Horse racing tips: Wetherby, Newmarket, Ascot, Ayr and Newcastle – Steve Mullen’s betting preview for Saturday November 4

BYRNE a hole in the bookies profits with MARRACUDJA in Ascot’s Listed chase at 2.25.

Paul Nicholls’ six-year-old has been knocking on the door and looks ready for a deserved win after running well at Kempton last time out.

He was coming back from six months off there and may have just needed the outing as he was outpointed in the closing stages. He jumps well and likes a speedy track, so Ascot should be right up his street.

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He has looked a nice prospect ever since winning a hot Cheltenham novice chase this time last year. That saw him pitched into Grade 1 and 2 company and maybe it all came a little too soon. It was no disgrace to be beaten by wonderhorse Altior a couple of times and this looks a much more realistic target.

He is still only six so there should be lots of improvement to come and Nicholls has started the season with his usual flow of winners.

AIR HORSE ONE is ready for take-off in Ascot’s William Hill Handicap Hurdle (3.00).

Harry Fry’s flyer did little but improve last season, with one of the high points coming at this track. He ran away with a competitive handicap to land a hat-trick of victories.

His next stop was the County Hurdle at Cheltenham where he ran another brilliant race to finish fourth. Had he jumped the final flight better he might have even lifted that big pot.

As it was, Fry asked one run too many of him as he trailed over to Punchestown before running the flattest race of the campaign.

He should be forgiven that after such a busy campaign that saw his form rocket. Despite that success, he doesn’t look too high in the weights and should be competitive on this comeback run.

Elgin looks a big threat after he blew away the cobwebs with a solid fourth at Chepstow after seven months off. He really likes this trip and has held his own in better contests than this.

EMERGING FORCE can live up to his name in Ascot’s 3.35.

He was a decent handicap hurdler but has already looked a much stronger contender over the bigger obstacles. He won a couple of novice events in style before trying to defy a double penalty at Cheltenham in December.

ASCOT

12.40 American Gigolo

1.15 Shanksforamillion

1.50 Copain De Classe

2.25 Marracudja

3.00 Air Horse One

3.35 Emerging Force

4.05 Saturdaynightfever

WETHERBY

12.20 Krakatoa King

12.55 Al Shahir

1.30 Born Survivor

2.05 La Bague Au Roi

2.40 Ptit Zig

3.15 Blaklion

3.45 Canton Prince

NEWMARKET

12.05 Revalue

12.35 Poetic Imagination

1.10 Bold Reason

1.45 Invermere

2.20 Hadith

2.55 Spark Plug

3.30 Lord Glitters

4.00 Pastime

AYR

12.25 Cockley Beck

1.00 The Cobber Swayne

1.35 Cyrus Darius

2.10 Hello George

2.45 Special Catch

3.20 Don Bersy

3.50 Cydercourt

NEWCASTLE

3.25 Love Conquers

3.55 Bowler Hat

4.30 Manthoor

5.00 Cuppacoco

5.30 Anna Medici

6.00 Willbeme

6.35 Sugar Beach

7.10 Envisaging