Newsboy's ITV4 selections for Saturday's Ascot and Haydock cards, plus tips from all the other UK meetings
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CRAMBO is fancied to repeat his victory of 12 months ago in the Howden Long Walk Hurdle (2.25) at Ascot today. Last Christmas, Fergal O’Brien’s stayer got the better of a tooth-and-nail fight with three-time winner Paisley Park to lift the Grade 1 three-miler by a short-head.
Crambo didn’t reproduce that form at Cheltenham and Aintree in the spring, latterly trailing in last of eight finishers behind Strong Leader in the top-level Liverpool Hurdle on the Grand National undercard last April. Johnny Burke’s mount has a deficit of 46 lengths to turn round with the Olly Murphy-saddled favourite – but can do exactly that. Crambo operates at his best after a break – the son of Saddler Maker is unbeaten on his first outing of the campaign – and reports from O’Brien’s Gloucestershire yard suggest he’s ready to fire on the back of a 252-day absence.
Five horses have captured this afternoon’s feature race more than once since it became a conditions event in 1971 – and Crambo can add his name to the list. VICTTORINO gets a confident vote to give Venetia Williams another big weekend prize with a victory in the Howden Silver Cup Handicap Chase (3.00).
The fact Williams sits sixth in the trainers’ table with 16 winners – league leader Dan Skelton has 113 – is proof of her unerring aim and steady hand when it comes to trophy hunting. Victtorino never looked like putting into the pot when a well-backed 5-1 shot for Newbury’s Coral Gold Cup three weeks ago.
