We have four race meetings on Saturday with Doncaster, Newbury, Newcastle and Southwell all hosting competitive action, live on Sky Sports Racing…
3.45 Newbury – Kandoo Kid, Billytherealbigred and Scarface feature in the Greatwood Gold Cup
The Grand National is the target for the Paul Nicholls-trained Kandoo Kid, and the BetVictor Greatwood Gold Cup Handicap Chase looks like a nice stepping stone towards the Aintree feature.
He was second in this race last year behind Heltenham off a mark of 142 but is now up to 152 and has his work cut out for him off top-weight. That said, he was an impressive winner of the Coral Gold Cup in November and will no doubt put up a bold bid to continue his good record at Newbury.
Billytherealbigred has gone from strength to strength for the Greenall and Guerriero team and was well punted on Cheltenham Trials Day when last seen. He bumped into his improving stable companion that day and is less exposed than many in this.
3.15 Doncaster – White Rhino looks to bounce back after unseating
February last year saw White Rhino make his handicap debut off a mark of 74. Fast forward to 2025 and White Rhino lines up in the Virgin Bet Grimthorpe Handicap Chase off a mark of 141 in a top staying chase after unseating in Grade 1 company at Christmas. Having won impressively on his two starts in handicap company he was pitched into the Kauto Star Novices’ Chase at Kempton where he unseated early on but may have found the pace of that race too much and will be suited by the slower tempo today.
First time cheekpieces have been applied to the lightly raced Hymac in the hope it will help him jump a little better after making a few errors over the larger obstacles in recent starts. His form looks good, and he warrants a chance for a team who have tasted Saturday success since the turn of the year.
Surrey Quest probably lacked the stamina for the Edinburgh national and steps back down in trip today. He unseated on his penultimate start behind Hymac but he was travelling well at the time and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he featured here.
2.05 Doncaster – 134-rated World Of Fortunes headlines
Irish raider World Of Fortunes comes over for Liam Kenny and has Brian Hughes get the leg up. She was last seen at the Dublin Racing Festival when finishing 27 lengths behind Final Demand in the Nathaniel Lacey. She has been highly tried after her three wins and has found a more than winnable listed race to add some black type to her profile.
Bobbi With An I was a £75k purchase from the Cheltenham December Sale and made a winning debut for the Tizzard team. Her jumping wasn’t the most fluent and would need to brush up on that however is a lot less exposed than many here.
Lucy Wadham picked up Miss Cynthia off Sir Mark Prescott having been rated 94 on the flat. She arrives here after getting her head in-front for the first time over obstacles at Market Rasen last time. She needs to find more on official ratings today, but given her lofty flat rating, she could yet improve.
Best of the rest
5.35am Randwick
Via Sistina and Fangirl clash tomorrow morning in the Group 1 TAB Verry Elleegant Stakes at Randwick. The latter came out on top in their last meeting, but the extra furlong should benefit Via Sistina here and it will no doubt take a good one to stop her.
1.20 Newbury
The BetVictor Super Boost Has Arrived Veterans’ Handicap Chase features some familiar faces with Credo heading the market having beaten Gustavian last time out at Exeter but classy stablemate Sam Brown is also pitched in here and will surely make his presence felt.
4.10 Newcastle
Carrados was last seen running a very good second in maiden company at Glorious Goodwood as a two-year-old but will be long odds to get off the mark on his reappearance in the opener from Newcastle.
Watch all of the action from Doncaster, Newbury, Newcastle and Southwell live on Sky Sports Racing.
