| Friday, December 22, 2023 6:30 PM

Saturday’s Horse Racing Tips: Haydock, Ascot, December 23rd

Stephen Harris

Today’s Racing Tips – December 23rd

Saturday’s ITV action covers the pick of the action from Ascot and Haydock, with much improved ground conditions likely after a fairly dry and mild week of weather across the UK. The Grade 1 Long Walk hurdle at 2.25pm is very much the highlight in terms of quality, with the race having a rich history in producing top class stayers that go on to Cheltenham festival glory in March. There are also some valuable and hotly contested handicaps across both cards, with the 3.35 at Ascot in particular sure to attract some progressive young hurdlers from the top yards.

In this article:

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

Today’s Daily Nap

Bill Baxter

Haydock 1:30 (UK time)

Warren Greatrex has returned to form in recent weeks after a very quiet time of things (2 winners in the last fortnight at an 11pc strike rate), and his thorough stayer has optimum conditions to go close at Haydock on Saturday. He has gone with real zest in two competitive handicaps already this winter, and a front-running ride from James Bowen over these demanding fences is always a good plan of attack.

Odds: NA

Today’s Value Angle

Bubble Dubi

Haydock 2:05 (UK time)

Stuart Edmunds always does very well each winter with limited ammunition, and his 6-y-o has shaped well twice in competitive handicaps at Uttoxeter and Huntingdon over two miles. He will relish this strongly run race on eased decent ground, and remains open to more improvement after just seven runs over hurdles.

Odds: NA

Odds are best odds available as at 9am December 23rd 2023. Odds may now differ.

ITV Racing Tips – Saturday December 23rd

Time (UK)	Track	Horse	Analysis
1:30	Haydock	Bill Baxter	Warren Greatrex has returned to form in recent weeks after a very quiet time of things (2 winners in the last fortnight at an 11pc strike rate), and his thorough stayer has optimum conditions to go close at Haydock on Saturday. He has gone with real zest in two competitive handicaps already this winter, and a front-running ride from James Bowen over these demanding fences is always a good plan of attack.
1:50	Ascot	Solo	This useful handicapper has won 2 from 10 over fences so far, and is entitled to strip fitter for his seasonal reappearance at Exeter in November. He now goes to Ascot on Saturday stepping down in class, and is a sound jumper with a rare turn of foot (that the decent eased ground should suit ideally in this disappointingly small field).
2:05	Haydock	Bubble Dubi	Stuart Edmunds always does very well each winter with limited ammunition, and his 6-y-o has shaped well twice in competitive handicaps at Uttoxeter and Huntingdon over two miles. He will relish this strongly run race on eased decent ground, and remains open to more improvement after just seven runs over hurdles.
2:25	Ascot	Champ	Nicky Henderson’s stayer has a terrific record over the years, winning 7 of his 14 races over hurdles and landing this prize in 2021. Fresh first time up could be the time to catch him after 252 days on the sidelines, and the decent eased ground should suit his strong-travelling run style ideally under the usual patient riding tactics (with Jonjo O’Neill jnr an excellent booking).
3:15	Haydock	Git Maker	Jamie Snowden has assembled a terrific team of young horses for the winter, and his progressive chaser returned to the fray with a career best win at Lingfield last month (finding typically generously for pressure up the straight on testing ground). There is more to come after just five career start over fences, and this return to three miles could unlock more improvement if is able to dominate from the tape under the excellent Gavin Sheehan).
3:35	Haydock	Iberico Lord	Nicky Henderson’s 5-y-o remains completely unexposed in handicaps (2 wins from 5 starts over timber so far), impressing when making a winning reappearance at Cheltenham in November in a typically strong contest for the track. He is a smooth traveller who needs settling in the early stages before coming through after the last, and this big field seems sure to set things up ideally under Nico de Boinville (on drying ground that seems sure to suit).