss).