ITV Racing Tips: Call Me Lord is the each-way value in Lanzarote Hurdle
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Warwick gets its day in the spotlight when the Midlands track contributes five of the nine races of the Saturday ITV schedule this weekend.
It is well earned as it provides two Grade 2 races and a Grade 3 event alongside the action at Kempton where the features are the Grade 2 Silviniaco Conti Chase and the Lanzarote Hurdle.
Despite single figure fields for every race except the Classic Chase, which has fifteen runners, and the Lanzarote, which has attracted a field of twenty – there’s some fierce competition taking to the jumps.
The Silviniaco Conti Chase has only four runners but they are at least well matched with Mister Fisher, last seen pulling up in the King George VI Chase, and Defi Du Seuil, who has questions to answer, meeting Eldorado Allen and Rouge Vif.
The coverage will build towards the two handicaps, beginning on ITV4 from 13:05 and we have previewed the three most significant races of the day in our ITV Racing Tips.
Threeunderthrufive has won eight of his 11 starts under rules and completed a hat-trick over fences at Doncaster last time, following wins at Cheltenham and Exeter. Not surprisingly he will go off short odds to make it four here.
However, there may be some value among his opponents, particularly Mint Condition who got off the mark over fences with victory at Haydock last time. That followed a debut second place behind Kiltealy Briggs, who ran in the Kauto Star Novices’ Chase next time.
Mint Condition ran on this card twelve months ago, going down by only a neck in the Leamington Novices’ Hurdle, so is clearly capable of going well at Warwick.
It is 11-2 the field for this trappy handicap hurdle with the Paul Nicholls-trained Gelino Bello edging the market from the gambled-on Marie’s Rock.
Gelino Bello ran second in an Albert Bartlett trial last time while Marie’s Rock won over course and distance at the Christmas Festival. The mare is one of three runners who will represent Nicky Henderson.
Henderson has won the race four times, including two of the last four, and has a 25 per cent strike rate at the track. He could add to that if Call Me Lord can find his old sparkle. After two fruitless runs in Novice Chases, connections have abandoned fences, for now at least, for a return to smaller obstacles, over which he has a pretty decent record.
At his peak, he won the International Hurdle at Cheltenham in 2019 and on his most recent starts over hurdles finished fifth in the Liverpool Hurdle and third in the Select Hurdle at Sandown last April.
He last tackled a handicap in 2018 when he was a neck second in the Imperial Cup under top weight, he looks a solid each-way recommendation.
The 3m5f trip is one few of this field will have tackled before, bar Notachance and Achille, who were first and second last year.
Notachance has been pulled up in three of his four runs since while Achille has not been able to win either. Nevertheless, they cannot be ignored.
The market favours two novices in Corach Rambler, who won at Cheltenham on his latest trip from Scotland, and Gericault Roque who has yet to win over fences but has run well in defeat.
Gericault Roque’s last run at Newbury looks particularly encouraging as he met the very progressive Saint Palais and pushed him hard all the way to the line. If he can stay the distance, he is the horse to beat.
ITV Racing Schedule, Saturday, 15th January
13:18 Warwick – 2m handicap chase
13:32 Kempton – 2m4f handicap chase
13:50 Warwick – Hampton Novices’ Chase
14:05 Kempton – Silviniaco Conti Chase
14:25 Warwick – Leamington Novices’ Hurdle
14:40 Kempton – Lanzarote Hurdle
15:00 Warwick – Classic Chase
15:15 Kempton – 3m handicap chase
15:35 Warwick – 3m1f handicap hurdle
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
