NEWSBOY'S HORSERACING TIPS FOR SATURDAY'S SEVEN MEETINGS, INCLUDING SCOTTISH GRAND NATIONAL ON ITV

Jumping giant Mr Vango can tower over his rivals and deliver an emotional victory for the Bradstock family at Ayr today.

The eight-year-old, who stands over 18 hands, is the least experienced in the field having had only three starts over fences.

Yet he showed he is custom-made to tests like this 4m marathon when he captured the Devon National at Exeter in February.

He made all the running under today’s jockey Ben Jones and crossed the line an astonishing 60 lengths clear. Tragically his trainer Mark Bradstock died just a few days later.

With wife Sara taking on the licence Mr Vango contested the National Hunt Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, where he met Corbetts Cross and Embassy Gardens at level weights despite having an 18lb inferior rating.

He ran well for a long way and only gave best after making a mistake at the final fence before finishing third.

The winner Corbetts Cross franked the form by finishing third in the William Hill Bowl at Aintree last week, confirming himself a contender for next year’s Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Famously the Bradstocks won the Gold Cup with Coneyrgree in 2015 when he was still a novice.

Mr Vango is a long way off that level but, when it comes to landing a race like the Scottish Grand National with a horse of his inexperience, the Bradstocks have form.

SON (2.40) can shine at Newbury today and deliver another Classic trial victory for Richard Hannon today.

In-form Hannon landed the Craven Stakes with Haatem on Thursday and the stable has another likely candidate in Too Darn Hot colt Son in the Greenham Stakes.

Like Haatem was, he is big odds for the 2,000 Guineas, but Son improved with every start last year and finished it with his best effort when fifth in the Royal Lodge Stakes.

He has the advantage of being a previous course winner, comfortably winning his maiden from a horse who went on to be rated in the 90s/

RELIEF RALLY (2.05, NAP) also has course experience, landing the Super Sprint over 5f last summer.

She ran four times at the minimum distance but proved she could get further when winning the Lowther Stakes at York over 6f.

She was sold for 800,000gns and starts her three-year-old campaign over 7f and while she may return to sprints after this her class can carry her to victory.

ARREST (1.30), NB), beaten favourite in last year’s Derby, proved he was Classic class by ending the campaign finishing second in the St Leger.

He is the one to beat in what could be a face-off with the eight-year-old Hamish for the John Porter Stakes.

Second and third from the Lincoln, Lattam and NAVAGIO (3.15), clash again in the Spring Cup and the latter can take advantage of a 3lb pull from his unlucky run at Doncaster.

At Ayr Willie Mullins won’t want to waste an opportunity to press home his advantage in the British jumps trainers’ championship.

He can strike straightaway with UNCLE PHIL (1.15) in the opening handicap chase. He’s won three out of six over fences and was a comfortable winner at Fairyhouse in January. He has more to offer than Aintree winner Sans Bruit.

Harry Fry fits cheek pieces to DEEPER BLUE (1.50), a move which can help the horse end a sequence of two second places in the novices’ handicap chase.

Last year’s race winner Rubaud should find FIRST STREET (2.25) too classy in the Scottish Champion Hurdle.

The selection has been off the track since January having met both Lossiemouth and Constitution Hill this season and returns from his fourth bout of wind surgery.

COCO MADEMOISELLE (3.00) can put Mullins’s championship rival Dan Skelton in the winners’ enclosure after comfortably winning a mares’ event at Chepstow.

SELECTIONS

AYR

1.15 UNCLE PHIL

1.50 DEEPER BLUE

2.25 FIRST STREET

3.00 COCO MAEDMOISELLE

3.35 MR VANGO

4.10 MAJOR FORTUNE

4.45 QUAI DE BOURBON

5.20 C’EST TA CHANCE

BANGOR

1.05 HAITI COULEURS

1.40 LE GRAND VERT

2.15 FAST BUCK

2.50 GREY SKIES

3.25 BALHAMBAR

4.00 MALPAS

4.35 DOCTOR KILDARE

NEWBURY

1.30 ARREST (NB)

2.05 RELIEF RALLY (NAP)

2.40 SON

3.15 NAVAGIO

3.50 ECONOMICS

4.25 HIDDEN LAW

5.00 BALTIMORE BOY

THIRSK

3.45 INDICATION EMBER

4.20 KENDALL BOY

4.55 NEVER SO BRAVE

5.30 HOLLOWAY BOY

6.05 MERSEA

6.35 GULLIVER

7.05 CHARGING THUNDER

7.40 LANGHOLM

BRIGHTON

4.06 ANTIPHON

4.40 BOB THE BANDIT

5.15 AWESOME SPIRIT

5.45 ENSURED

6.15 BLETCHLEY STORM

6.45 CHINTHURST

7.20 BELIEVE YOU ME

7.50 CHICO DULCE

NOTTINGHAM

4.50 GOD’S WINDOW

5.25 MEHMO

5.55 LADY DORCHESTER

6.25 ARDBRACCAN

6.55 QUEENSLAND BOY

7.30 POWERFUL RESPONSE

8.00 WICHAHPI

CURRAGH

1.35 IGOR STRAVINSKY

2.10 PERFECT JUDGEMENT

2.45 EARLS

3.20 NELDA

3.55 WHITE BIRCH

4.30 CHEMISTRY

5.05 BRAVE TROOP

DOUBLE - RELIEF RALLY & ARREST

2024-04-19T18:01:03Z dg43tfdfdgfd