Saturday Racing Cheat Sheet: Best bets for ITV Racing at Cheltenham Trials Day and Doncaster

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Tips Summary

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Saturday horse racing tips and insight

Cheltenham, 12:40 - Paul Nicholls: We're very happy with Minella Yoga

We are still learning about him after he surprised us a little with the manner of his win at Newbury in December. The way he travelled and stayed on strongly to put the race to bed in the last furlong impressed me. He can only keep learning. I think the softer ground won't hurt him - he won on heavy at Fairyhouse in November - and, based on the way he stayed on strongly, I think he will gallop up that Cheltenham hill. It is a learning curve, we are learning all about him.

Dan Skelton's horse in this race, Maestro Conti, has won two from two, and there are other smart horses in there, so this is going to be a good race. But we are very happy with Minella Yoga and how he performs on Saturday will tell us whether he is going to go to the Triumph Hurdle. He has good form but we will know a lot more about him after this race. He is without a doubt my best chance of the day. 

Doncaster, 12:55 - Mark Milligan: Irish raider a devlilish bet

With seven of the 12-strong field having the Timeform 'p' attached to their ratings, there is clearly plenty of scope for progression from a good bulk of the field and I'm hopeful that the Irish raider Thedeviluno can emerge as the best of them.

Paul Nolan's runner made a fluent hurdling debut when beating subsequent Grade 1 winner Skylight Hustle at Fairyhouse in November and then lost little in defeat when second in Grade 2 company himself last time.

The selection came out of that with plenty of credit having come from the rear up against one who had the run of things in front and he shapes as if he'll be suited by stepping up in trip here.

Cheltenham, 13:15 - Katie Midwinter: Donnacha open to further improvement

Eight-year-old gelding Donnacha has made a good start to life over fences for Nigel Hawke. He has won two races and finished among the first three in four others since embarking on life over the larger obstacles.

The likeable gelding is on an unchanged mark of 132 following a second-placed effort to Lunar Discovery at Chepstow, having previously been narrowly denied by promising Joe Tizzard-trained gelding U Cant Be Serious. He's 10lb higher than his last win but that was a convincing success at Chepstow in only his fourth start over fences, and he remains open to further improvement.

In two previous runs at Prestbury Park, Donnacha has finished second to Impose Toi and third to Go Dante in competitive big field handicap hurdles. On only once occasion has he failed to finish among the first four in his 18-race career to date, when finishing 11th of 21 runners in the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury a couple of years ago.

Consistent and tough, Donnacha has the ability to put in a competitive effort in this race and shouldn't be discounted at a price of 11/112.00.

Doncaster, 13:30 - Sam Turner: Moss will do for Sam at Donny

The decision to send That'll Do Moss over three miles on a flat track could prove a shrewd one by trainer Fergal O'Brien judged on his mare's latest run at Sandown behind Nurse Susan.

On that occasion, the daughter of Black Sam Bellamy looked like she was going to be left behind jumping two out, especially as Jonathan Burke found himself in a pocket through no real fault of his own.

To her credit, the selection rallied gamely from that point to close down the leading protagonists, suggesting that stretching out in trip should suit, especially on a flat track like Town Moor.

That'll Do Moss has also proven that she copes with deep ground and her stable is in better form than when she ran at Sandown so she ought to be on the premises.

Cheltenham, 13:50 - Katie Midwinter: Testing conditions to suit outsider

Where It All Began will be suited by the softer going at Cheltenham and any extra rain prior to the off will be in his favour too. He's now only 2lb higher than his last winning mark on rating of 125, putting him in with strong claims at the weights if the spark can be reignited by this new challenge. 

His recent form leaves a lot to be desired, but he has had some excuses and the ground hasn't been to suit very often. He's now 10lb lower than when fourth to Inothewayurthinkin in the Kim Muir a couple of seasons ago and when eighth in the Irish Grand National behind Intense Raffles. 

Improvement is certainly required, but Where It All Began, who has cheekpieces on for the first time in almost two years, has plenty of talent and is a strong stayer, capable of plugging on well in the closing stages. If it does become testing, he should thrive in conditions and could take well to these fences.

Doncaster, 14:05 - Timeform: Geste a Grand bet for hot trainer

It was a significant Haydock handicap (Tommy Whittle) in which Grand Geste - the only Timeform 'Horse In Focus in the field here and top on ratings (with a small p) - opened his chase account at the third attempt last month, jumping superbly throughout and leaving the strong impression that there is even better to come from him in this sphere.  

Joel Parkinson & Sue Smith currently have their horses in good form (Hot Trainer flag) and Grande Geste is taken to defy a 10 lb rise in the weights and follow-up, with the progressive Deep Cave (2/2 since going chasing on these shores) and Walking On Air, who appeared to have Docpickedme where he wanted him when exiting at the final fence in this race last year, considered the main dangers. 

Cheltenham, 14:25 - Paul Nicholls: Grey Dawning will take the world of beating

I've won the Betfair Cotswold Chase five times and they're all good memories. It was a fantastic race when Neptune Collonges won and of course he went on to win a Grand National, it's just a good race for those good staying chasers, it's been a great race for me.

Sadly it's not a big field on Saturday, I'm surprised there's only four runners and I'd say that Grey Dawning is an absolute certainty, that's my view. He'll love the ground, he's been kept fresh, he was very impressive in the Betfair Chase, it's a good time away from the Cheltenham Gold Cup and I think he'll be very hard to beat.

For this type of race you have to have a horse that will stay and be a bit classy, it's just shy of the Cheltenham Gold Cup distance but you still have to stay.

I think the ground is going to be testing on Saturday, it's a good race, it's just a shame there's only four runners. That's the way it is at the moment, there's not too many high class Gold Cup type horses in the UK, especially if we can only field two. But as I say, I think Grey Dawning will take the world of beating.

Cheltenham, 15:35 - Alan Dudman:  Veteran a value e/w play in Cleeve Hurdle

Ma Shantou would be the potential improver and while I have pointed out his two wins on good ground this season might temper some enthusiasm, he has soft form and also heavy form as he scored at Huntingdon in heavy early in his career.

He was beaten out of sight in the Betfair Stayers' Handicap Hurdle in November at Haydock, and while Gowel Road hasn't got any improvement in him at his age, at 14/115.00 with his track record and experience looks the each-way play for that second place.

The veteran is likely to have the lead in front and as Impose Toi is a horse never to bomb away from anyone at the end as he can idle, I'll take his experience. Impose Toi should win it, but at 5/61.84 I am not revealing any secrets.

I have gone for a couple of big prices in the last two Big Race Verdict columns. Double Powerful was second in the Lanzarote at a BSP of 26.0 and Thistle Ask was second last weekend for the column at a BSP of 11.67. 

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