Saturday racing tips: Best bets for Newbury & Kelso

There’s a busy day of racing on Saturday with five cards in the UK and one in Ireland, but my focus is on the meetings at Newbury and Kelso.

An open-looking novices’ handicap provides a betting opportunity in the form of Grand Vendetta. The Paul Nicholls-trained six-year-old showed some promise on debut when beating all but one home in a Chepstow novices’ hurdle (2m3½f, good to soft) last December.

Given time after that, he returned to action at Taunton last month (2m3f, heavy), keeping on well to win from an Olly Murphy inmate who went on to win next time.

That was a marked improvement on his debut and, with the form franked, he looks as though he may have got in lightly for this handicap debut. He’s 13/2 on betting sites at the time of writing and looks good each-way value.

Saturday tip 1: Grand Vendetta (13.50, Newbury) – 1pt each-way @ 13/2 (bet365)

Heltenham loves it around here, having come back to form over C&D and also won this race in both 2023 and 2024. However, he’s never yet won from a mark of 140, which iswhat he’s been pegged at since that recent success and at around 5/2 on horse racing betting sites, I think he can be taken on and even if he wins, we could still make a profit.

We’ve an eight-runner field here, playing for three places each-way, which should bring Hercule Du Seuil into it. The former Willie Mullins-trained gelding has won 6-15 over fences at trips from 2m to around 2m4f. He acts on the forecast ground and he made a respectable debut for Neil Mulholland at Doncaster last month, staying on to be fourth over an extended two miles.

That was very much a step back in the right direction and, after a 3lb drop, he looks nicely treated on more than one of his 2025 efforts. He’s available at 12/1 on some betting apps at the time of writing, and I think we can take the chance that he can make the first three each-way and possibly even win this.

Saturday tip 2: Hercule Du Seuil (14.25, Newbury) – 1pt each-way @ 12/1 (Ladbrokes)

This Grade 2 limited handicap is another open-looking race. Dan Skelton trains the ante-post favourite, Getawhisky and it would be no surprise to see her improve but from a mark of 119, she looks like she’ll need to if she’s to be successful.

She doesn’t look obviously well treated on what she’s achieved to date but she is a bumper winner stepping up in trip for this and that could be the key driver for a step up by her.

However, at a more attractive price is the Alan King-trained Charisma Cat, who has a similar profile to the Skelton-trained market leader. She certainly looks backable each-way, considering she’s yet to finish outside the first two and she also looks a potential improver now stepping up in trip.

Her form here in Listed company with La Conquiere (whom, you’ll recall, was GB’s prime hope for last week’s mares’ novices’ hurdle at Cheltenham) reads well in context and she appeared to appreciate the application of cheekpieces (retained here) at Market Rasen last time. She looks an each-way player.

Saturday tip 3: Charisma Cat (15.00, Newbury) – 1pt each-way @ 7/1 (Sky Bet)

Kelso regularly puts on competitive National Hunt action and it can be difficult to find winners there. Saturday’s card also looks tricky but I think the favourite, Diamond Dealer is the right one for this race and I’m taking him to score.

Dan Skelton trains, having had the reins for this seven-year-old since last autumn. In that time, he has won here (2m7½f, good) and at Chepstow (2m7½f, good to soft). He returned here for the Borders National in December, where he was sent off at 7/2 but stopped quickly and was reported to have made a respiratory noise.

Presumably, all was deemed well after that race and he was given a break before returning at Wetherby last month (3m, soft), when he led everywhere except at the post. He’s up 3lb for that and back slightly in trip but his style of running, which is a bit ‘choke out’, should be able to cope with that and I can see him being sent out with a plan to make all.

With his proven stamina, he could get a few of these at it a fair way from home and see it through for a second win at the track.

Saturday tip 4: Diamond Dealer (14.40, Kelso) – 2pts win @ 10/3 (bet365)

Each Saturday, Virgin Bet run a money-back offer relating to one of the races being shown on ITV Racing that day. This week, that race is the 15.20 at Bangor.

If you decide to have a wager on that race at Bangor and your selection doesn’t win, you’ll receive your stake back in free bets.

There’s no need to opt in to the offer, just place a wager on the race and if your selection doesn’t win, you’ll receive a free bet refund, up to a maximum of £10.

Only the win part of any each-way bets will be credited back to Virgin Bet punters.

If you plan to have a bet on the racing, make sure to gamble responsibly.

It’s vital that bettors take steps to remain in control of their time and budget when using gambling sites. The same applies whether you’re using the betting sites UK, slot sites, casino sites, casino apps, or any other gambling medium.

Even the most knowledgeable racing punter can lose a bet, so always stick to a budget and never chase your losses.

It’s particularly important not to get carried away by any free bets or casino bonuses you might receive, both of which are available in abundance on gambling sites, but must be approached with caution.

You can stay in control by making use of the responsible gambling tools offered, such as deposit limits, loss limits, self-exclusion and time-outs.

You may also want to visit the following free organisations to discuss any issues with gambling you might be having:

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