Ascot & Haydock Trends tips are below
Ascot
1:50 Iroko (Oliver Greenhall) 11/10
2:25 Strong Leader (Olly Murphy) 7/4
3:00 Victorrino (Ventetia Williams) 2/1
3:35 Be Aware (Dan Skelton) 6/1
Haydock
2:05 Regal Blue (Jonjo O’Neil) 9/1
2:40 Jilaijone (David Pipe) 5/2
Saturday TV Horse Racing Preview: Ascot and Haydock – 21st December 2024
As we approach the festive season, the ITV cameras will showcase an exciting day of racing from Ascot and Haydock, featuring six live races. Key events include Ascot’s Grade 1 Howden Long Walk Hurdle (2:25) and Haydock’s Betfred Tommy Whittle Handicap Chase (2:05). Here’s a breakdown of the main contenders and trends to help guide your picks.
Ascot
At Ascot, the 1:50 Howden Graduation Chase sees Iroko (11/10, Oliver Greenhall) ticking all the boxes, fitting the profile of younger horses with recent form, while the 2:25 Howden Long Walk Hurdle features Strong Leader (7/4, Olly Murphy) as a standout contender. With a history of producing Cheltenham Stayers’ Hurdle winners, this race favors seasoned 6+ year-olds, and Strong Leader’s consistency and credentials align perfectly. In the 3:00 Howden Silver Cup Handicap Chase, Venetia Williams’ Victorrino (2/1) returns as last year’s winner, supported by strong trends favoring horses carrying significant weights. Finally, the competitive 3:35 Ladbrokes Handicap Hurdle points to Be Aware (6/1, Dan Skelton), a 5-year-old fitting the historical trend of lightly raced contenders.
Haydock
Over at Haydock, the 2:05 Betfred Tommy Whittle Handicap Chase offers Regal Blue (9/1, Jonjo O’Neill) a strong chance, meeting the age, distance, and weight trends that define this race. With the last 16 winners aged eight or younger, Regal Blue fits the mold perfectly. In the 2:40 Betfred Hat-Trick Heaven Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle, Jilaijone (5/2, David Pipe) emerges as a top prospect. This Listed contest favors lightly raced mares aged 4 or 5, and with a recent strong performance, Jilaijone’s chances are bolstered further.
Whether at Ascot or Haydock, the trends underline the importance of recent form, weight preferences, and track history. With these insights, this Saturday promises thrilling action for racing enthusiasts as we near Christmas.
