Horse Racing Tips: A saintly pick for Hobbs in Newbury 25/1 Saturday double

• Ascot second a good piece of form for Highstakesplayer

• Progressive chaser can defy a 10lb rise in finale

• Alan Dudman's latest Sportsbook multiple comes from Newbury

• Place £10 bet on any sport on the Betfair Exchange to start your Free Bet Streak

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Racing... Only Bettor. Watch Saturday's episode now.

Newbury - 12:40: Back Highstakesplayer @ 6/17.00

5

Highstakesplayer (Ire)

• J: Stan Sheppard
• T: Tom Lacey
• F:

Some proper racing at Newbury today and hopefully Berkshire can be the track of salvation after a difficult week and the 12:40 is one we can put the chasing togs of joy on.

Highstakesplayer at 6/17.00 is prominent in the betting for this 2m6f contest and he's 4-6 over fences thus far and produced a perfectly good comeback run at Ascot last time behind Chianti Classico in the Sodexo Gold Cup.

Beaten fair and square by 3L by a 152-rated winner was no mean effort although he was in receipt of a fair chunk of weight, but he was untidy two out which made him slightly check his run as Chianti Classico utilised his stamina well. The 151-rated Two For Gold was behind Highstakesplayer in fourth, so that's fine form.

A return to Newbury can right a wrong too as he was sent off as one of the favourites in the Greatwood Gold Cup at the track in March but was pulled up - which was the only blip in a progressive season chasing.

With form on all types of ground, he will suit the drop back to 2m6f I am sure.

Newbury - 15:35: Back Imperial Saint @ 11/43.75

2

Imperial Saint (Fr)

• J: Micheal Nolan
• T: Philip Hobbs & Johnson White
• F:

It's good to see Philip Hobbs with a chaser in these big Saturday handicaps as the west country maestro has had a fairly lean time of things of late and didn't even have a runner at the recent Paddy Power Gold Meeting at Cheltenham.

Imperial Saint could well be his big Saturday horse for the season and he's vastly progressive with a perfect two from two over fences and a big win at Aintree last time.

His profile suggests he wants to be kept away from deep winter ground as his those two fencing wins have both been on good and he collected an 8L win on good to soft over hurdles last season.

He readily won in Liverpool by 8L in a class three and had a strong pace to aim at from the tearaway Calgary Tiger and reeled him in with ease from three out and made up the ground with a swagger.

A 10lb rise is fully deserved and for Hobbs chaser, his jumping looks impressive - which isn't always the case from fencers from that yard.

Now read Paul Nicholls' exclusive thoughts on his runners on Saturday here!