Ascot and Catterick tips: Friday’s best horse racing bets

It’s the first of a two-day Ascot card and horse racing correspondent Jonathan Doidge brings us tips for Friday’s action both there and at Catterick.

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Friday’s Ascot and Catterick Tips

• Your Darling (Ascot, 14.00) – 1pt win @ 2/1 (William Hill)
• Fortune De Mer (Ascot, 14.35) – 2pts win @ 6/4 (bet365)
• Awaythelad (Ascot, 15.10) – 0.5pts each-way @ 16/1 (Ladbrokes)
• Wasthatok (Catterick, 12.07) – 1pt win @ 2/1 (bet365)

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We have four selections to follow on betting sites across two of Friday’s race cards in the hope we can warm up for a chilly weekend with a few winners.

Join Ladbrokes Bet £5 Get £30 Handicap Chase (14.00, Ascot)

This is one of a number of small fields on the card but I think it presents us with an opportunity in the form of YOUR DARLING.

Ben Pauling’s gelding is now in the veteran stage of his career and hasn’t been seen on a racecourse since May 2024. It looks pretty clear from his CV that he hasn’t been able to take much racing, having had just 17 career starts, six of which he has won.

The ability is there, as is his record at this track, which reads 2-2. Both those wins came in this race in 2022 and 2023. They also both came when he was fresh, as is the case here and I’m sure Pauling will have him as fit as he can to do himself justice.

Admittedly, he’s higher in the handicap than for either previous success but given that his career best came when we last saw him as a nine-year-old, he may still be capable of defying a 5lb rise.

Easy Newbury winner Lord Baddesley looks a danger and Royal Jewel is another with claims but I’m going horses for courses here.

Ascot tip 1: Your Darling (Ascot, 14.00) – 1pt win @ 2/1 (William Hill)

Ascot Partners Handicap Hurdle (14.35, Ascot)

I put up FORTUNE DE MER when he was declared at Cheltenham last week but trainer Dan Skelton took him out of the race on the day, on unsuitable ground.

For all the reasons I gave last week. His trainer is a past master at getting one ready for the County Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival and he’s already said of this horse that the plan is to line up for that next March.

He’ll know that getting into that race off his current mark of 124 may prove a little tricky (last season’s bottom weight ran from a mark of 127), so a win here should ensure he will get a run and then, you can imagine he’ll either turn up fresh in March or, perhaps, off the back of just one more prep run.

He showed a touch of class with his Grade 2 win at Cheltenham (good to soft; first-time hood) last month and if he’s to win a County Hurdle, then he ought to be going very close here.

Ascot tip 2: Fortune De Mer (Ascot, 14.35) – 2pts win @ 6/4 (bet365)

Ladbrokes Best Odds Guaranteed In Racing Handicap Chase (15.10, Ascot)

This looks an interesting staying chase, with Vision De Maine, All Authorized and Safe Destination all potentially well treated but with prices that reflect that. Montregard is another who arrives in form but I’d like to take a chance here with AWAYTHELAD, who is 14/1 on horse racing betting sites at the time of writing.

The odds on offer reflect the fact that he was pulled up on his reappearance at Cheltenham (3m1f, good to soft) last month, when jockey Gina Andrews reported that he stopped quickly.

He’s won one of his seven chase starts, over a similar trip and on good to soft at Southwell. His record is one of inconsistency and he has been known to shrug off a lesser effort with a good one in the past.

He’s had a month or so off since that reappearance and I’m hoping he can bounce back here and get involved at the business end, at a working man’s price. His best form suggests that he is still on a very competitive mark if close to that level.

Ascot tip 3: Awaythelad (Ascot, 15.10) – 0.5pts each-way @ 16/1 (Ladbrokes)

Racing To School Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Chase (12.07, Catterick)

Locally-trained WASTHATOK is completely unexposed over fences, having just had one previous abortive attempt when trained by Kerry Lee.

He stays well on the Flat and, after a summer campaigned in that code, he’s switched back to this one in good style, being placed over hurdles at Wetherby (2m5½f, good) and then romping him by more than six lengths at Newcastle (2m4½f, good to soft) last Friday.

Trainer Phil Kirby will have him well prepped for this return to jumping the bigger obstacles and if he gets anywhere near that recent hurdles win in terms of form here, he could be thrown in off a mark of 94.

Catterick Tip: Wasthatok (Catterick, 12.07) – 1pt win @ 2/1 (bet365)

Responsible Gambling

If you plan to have a bet on Friday’s racing, make sure to gamble responsibly.

It’s vital that bettors take steps to remain in control of their time and budget when using gambling sites. The same applies whether you’re using the best betting sites, slot sites, casino sites, casino apps, or any other gambling medium.

Even the most knowledgeable racing punter can lose a bet, so always stick to a budget and never chase your losses.

It’s particularly important not to get carried away by any betting sign up offers or casino offers you might receive, both of which are available in abundance on gambling sites, but must be approached with caution.

You can stay in control by making use of the responsible gambling tools offered, such as deposit limits, loss limits, self-exclusion and time-outs.

You may also want to visit the following free organisations to discuss any issues with gambling you might be having:

• NHS Help
• GamCare
• Gamblers Anonymous

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