ITV Races

ITV Racing Tips: Mark Milligan's best bets for Saturday include a 10/1 shot

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Mark Milligan's Racing Tips
kelso takes centre stage on ITX this saturday

Mark Milligan is back from a small break and is targeting a trio of ITV selections at Kelso, including an each-way shot at 10/1 in the big handicap hurdle on the card...


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13:10 Kelso - Back Torneo @ 7/42.75

Torneo has been knocking loudly on the door in better races than this and he looks a solid bet to get our day off to a flying start as Scotland takes centre stage on ITV.

Jamie Snowden's six-year-old took well to chasing last season when he was a dual 2m scorer and he's continued to perform well, finishing runner-up for the third time this term when beaten just a head at Windsor handicap chase last month.

A 4lb rise for that showing hardly seems excessive, particularly when you consider that his conqueror that day, Highlands Legacy, is a progressive chaser who is firmly on the up himself.

This looks a fine opportunity for the consistent Torneo to break his duck for the season and he rates one of the day's best bets.


14:15 Kelso - Back Starmount @ 7/24.50

There was plenty to like about Starmount's winning hurdling debut at Wetherby in December, as he sauntered clear for just hands-and-heels riding.

Successful in an Irish point around the same time the previous year, what caught the eye most about Starmount's hurdling debut was the efficient manner in which he jumped and that performance prompted connections to fast track him into Grade 1 company on just his second outing over timber.

However, he failed to do himself justice when fourth in the Formby at Aintree and it's easy to surmise that the omission of obstacles in the home straight leading to a 5f run-in completely failed to play to his strengths.

The selection quickly put that behind him returned to Wetherby last time, breezing home from a subsequent winner by 15 lengths, with an even bigger gap back to the third. Starmount looks ready for this step back up in grade and he is taken to account for Dan Skelton's Le Beau Madrik in what is a fascinating Grade 2 novices' hurdle.


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14:55 Kelso - Back Jet To Vegas E/W @ 10/111.00

The Morebattle Handicap Hurdle over an extended 2m is Kelso's highlight of the winter and, as ever, it's attracted a highly competitive field, with 17 runners set to go to post.

If there is a blot on the handicap it could well be provided by that man Dan Skelton again, as he runs Quaviste, who sneaks in towards the bottom of the weights.

This lightly-raced type is still open to plenty of progression on only his second start in handicap company, but I have my concerns as to whether he'll just find this too much of an ask against some battle-hardened types at this stage of his career.

The one who catches my eye is Jet To Vegas, an impressive winner of the Grade 2 novices' hurdles on this card last year and who is returning to hurdles having had a spell over fences. He's done okay on his three starts over the bigger obstacles without setting the world alight and he returns to timber having had another recent breathing operation.

The Lucinda Russell/Michael Scudamore partnership have got their string in rude health and Jet To Vegas makes plenty of each-way appeal with five places available on the Sportsbook.


Mark's Saturday Racing Multi

Torneo (13:10 Kelso) & Starmount (14:15 Kelso) win double

Betfair's Bet £10 Get £10 on Racing Multis continues this weekend ahead of the Cheltenham Festival and we just need to keep it simple with a double on a couple of the selections from the main column.

I've already made the cases for both Torneo and Starmount, and it will be disappointing if they both don't give very good account of themselves up in the Scottish Borders. The double is coming in at just over 11/112.00 and I'm more than happy to row in at that.

*Please Note: The above Multiple odds update in real time though the price was 12.38 at the time of publication.


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Mark Milligan avatar

Mark Milligan

Mark Milligan is a Senior Horse Racing Analyst with Timeform Sporting Life and has been contributing to Betting.Betfair since 2021.

Prices quoted in copy are correct at time of publication but liable to change.