Weekend racing ideas: Ascot, Thurles, Haydock, 18th and 19th January

Our skilled racing tipster has been firing within the winners this week. Find out which horses are fancied to continue the streak this Saturday and Sunday.

A heavyweight clash awaits us at Ascot on Saturday afternoon and, with 11mm of rain falling on the Berkshire turf on Thursday night, ‘heavy’ is simply what the bottom circumstances might be.

Is that enough to sway things in favour of three-time Clarence House Chase winner Un De Sceaux, a mud-lark with an iron will? Or can Defi Du Seuil confirm the slender superiority he loved in last month’s Tingle Creek? Read our

There’s additionally a fine supporting cast at Ascot and a probably informative Champion Hurdle Trial up at Haydock where in addition they run the Grade 2 Peter March Chase. 

Meanwhile in Ireland on Sunday, Footpad drops in distance/class after an encouraging run within the King George final month. Scroll down for our weekend ideas and analysis. 

Odds correct on the time of publishing and are subject to change

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Ascot 1:50 tip: Papagana can block repeat Magic trick

Already a four-time winner over timber, twice at Listed level, the Oliver Sherwood-trained Papagana (Ascot 1:50) can strike for the primary time at graded level here; primarily on the expense of final 12 months’s winner Magic Of Light.

Jessica Harrington’s mare took this prize last year en path to Aintree, the place she was the nearest pursuer behind Tiger Roll in the Grand National. 

A return to Merseyside is the long-term goal this season, though the nine-year-old takes her racing nicely and will be ready to offer her finest now. She was an excellent winner over fences in Ireland final time however it just might come to move that she’s better in that self-discipline.

On paper, this could be a stronger race than the gained she landed 12 months ago, chiefly right down to the presence of Papagana.

The progressive seven-year-old has received 4 of eight starts over timber, including on reappearance at Kempton over this sort of journey. Next up, she was a great third in a small-field renewal of Grade 1 Long Walk Hurdle right here final month.

That form gives her glorious claims now, tackling her own intercourse once extra. She holds the likes of Culture De Sivola on earlier type, while Sensulano is one other going back over hurdles after recent success chasing.

Getting 2lb from Magic Of Light, Leighton Aspell’s mount ought to prove very hard to beat.

Thurles 2:forty five tip: Footpad again on track

Former Arkle winner Footpad (Thurles 1:45 Sunday) loomed like a real hazard within the King George final month earlier than tiring in the final half-mile, Willie Mullins’ charge seemingly not getting residence over three-miles.

He had gained pretty much as he happy over 2m6f at Thurles on his reappearance in November and it isn’t hard to overlook that blip in Grade 1 company.

The Grade 2 Horse & Jockey Hotel Chase on Sunday offers one other great likelihood for him to enjoy a win. Hardline and Real Steel, additionally trained by Mullins, are good rivals on their John Durkan type last month but Footpad is getting 7lb and 5lb from them respectively.

At simply eight-years-old, speak of his demise after a poor season last time was tremendously exaggerated and this smart chaser can take full advantage of the phrases to attain under Daryl Jacob.

Haydock three:15 tip: All eyes on Pentland Hills

It’s been exhausting to not sense the positivity Nicky Henderson has exuded since Pentland Hills (Haydock 3:15 Saturday) met with defeat on his seasonal bow in the International Hurdle at Cheltenham in early December.

Last season’s Triumph Hurdle winner travelled properly in that race earlier than tiring, along with his Seven Barrows handler assured we would ‘see a model new horse’ when he runs subsequent.

That next run comes right here in The New One Unibet Hurdle, a Champion Hurdle trial up on Merseyside.

Pentland Hills stays a young horse laced with potential and Henderson’s judgement must be trusted.

Ballyandy, Darasso and surprise Fighting Fifth winner Cornerstone Lad are opposing him in this; with Henderson no doubt longing for revenge on the last-named.

A price of better than Evens appears totally truthful on Pentland Hills, who can put his Cheltenham credentials again on track with a success at Haydock. His present odds of 7/1 for the Champion Hurdle may shorten markedly if he delivers as predicted.…