#Al Dancer

Iwilldoit clears the last on the way to victory in the Classic Chase at Warwick Sam Thomas made an early move for training performance of the year when readying stamina-packed stayer Iwilldoit for Classic Chase success on his first start since striking in the 2021 Welsh Grand National. A two-and-three-quarter-length defeat of Ireland's sole runner…

Eight days later than advertised, Newbury's Betfair Hurdle will take place on Sunday afternoon, giving racing fans a nice boost after the original card was lost to freezing temperatures last Saturday. The Betfair Hurdle (3.35pm) is the feature race on "Super Sunday" at Newbury and has attracted a top-class field of 24 runners. Our tipster has a…

We've picked out five horses that could run well at each-way odds across the three-day November Meeting Al Dancer (right), jumping alongside Rouge Vif (left) and Getaway Trump at Cheltenham is the Paddy Power Gold Cup selection The 2021/22 National Hunt season is about to crank up several gears as some of the sport's biggest names do battle over…

Stolen Silver: unseated his rider three out when favourite for the Paddy Power Gold Cup last month Market principals Midnight River, Il Ridoto and Stolen Silver remain in contention for Saturday's £130000 Ais December Gold Cup at Cheltenham (1.50) after the confirmations stage on Monday. Midnight River could bid to continue the fantastic run of…

Our man believes Red Happy can shock Frodon in the Badger Beer Chase at Wincanton while Al Dancer can triumph over the Grand National fences at Aintree DON'T worry, be Happy. The Badger Beer Chase looks a cracking race this year with King George winner Frodon lining up in Wincanton's annual brock-buster but much lower down the weight RED…

Cheltenham's November Meeting is one of the most eagerly anticipated jumping fixtures of the season and the 2021 edition promises to be one of the best ever. The feature event of the three-day festival is Saturday's Paddy Power Gold Cup and a hugely competitive 20-strong field has been assembled to compete for the £160000 prize. There will be clues…

First up a quick list of our hot tips for Saturday's action, with the feature race the Grade 2 Paddy Power Gold Cup (1420). You can find more detail on each of our selections further down the page. Selections: 13:45 (Cheltenham) Banbridge 14:20 (Cheltenham) Stolen Silver 14:35 (Lingfield) Judicial 14:55 (Cheltenham) Shearer 15:10 (Lingfield)…

The Paddy Power Gold Cup is the feature race on day two of Cheltenham's November Meeting. It is a premier handicap contest that takes place on the old course over a distance of 2m 4f. Fifteen runners have been declared for this renewal, including 2020 winner Coole Cody, last season's Silviniaco Conti Chase winner Mister Fisher and Cheltenham…

Grey Diamond (left): bids for more glory at Cheltenham on Friday Punters are well advised to keep Sam Thomas-trained runners on their side for any major handicap over the jumps and the stats reinforce that assertion. The trainer has won with seven of his 19 runners in handicaps worth £40000 or more since October 2021 for an impressive 37 per cent…

Cheltenham Festival-winning owner Dai Walters and Welsh Grand National-winning trainer Thomas were among five people involved in the accident on November 1. The former suffered more serious injuries than the other passengers when the crash occurred in woodland near Llanelidan, Ruthin, Denbighshire. Thomas, who trains at The Hollies Stables near…

Ferny Hollow has not been seen since December last year due to injury but managed to win a Grade One before his season was interrupted. Gentleman De Mee signed off last term with a trio of wins, culminating in a defeat of the Arkle hero Edwardstone by four and a half lengths at Aintree. On Saturday Naas hosts the Barberstown Castle Poplar Square…

2022-11-04Saturday ITV racing tips: Best bets for Aintree, Wincanton, Doncaster and Down Royal A bumper day of action this Saturday for the cameras to feast upon, with Aintree, Doncaster, Wincanton and a Grade 1 at Down Royal all in the spotlight as the National Hunt season starts to muscle its way back into view. First a quick list of our…

TEMPLEGATE takes on Aintree's big race on Saturday confident of finding the winner. Read on for our man's complete runner-by-runner guide (where he rates each horse out of five stars) and find his pick for the 2.11 below. TWO FOR GOLD 4 GOLD run. He led the Grand National at the second Canal Turn before his stamina gave out. His other spin over…

Graeme North explains how you can rate a horse's jumping ability and reveals which of the runners in Saturday's Grand Sefton at Aintree are the most fluent. With the first race of the new season over the Grand National fences coming up this weekend - the Grand Sefton Chase - now seems an opportune time to revisit'jumpability', a topic we have…

TWO FOR GOLD: Took well to these fences for a long way in the Randox Grand National before the petrol tank gradually emptied from the second Canal Turn. This is a more suitable trip and he's no forlorn hope despite top weight. LIFETIME AMBITION: Useful novice last season and chased home Capodanno in Grade One at Punchestown on final start. 151…

The National Hunt season continues to move up through the gears and it was another stunning weekend of racing across the UK and Ireland, headlined by Bristol De Mai gallantly regaining his Betfair Chase crown at Haydock. The noble grey may not be fancied to replicate his Grade 1 heroics come the spring, but there were plenty of other eye-catchers…

86 - the number of runners Alan King has saddled at the Cheltenham Festival since his last winner Only four British-based trainers - Nicky Henderson (twice), Sue Smith, Jonjo O'Neill and Will Biddick - hit the target at last year's Cheltenham Festival as no fewer than 23 of the 28 races held at the fixture were won by their Irish counterparts. That…