ITV Horse Racing Antepost Tips: Three Ascot selections up to 12/1 for Saturday

• A sparkling card awaits this weekend from Ascot on ITV

• Sportsbook prices up for feature races and 12/113.00 on King chaser appeals

• Alan Dudman delivers his latest antepost column with three tips this Saturday 

Ascot - 14:05 Grundon Waste Management Handicap Chase: Back Special Cadeau @ 8/19.00

Last year's winner Martator, when in the guise of the Byrne Group Handicap Chase likes Ascot but looks a little high in the weights now having taken this 12 months ago from 134, and is now 141.

The big guns at the top of the weights all have hefty marks too with Boothill as a 10-year-old off a staggering 157, wile top novice L'Eau du Sud, who was fourth in the Arkle is in off 155 should he so decide.

He hasn't been missed in the market thought at 7/24.50, but another good novice from last term is almost double the price with Henry De Bromhead's Special Cadeau.

His overall profile suggests he's a good ground horse and having surprised at Thurles last term winning on his chase debut at 66/167.00, he progressed well into a Graded company and is a second-season chaser that could have a couple of early season targets on decent ground.

He clashed with Willie Mullins' Westport Cove a few times last term and was also sent to the Galway Festival in July in a novice race over fences - but it was on good to soft and 2m2f. I think he'll be better over the minimum and away from soft conditions.

Darragh O'Keeffe, who rode him when winning on his chase debut said: "He is a big horse, so we were hoping fences would improve him and it did."

"He jumped brilliantly bar the last and got the job done."

Let's hope he can get the "job done" as they say on Saturday.

Ascot - 15:10 Lavazza Handicap Hurdle: Back Alexei @ 5/16.00

With ground conditions perhaps likely to shy away from soft, Alexei will have no issues on a decent surface and Joe Tizzard's horse is fit after his recent Chepstow outing.

His run in Wales was in the Welsh Champion Hurdle and in so many ways an unlucky one finishing as the runner-up behind Celtic Dino. The winner from Sam Thomas' excellent yard certainly got the more enterprising ride in a race where the sectionals lent to the fact it was a bit of a dash, and Celtic Dino was better positioned making his move earlier going into the straight.

Alexei's position at Chepstow was too far back, and while he jumped well two from home, when it mattered, he fluffed the last.

However, from his mark, he'll be winning good races as he looks better than a 127-rated hurdler.

Indeed, these were the quotes from Tizzard after a good win at Taunton as a novice last season: "That was a better performance than his first run here and it looked a deeper race," Tizzard said. "He travelled great and did it nicely. He's improved and improved at home. I think he's grown. We'll have to step him up in grade now, that's for certain.

"The Formby will be looked at as he hasn't had a hard race. Today he looked to have plenty of toe on beautiful ground and he jumped slick. He's a progressive horse and it's good fun. If he runs well up in grade next time he'll give himself a shot at Cheltenham."

He was a 33/1 shot in places for the Supreme after that and as a five=year-old is towards the head of the weights for the weekend at Ascot with some older, hardy sorts above him, but he's got plenty of progression in him.

Ascot - 15:45 Sodexo Live! Gold Cup Handicap Chase: Back The Doyen Chief E/W 12/113.00

The return of Haiti Couleurs will be the highlight if he's a certain runner in the feature Ascot race over fences - a brilliant winner at Cheltenham last term in the National Hunt Chase followed by an Irish Grand National win. He deserves to be favourite at 7/24.50 and there's no arguments from me.

He does act on good ground as scorched home at Aintree last November to win by 15L from a mark of 125. Goodness, he must have been a good thing that day.

Whether Rebecca Curtis deems this race on ground that could be good as a starting point is the key question as Haiti Couleurs also holds an entry in the Colin Parker on Sunday at Carlisle.

It's why I ma swaying towards The Doyen Chief for Alan King, who is most certainly a good ground horse.

He signed off with a pair of wins on his favoured surface last term - scoring at both Warwick and Kempton and he really stayed on well over the 3m at the latter.

A good jumper, a smooth traveller and lightly-raced over fences, he can have a good season for King if the ground stays right for him.

Now read more Horse Racing tips and previews here!