Saturday Racing Tips: James Mackie fancies two from Wincanton at up to 5/2

• James Mackie has two picks on ITV this Saturday

• Jubilee Alpha to prove a class above for Betfair ambassador Paul Nicholls

• Art Of Diplomacy can get back to winning ways after fall

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13:45 Wincanton - Back Jubilee Alpha @ 13/82.63

The first selection of the afternoon comes in the Mares' Handicap Hurdle and Jubilee Alpha for Betfair ambassador Paul Nicholls should be tough to beat, albeit harbouring top weight.

A smart bumper horse two seasons ago when winning at Wincanton on debut, she then finished second to the talented Diva Luna in the Grade 2 bumper at the Aintree Grand National meeting.

She made her hurdles debut at Newbury in November that year, in Listed company, when running a solid race in third less than two lengths behind the winner.

The mare went on to land back-to-back races at Taunton and Windsor, with her latter win in softer conditions than she likes and finishing ahead of a nice type in Bluey.

Tried in the Grade 2 Mares' Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, she ran a fair race to finish eighth of 23 but faded late on. For a long way she looked to be in with a chance of filling the frame.

She bounced back to winning ways on her final start of last term back at Cheltenham but this time up in trip to 2m 4 1/2f in a competitive Listed Novices' Hurdle where she went on to score easily under a penalty.

Jubilee Alpha makes her seasonal debut in a lesser handicap hurdle and, although she has to tackle top weight, the ground should be no issue if not overly quick. She should prove a class above this field in a race that Nicholls really wants to win.

15:30 Wincanton - Back Art Of Diplomacy @ 5/23.50

The feature race of the day at Wincanton is the Badger Beers Handicap Chase and, although Nicholls has a superb record in this race and is chasing his 12th win, Art Of Diplomacy will take all the beating.

During 2025 the nine-year-old has been a rapid improver winning a Handicap Chase over 3m2f off a mark of 111 at Newton Abbot in June and has since gone on to land four more races.

He has been placed really well by his trainer Mickey Bowen but racking up five wins on the spin before last time out's fall, and now racing off a mark of 137, is brilliant training performance.

Last time out, he would have made it six wins on the spin if not for that fall at the last when clear of the field.

He gets to race off the same mark on Saturday, loves good ground, and has stamina in abundance over these sorts of trips.

If the fall at Chepstow has not dented his confidence, he should keep on improving and might prove tough to beat.

Read Paul Nicholls' thoughts on his Wincanton Saturday runners