Racing Tips – Top Tipster Steve Mullen’s best racing selections for Saturday, March 4
Newbury, Doncaster, Newcastle, Kelso and Lingfield all come under the spotlight as Steven Mullen tries to find a host of winners on a busy Saturday
RAISE a glass to BLOODY MARY in Newbury’s 2.40.
Nicky Henderson’s hope could expect to be higher in the weights for this handicap debut given her solid form in France.
She won a good standard hurdle at Auteuil before being snapped by the formidable JP McManus team. She repaid some of her big transfer fee on her UK debut by winning with plenty in hand at Taunton. The mud was flying that day so any rain coming down at Newbury won’t do her any harm.
Connections then pitched her into the big leagues and the Grade 2 Dawn Run Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham. That brought an improved effort as she finished third, just seven lengths off the pace.
Given her inexperience and the quality on show at Prestbury Park, that was a good run and gives her a chance of going back for the Festival where she has three entries.
For that to happen, she would have to win this and there are ticks in plenty of boxes. The trip is ideal, the ground will be fine and a mark of 133 is very fair.
London Prize is an interesting contender and a hurdler who hasn’t shown his hand yet. He was just coming with an eyecatching run on his handicap debut at Musselburgh last month when he copped a clumsy fall.
That was a Listed race and, while you can never tell what would have happened, he was going very well. He always looked a sound jumper before so we can assume that was just a blip.
Trainer Ian Williams has restored his confidence with a run on the all-weather at Newcastle where he just missed out on landing a staying handicap. He is still learning the game but could be well handicapped and must be on the shortlist.
I’m beginning to lose count of how much cash I have flushed down the toilet following THOMAS CRAPPER but he’s got big claims in the Greatwood Gold Cup (3.15 Newbury).
Mullen's Treble
- Newbury 2.40: Bloody Mary
- Newbury 3.15: Thomas Crapper
- Doncaster 3.35: The Last Samuri
He’s been threatening to win a big handicap chase all season and has performed well enough in some tough assignments.
He went well for a long way in Grade 3 company at Cheltenham last time before not going through with it up the hill.
Given he’d done the same when fifth in another hot race there in January he might just not like Prestbury Park that much despite having a Festival second to his name from 2015.
The last time he ran at Newbury he won — and from a 6lb higher mark than today. That was in a Class 2 handicap over this trip on similar ground, so we know he’s capable of winning a race around here.
This combination of cheekpieces and a tongue tie seems to suit and, while you can never set your watch by him, today looks like a good chance to bag another win.
If the ground softens any further, Oldgrangewood could be dangerous. He’s won his past two in the mud and, while he’s shot up the weights, you get the impression there could be more to come.
THE LAST SAMURI can take Doncaster’s Grimthorpe Chase (3.35) as he warms up for another tilt at the Grand National.
Kim Bailey’s stayer was second in the great race 12 months ago and looked better than ever when runner-up in the Becher Chase last time out.
He clearly relishes the big fences but he won this last year and proved his hefty handicap mark was no problem at Aintree and it shouldn’t be here.
He goes on any ground and we know getting the 3m2f trip will barely break sweat.
Wakanda ran a poor race at Haydock last time but he was held up for the first time there and clearly didn’t like it. He had earlier finished a close second in the classy Rowland Meyrick Chase at Wetherby and a return to that form — and his usual tactics — could see him in the frame at decent odds.
OTHER SELECTIONS
NEWBURY TIPS
1:30 Justification
2:05 Harry Topper
2:40 Bloody Mary
3:15 Thomas Crapper
3:50 Three Colours Red
4:25 Gala Ball
5:00 Sgroppino
DONCASTER TIPS
1:50 The Organist
2:25 San Benedeto
3:00 Lastbutnotleast
3:35 The Last Samuri
4:10 Boagrius
4:45 Danceintothelight
5:20 Brecon Hill
LINGFIELD TIPS
2:00 Frank The Barber
2:35 Third Time Lucky
3:10 Beach Dancer
3:45 Dynamo Walt
4:20 Second Thought
4.45 Tartan Bute
5:30 Synodic
KELSO TIPS
2:15 Viserion
2:50 Un Prophete
3:25 Chalonnial
4:00 Tenor Nivernais
4:35 The Orange Rogue
5:10 Mcginty's Dream
NEWCASTLE TIPS
5:45 Major Cornwallis
6:15 Veena
6:45 Top Of The Bank
7:15 Byres Road
7:45 Bonnie Gals
8:15 Annie Apple
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