Sign up to Independent Racing with Jonathan Doidge for expert tips, insider news and all the latest from the trackGet expert tips with Jonathan Doidge’s Racing newsletterGet expert tips with Jonathan Doidge’s Racing newsletterSaturday racing tipsCobra Queen (Wincanton, 14.23) – 1pt win @ 2/1 (bet365)Art Of Diplomacy (Wincanton, 15.30) – 1pt win @ 9/4 (William Hill)Castle Cove (Doncaster, 15.45) – 0.5pts each-way @ 11/2 (bet365)Netywell (Aintree, 14.05) – 0.5pts each-way @ 16/1 (William Hill)Nocte Volatus (Aintree, 14.40) – 0.5pts each-way @ 25/1 (Ladbrokes)There’s a big day of action across the UK and Ireland, both Flat and National Hunt, and after landing the Haldon Gold Cup winner on Friday as part of a 15-1 double, I’ve been through the form and betting sites to select my top tips for Saturday afternoon.Boodles Rising Stars Novices’ Chase (14.23, Wincanton)Blueking d’Oroux is surely better than on his reappearance when he lacked fluency in the jumping department but it’s not a risk I’d like to take given his skinny price on most horse racing betting sites. One runner who has jumped well is winning her last two starts at Tramore (2m6f, good) and Roscommon (2m5½f, good to yielding) is the Irish raider, COBRA QUEEN.With stamina proven over this slightly shorter trip, expect her to be doing her best work at the business end and she is clearly making good progress over fences, having gone up 18lb in the handicap for two recent wins.Yes, the favourite is favoured by the conditions of this race but there may be a fair bit more under the bonnet of Henry De Bromhead’s mare who loves a sound surface and at the prices, she looks worth siding with. Saturday racing tip 1: Cobra Queen (Wincanton, 14.23) – 1pt win @ 2/1 (bet365)64th Badger Beers Handicap Chase (15.30, Wincanton)The unseasonal fast ground at Wincanton has probably reduced what would have been a larger field for this 3m1f premier handicap that has seen some good horses win over the years, the best of recent times being Paul Nicholls-trained Frodon.Nicholls has won four of the last ten renewals and we therefore must take the favourite, Threeunderthrufive, very seriously. He has a good record when fresh and his trainer has reverted to wind surgery for a second time in his racing career, in the hope of finding a bit extra.However, he has to concede weight all around here and while he’s the class horse of the contest, he’s been dropped 2lb so is clearly not improving. He He looked very likely to have made it six off the reel over fences, but for coming down after landing at the last fence at Chepstow last time.He acts on fast ground, jumps well (it wasn’t really a mistake that cost him that latest race) and he can score.Saturday racing tip 2: Art Of Diplomacy (Wincanton, 15.30) – 1pt win @ 9/4 (William Hill)Virgin Bet November Handicap (15.45, Doncaster)The traditional end of the Flat season really is the end of the Flat season this year, as it’s the last race on the Doncaster card.Only one favourite has managed to win in the last decade, although there have been six single-figure odds winners and the 14-1 about last year’s winner, Lord Melbourne, is the biggest SP in that period.Ralph Beckett’s gelding is back to try and win it for a second time, now 13lb higher than last year, having won his only subsequent start readily at Epsom (1m2f, good to soft) in September.As you’d expect, there are several who can have cases made, none more so than CASTLE COVE, who looks to have stronger claims than most. The William Haggas-trained gelding does have a bit of a question to answer in that his two wins so far have both been when fresh, although he’s now had 49 days since his latest start.Otherwise, he’s one of the least exposed runners in this field and although he was a beaten favourite at Newbury last time, he lost a shoe that day which wouldn’t have helped and he’s now proved himself over at least this far. That was a good race, in which he finished a two-length fourth, with the third Beylerbeyi going on to win the Cesarewitch next time.His trainer is adding a first-time hood this time, which may give him an edge and at 11-2 on some betting apps, I think he is backable.Saturday racing tip 3: Castle Cove (Doncaster, 15.45) – 0.5pts each-way @ 11/2 (bet365)Visit Racingtv.com Handicap Chase (14.05, Aintree)A winning performance from one of my Friday fancies, Thistle Ask, in the Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter has boosted my hopes for NETYWELL, who has plenty of chasing experience in winning four of his 18 starts over the bigger obstacles.Trained by Lucinda Russell and Michael Scudamore, the eight-year-old is a decent handicapper who has put some good form on the board in defeat, since last winning at Newcastle in February of last year.His career-best came on good to soft ground, the same as forecast, while he’s now back on the sort of mark from which he can strike. This He looks overpriced at 16/1 on some horse racing betting apps.Saturday racing tip 4: Netywell (Aintree, 14.05) – 0.5pts each-way @ 16/1 (William Hill)Grand Sefton Handicap Chase (14.40, Aintree)The Grand Sefton is staged over the same C&D as the Topham at the Grand National meeting and, therefore, takes in the National fences. There There have also been winners at 16-1 and twice at 20-1 in the same period but there have been no major shocks.Last year’s winner, King Turgeon, obliged carrying just 10st 2lb but six of the last decade’s successful runners carried at least 10st 13lb on their backs, to give a slight edge to the classier performers.Hold on to your hats because I am going to go slightly against the grain here and suggest NOCTE VOLATUS each-way at 25-1.Tom Lacey’s runners are in decent form and, when I say going against the grain, it’s because no recent winner has gone off at as big a price as this, nor has there been a winning ten-year-old in the last decade (the 11-year-old Gas Line Boy obliged in 2017).He’s also arguably handicapped up to just about his best as he enters a new ‘veteran’ season. On the plus side, he is a consistent performer, hence his mark of 130, he has a nice racing weight of 10st 12lb, he handles ground that’s good or slower and the key, for me at least, is that his best run of the season has often been his reappearance.If you throw all of that in the pot, then I think he’s an each-way proposition at 25-1 to run a huge race on what is his first start at Aintree.Saturday racing tip 5: Nocte Volatus (Aintree, 14.40) – 0.5pts each-way @ 25/1 (Ladbrokes)Aintree free bet offerEach Saturday, LiveScore 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 highlight of Aintree’s card, the Grand Sefton Chase (14.40).I’ve picked out Nocte Volatus as one to follow in that race and if you were to back the 10-year-old on LiveScore Bet for that race and it didn’t win, you’d 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 fails to 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 LiveScore Bet punters.Please gamble responsibly If you’re having a bet on Saturday’s racing, it’s vital to gamble responsibly.Betting can be addictive, and it’s important to stay in control of your gambling, whether you’re using the best betting sites UK, casino sites, slot sites, bingo sites or any other gambling platform. If But if you ever feel like you need help or advice on gambling addiction, don’t hesitate to contact one of the charities or organisations below.We may earn commission from some of the links in this article, but we never allow this to influence our content. This
2025-11-07 16:21:39
Saturday Racing Tips: Wincanton, Doncaster & Aintree
