Saturday horse racing tips from Tom Lunn at Down Royal, Wincanton and Newcastle

talkSPORT have you covered for the horse racing with tips and free bets for the day's fixtures at Down Royal, Wincanton and Newcastle.

Tom Lunn has gone through the race cards, form, going and much more to help guide your horse racing betting choices.

Down Royal betting tips

2.20 - Ladbrokes Champion Chase: Gerri Colombe 5/6 (2pts)

The Grade 1 Champion Chase in Ireland sets off on Saturday afternoon over 3m.

And there are a just four horses now in this field which has taken the antepost odds of 11/10 down to 5/6 for the Gordon Elliott-trained star.

This seven-year-old returning to action will excite many horse racing fans, as the Mildmay winner and Brown Advisory runner-up makes his highly anticipated return to the track.

The now 3m chaser has run nine times and won eight under rules, including when switching to fences last November.

At 5/4 he was just denied of keeping that unbeaten run going by The Real Whacker at Cheltenham Festival in the Brown Advisory.

The Real Whacker had a few lengths in hand coming over the last and Gerri Colombe clawed a lot of that back to finish just a short head behind in what was a great battle to the line.

It's remarkable how consistent this horse trained by Gordon Elliott really is and despite the 204 day break, should come into this ready for yet another big victory against tough opponents.

This is arguably the biggest test though, as he faces the likes of Conflated, Envoi Allen and Minella Indo.

But Gerri Colombe only turned seven in May and there's bound to be more progression from this horse as he gains more and more muscle and develops into a proper chaser.

2.55: Visionarian 9/4 (1pt)

Right after is the Grade 2 racingtv.com/freetrial Chase and despite a promising looking lineup this week it's been whittled down to just a three-runner race between Ash Tree Meadow, Feronily and Visionarian.

There's not much that separates them in the betting nor much in the ratings, but there is a key difference in the weights.

That is in favour of the Elliott-trained Ash Tree Meadow, who is carrying 6lb less than Feronily and 3lb less than Visionarian.

Which could be contributing to his favouritism coming into this along with his trainer and jockey's form.

Ash Tree Meadow put things right over Authorized Art last time out winning the Tote Galway Plate over 2m6f.

But without a 7lb claimer on board this time it's not quite worth following in this horse at just even money over this shorter trip, especially having been upped 10lb for winning that race.

Visionarian wasn't that far away in the Galway Plate and certainly has the benefit of a shift in the weights to reverse that form at a nice price under Keith Donoghue.

Wincanton betting tips

1.50: Knappers Hill 4/6 (2pts)

Despite being beaten last time out, did face an experienced chaser who's clearly returning to form, in Unexpected Party.

That horse was fifth in the Turners Novices Chase in March and third in the Future Champion Novices' Chase so it shouldn't be held against Knappers Hill, who is set to improve from that run last month.

This horse has been up there with the best hurdlers in recent times and really progressed up in the weights last year up until the end of last season and will make another great chaser for the top yard.

It's always tough making a debut over fences, which is also the first run of the season, but up against a Grade 1 runner he wasn't disgraced at all in second and should have learned a lot from that.

2.25: The Big Breakaway 7/1 each-way (1pt)

Frodon returns for the Badger Beer Handicap Chase having been the winner of this race in 2022.

He doesn't mind coming into races off the back of a long summer break but certainly made the most of having a wind op prior to his seasonal debut to win this last year.

But with this kind of field it seems there's more value and profit at stake from some of the bigger prices each-way.

The Big Breakaway fits nicely into consideration for this, having placed close up in two tough handicaps in the winter of 2022 and he even has the stamina, even on testing ground which will play well in this contest.

His latest two runs have come in some of the toughest runs, including the Ultima and Grand National so can't be held against him at all for not finishing either.

He also runs well fresh and looks a dependable punt at 7/1, but not much shorter.

3.00: Rubaud 5/6 (2pts)

This near 2m hurdle is a great opportunity for some to kick off their season or in the case of Rubaud or Too Friendly, continue their progress from October.

Rubaud has to make it a treble for Nicholls in the tips for Saturday at Wincanton.

He beat Colonel Mustard in April in Grade 2 and came back from his summer break at Kempton to beat Too Friendly by almost three lengths.

He made all in that race despite hanging right towards the end and then knuckled back down again to secure the victory in good style, once again under Cobden.

Newcastle betting tips

3.45: Local Dynasty 9/2 & Beraz each-way 9/1 (2pts)

Local Dynasty appeals for a few reasons and it's the unexposed nature of this Godolphin horse that should create a winner.

Charlie Appleby and William Buick are in incredible form coming into this weekend, both with over 30% win-rates.

But Local Dynasty also has a few markers that make him a big danger here and that's another reason why he's among the leaders in the betting.

He can go well fresh as he showed in listed company at Chester in May and having been gelded in August they're clearly seeing there's more improvement as a result.

What's also interesting is that this is his first test on the all-weather and should realistically thrive on it too and it comes at the right time to test where he's at, dropping into a Class 2 handicap ideally.

Beraz also needs considering each-way if things don't pan out for Local Dynasty.

He's another horse in the Owners Group syndicate colours and there will be plenty who will be backing him in this weekend.

9/1 looks great each-way for a horse who also comes to the all-weather for the first time with a fairly promising form behind him too.

P+L: +29.73pts from 09/10/23

P+L: +73.37pts 10/07/23-08/10/23

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All odds correct at time of writing

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