Today’s FREE Horse racing tips: The Betting Spy’s top picks for Saturday’s racing at Wetherby and Ascot
The Betting Spy is back with his top tips for Saturday's racing where the action at Wetherby and Ascot takes centre stage
THERE is a great bet in Wetherby's big race of the year, the Charlie Hall Chase (2.40), definitely - or even Definitly!
DEFINITLY RED looks to have plenty in his favour in the big race of the afternoon.
He goes well fresh - he was third in this 12 months ago on his reappearance, beaten by Bristol de Mai and Blaklion in a much hotter race than today's.
He has a fine record at the track and is simply a top-class chaser - as he has proved time and again over the last two seasons, not least when winning the Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham in January.
Black Corton's winning run, partnered by rising star Bryony Frost, was one of the stories of last season.
However, he seemed to have his limitations exposed by the end of term and further improvement will be needed here.
Double Shuffle is best on right-hand tracks and owes his high official rating to what was probably a flattering second in the King George on Boxing Day.
Virgilio is an improving handicapper but is up in class while Regal Encore is notoriously unreliable and, even on a going day, is hard to fancy in this company.
Earlier LADY BUTTONS can take the Listed Mares Hurdle at 2.05.
She was second in the race last year, beaten by the very useful La Bague Au Roi but meets nothing of that one's calibre now.
Lady Buttons went on to have a good season in novice chases and is sure to be fit enough on her return with such a valuable prize looking so winnable.
Irish Roe is best-in on official ratings but her form tailed off last season and she has questions to answer.
The rest need to improve plenty but will be chasing the all-important 'black type'.
CORT RED HANDED Your in-depth preview to Saturday's Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby
MAGIC DANCER can cast a spell over his rivals in Ascot's 3.00.
Kerry Lee's six-year-old made an encouraging reappearance when second at Cheltenham last Saturday.
There was no disgrace in that run as the winner was chucked in on old form and was having his first run for Richard Newland.
Magic Dancer ended last term with a six-length win at Cheltenham and two miles on decent going suits him right down to the (good) ground.
The handicapper has been generous too, only raising him 4lb for the last win and leaving his mark unchanged after his latest solid effort.
Richard Patrick is his regualr rider and everything looks set for a bold show.
Global Citizen is respected but the top weight is having his first run of the season.
Simply The Betts has been mopping up some weak events and is up in class here.
Caius Marcius bolted up in a decent Market Rasen event last time but has been shunted up 13lb for his trouble which may leave him vulnerable.
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Go Conquer returns to Ascot in a bid to land back-to-back runnings of the Sodexo Gold Cup (3.35).
The front-runner won easily 12 months ago and is only 5lb higher now.
He has switched yards from Jonjo O'Neill to Nigel Twiston-Davies, who has his string in typical excellent early-season fettle.
Go Conquer must go well but he faces a very well weighted rival in KINGS LAD.
The 11-year-old has been very lightly-raced in the last couple of years but has been in the form of his life in recent starts.
SAMCRO SHOCK Top prospect Samcro suffers shock defeat in WKD Hurdle at Down Royal
Last time out he beat Exitas at Chepstow with the rest falling out of the back of the TV!
The runner-up dotted up at Aintree last Sunday off a 5lb higher mark so it is not difficult to argue that Kings Lad has a terrific chance having gone up 7lb.
The best bet at Newmarket's final Flat meeting is COLLIDE in the Listed James Seymour Stakes (3.10).
The three-year-old only made his debut in July but has progressed well since and there is no reason to suspect that the improvement is over.
On his last start at Nottingham over this 1m2f trip and also on soft ground he bolted up in a competitive handicap, form which gives him a decent chance here even without factoring in further progress.
Willie Mullins' mare True Self is the only other runner with similar solid recent form but her latest impressive Bath win came over 1m6f and the half-mile drop in trip has to be a concern.
At Cheltenham last Saturday FOR GOOD MEASURE ran a race full of promise in the 3m1f handicap chase.
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On his seasonal reappearance, and just his third start over fences, he stayed on nicely for fifth in a steadily-run race where the leaders never came back to the pack.
The handicapper has kindly dropped this full-brother to Balthazar King an extra 2lb and the seven-year-old has plenty of options off his mark of 130.
Plus he is still a novice if trainer Philip Hobbs opts to go down that route.
Either way he will surely win a race or two over the winter.