| Friday, January 26, 2024 6:30 PM

Saturday’s Horse Racing Tips: Cheltenham, Doncaster, January 27th

Stephen Harris

Today’s Racing Tips – January 27th

Saturday’s ITV cameras cover some top class jumping, with the best of the action from Cheltenham and Doncaster. Ground conditions are sure to be pretty testing after a wet week of weather across the country, and there should be plenty of Festival clues at Prestbury Park (with all the top yards represented from Britain and Ireland).

In this article:

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

Today’s Daily Nap

Bill Baxter

Doncaster 3:15 (UK time)

Warren Greatrex has hit form with a vengeance in the past week, and his useful chaser has shaped better than the bare result on all three runs so far this winter. He is a bold jumping strong traveller at his best, seen to maximum effect when gunned from the front, and the rain easing things has certainly turned the underfoot conditions in his favour (with Sam Twiston-Davies an excellent booking).

Odds: NA

Today’s Value Angle

Forward Plan

Cheltenham 1:15 (UK time)

Anthony Honeyball has enjoyed a breakthrough season with some high profile winners at the top tracks, and his progressive stayer can improve past some more exposed rivals in this valuable Premier handicap. He has won 3 from 7 so far over fences, going from well off the pace to win in style over this course and distance last time out, and this proper test of stamina in a strongly run race should be ideal from his new mark (regular rider Ben Godfrey takes off a handy 3lb).

Odds: NA

Odds are best odds available as at 9am January 27th 2023. Odds may now differ.

ITV Racing Tips – Saturday January 27th

Time (UK)	Track	Horse	Analysis
1:15	Cheltenham	Bill Baxter	Warren Greatrex has hit form with a vengeance in the past week, and his useful chaser has shaped better than the bare result on all three runs so far this winter. He is a bold jumping strong traveller at his best, seen to maximum effect when gunned from the front, and the rain easing things has certainly turned the underfoot conditions in his favour (with Sam Twiston-Davies an excellent booking).
1:50	Cheltenham	Stay Away Fay	Paul Nicholls young chaser has taken to fences in impressive style in recent months, and can improve past some much more exposed rivals in a modest looking Grade 2 for the money. He jumped well from the front at Exeter and Sandown so far in two runs over the larger obstacles, and this increased stamina test up the hill should be ideal under Harry Cobden.
2:05	Doncaster	Gala Marceau	Willie Mullins’s classy mare bounced back to her best form in Grade 1 company when last seen out in May at Auteuil, and she is more than capable of landing this Grade 2 at Doncaster on Saturday. The flat track on eased decent ground should suit her smooth-travelling run style ideally (with fitness unlikely to be an issue after 251 days off), and she can swoop late off under the top class Danny Mullins.
2:25	Cheltenham	Jonbon	The rearranged Clarence House now provides a gilt-edged opening for Nicky Henderson’s high class chaser, and he is expected to land a very short price with the minimum of fuss under Nico de Boinville. He is a much more settled type these days, and the presence of a couple of confirmed frontrunners should mean he can be ridden with more patience than previously this winter (with James Bowen taking over in the saddle).
2:40	Doncaster	Espirit Du Potier	Lucinda Russell has assembled a lovely team of young horses in her Scottish base, and her progressive novice has created a deep impression over hurdles so far (former Irish pointer). He now steps right up in class to Grade 2 company at Doncaster on Saturday, but the emphasis on stamina over this extended three miles should suit ideally, and there is plenty more improvement in the tank.
3:00	Cheltenham	Love Envoi	Harry Fry’s mare always goes best when the mud is flying, and she should relish these easy conditions under regular pilot Jonathan Burke. She just needed the run when only second behind Not so Sleepy on her seasonal reappearance at Sandown in the rearranged Fighting Fifth (muddling gallop no use in a small field), and could be a completely different proposition here with the run under her belt.
3:15	Doncaster	Forward Plan	Anthony Honeyball has enjoyed a breakthrough season with some high profile winners at the top tracks, and his progressive stayer can improve past some more exposed rivals in this valuable Premier handicap. He has won 3 from 7 so far over fences, going from well off the pace to win in style over this course and distance last time out, and this proper test of stamina in a strongly run race should be ideal from his new mark (regular rider Ben Godfrey takes off a handy 3lb).
3:35	Cheltenham	Dashel Drasher	Jeremy Scott’s stable star always gives his running at the highest level, and seems sure to go very close here with the yard now back in top form. A positive ride from the front is on the cards from Rex Dingle on the 11-y-o veteran that he knows so well, and his attitude under pressure should make him very hard to pass up the sapping final climb.