The rearranged West Country Weekend is set for ITV on Friday and Saturday, with Aintree taking on hosting duties. An eight-race programme, which also includes racing from Hexham, is headlined by the Grade Two Haldon Gold Cup.
We have gone through all televised races on ITV this Friday, picking out ITV horse racing tips, and an accumulator for ITV racing.
ITV’s weekend coverage from Aintree gets underway with a Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase over three miles and a furlong.
Leader Crik could benefit from a recent run in a field of runners returning after layoffs. The Nigel & Willy Twiston-Davies team remain in reliable form, and the five-year-old likely needed the run last month when finishing way back in the field at Chepstow.
Produced a career-best display earlier this season when winning at Doncaster over hurdles, and he has point experience after finishing a close second behind Daylatedollarshort. That winner has recently won under rules for the Olly Murphy team at Chepstow.
Racing from Hexham is also covered on ITV this Friday, beginning with a Handicap Chase over three miles.
Walk Tall should be primed for a strong showing on his return, with the Joe Tizzard yard in excellent recent form. The six-year-old was a winner of a point, beating Absolutely Doyen, who was a winner of the Scottish Stayers’ Novices Hurdle before finishing eighth in the Pertemps Final at the Cheltenham Festival.
Walk Tall failed to win in six starts over hurdles last season, but chasing will likely be his game, and first-time headgear should sharpen him up for the task at hand.
Aintree’s next race is a handicap hurdle over two miles and a furlong. Plenty of the field will be returning following their summer break, which means that Star Of Guiting could be an interesting each-way play on his second start after wind surgery.
The Ewan Williams runner never featured on his return last month when only sixth at Perth, but a return to Aintree could see him in a better light.
The five-year-old ran a stormer at the Grand National meeting, finishing eighth but only beaten seven lengths by Melon in the Debenhams Handicap Hurdle over an extended two miles. Could be primed for a strong showing on these terms.
Next up is a handicap chase over two miles and four from Hexham. Hombre De Guerra will get plenty of weight from his market rivals, and represents the in-form team of Lucinda Russell & Michael Scudamore.
The eight-year-old is lightly raced over fences, winning twice from eight starts. Returned to action with a fine weight-carrying display at Perth in October, finishing fourth behind Tanking Along.
Would likely appear more with a bit of cut in the ground, having finished without five lengths of Caldwell Potter on soft ground in December 2024. Handicapped to go well.
A potentially informative race comes in the form of the Silver Bowl ‘Chasing Excellence’ Novices’ Chase. Royal Infantry will carry a penalty after a winning debut over fences, and that could make him vulnerable.
Therefore, this should present a perfect opportunity for Klimt Madrik to open his account on the second attempt over the bigger obstacles. The Toby Lawes runner was beaten by Talk To The Man on chase debut at Worcester last month, but he should be better suited to Aintree after hanging left throughout that run.
The selection showed plenty of ability over hurdles last season, including a second in the Grade One Challow Novices’ Hurdle and an eighth-place finish in the Grade One Turners Novices’ Hurdle.
The final race from Hexham covered on ITV this Friday is a handicap hurdle, run over two miles and four furlongs.
Kool Raoul was a dominant winner over course and distance last month, easily putting five lengths between himself and the remainder of the field. He improved hugely in his first start without headgear.
Races off 6lb higher this week, but a clear contender if repeating that effort. He remains unexposed over hurdles and typically enjoys his trips to Hexham, finishing in the first three on three of his four starts.
Friday’s feature at Aintree is the Grade Two Haldon Gold Cup. JPR One should be respected after his recent win at Cheltenham, but Mirabad should be tuned up to deliver a strong showing for Dan and Harry Skelton.
The seven-year-old had a pipe-opening run over hurdles last month, finishing within a length of Wilful. Goes back over fences this weekend, having previously won twice from seven starts over the larger obstacles.
This is his second start after wind surgery, and he thrived at Aintree on his previous appearance when putting six lengths between himself and Salvator Mundi in the Grade One Maghull Novices’ Chase.
ITV’s coverage on Friday concludes with a handicap chase over three miles and a furlong. Recent Cheltenham winner Here Comes Georgie will be a red-hot favourite, but Montregard could be the interesting alternative for trainer Tom Lacey.
Harry Cobden takes the ride aboard the seven-year-old for the first time, who was last seen finishing a close third in a 21-runner handicap chase at Punchestown.
Stays this distance extremely well, having won impressively by two lengths at Ascot in February, and also winning on seasonal return at the same track last November.
He only races off 1lb higher than his second last time out, and the visor is retained. Goes well fresh, and a major contender.
