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A BIG weekend for National Hunt racing, so let’s hope that the weather behaves itself as far north as Haydock Park for race day and as far south as Ascot for a superb card of jump racing at the Berkshire track.

Royal Pagaille has a tremendous record in this mudlarks Grade One at the Merseyside track, but of course there is more to his performances than that. He handles the terrain really well along with the upright fences and it is just a question of whether Father Time caught up with him being aged 11 going on 12 and on top of that, will the ground be soft enough for him to grind out another famous victory? 

I think the answer to those two questions are yes and most probably no. That means it is time for a new name on the winner’s board for this valuable race which once again with £112,000 up for grabs has attracted a paltry field of five. Where is the jeopardy in British racing? Why would you not enter an upwardly mobile Grade Two staying chaser in this event to grab a slice of the prize money if not the winner’s purse with the likelihood that at least one of the main protagonists will run below par.

Grey Dawning is bound to be trained to the bone by the all conquering Skelton camp and this could be his best chance of a Grade One this year, I don’t think the extra quarter-mile up the final climb of the Cheltenham Gold Cup will suit him as much.

But he will have to stave off the even younger brigade of Handstands and Haiti Couleurs. I think the former will have to curb his somewhat free style of running early on to get home even over this sharpish, flat three miles and it is the Rebecca Curtis-trained runner that appeals more. A huge, scopey individual, I loved the way he travelled through his opening race of the current campaign at Newbury and he seemed to pick up quite readily that day when asked for his effort. I feel he could literally fall into the “be anything” camp this season and have already backed him for the Cheltenham Gold Cup at 16/1.

But surely the wholesale value for this race is with the complete outsider STELLAR STORY (3.00). I would ideally have wanted more rain for the Gordon Elliott-trained runner, but I thought he ran well in Grade One events last season when he didn’t have his ground on three out of his five runs. On the other two occasions he beat Search For Glory on his 2024 debut and then pushed the smart Better Days Ahead to a neck at Navan. This will be only his sixth start over fences and if we get the top end of the wet weather forecast on Saturday, then I think double figure odds do him a massive disservice. Let’s hope that the weather people are wrong — again!

The big betting race on the card is the Stayers’ Handicap Hurdle at 2.25 and my eyes first closed up on Navajo Indy, who shaped as though this extended three miles would be well within his range when staying on powerfully to close down French Ship to three lengths at Cheltenham last month over two-and-a-half miles. His breeding suggests that this extra half-mile should be well within his range and I make him the biggest danger to my selection HARTINGTON. 

Sean Bowen’s charge is coming from the same style run as the Tom Symonds’ runner in that he too is stepping up to three miles for the first time, but all of his three previous runs over two-and-a-half have strongly suggested he will relish it, including a neck win over good yardstick Florida Dreams at Carlisle last time out off a mark of 119. Raised to a mark of 122 here and with a lovely racing weight and of course the Champion Jockey booked, it all adds up to a massive run likely at double figure odds.

Of the other shoulder races, MASKED MAN (12.08) won’t be much of a price in the opening Grade Two novice hurdle following an emphatic win at Chepstow. I also marked him up for that 12 lengths success as he wrapped three hurdles and still came home full of running. The runner-up, Blue Carpet, has since come out and cemented that form with a resounding eight length win at Wetherby and the third home Doctors Hill looked likely to win at Fontwell Park before getting rid of Ben Jones two out.

Later on, ESCAPEANDEVADE (12.40) can finally get rid of the bridesmaid tag by landing the two-mile handicap chase. He jumped superbly on his comeback run when a beaten favourite behind Highlands Legacy at Worcester and remains well treated off a rating of 121 if putting in a similar round of fencing.

At the back end of the card, course specialist Famous Bridge will have his work cut out to lump 12 stone to victory in the extended three-mile handicap chase on his opening run of the season and there are several runners set to receive plenty of weight that makes more appeal. There looks sure to be plenty of pace on here mainly through Wetherby winner Konfusion set to try and make all, but I am not sure he will see it out around here with several pressers set to take him out of his comfort zone. 

The nod goes to the strong staying WHISTLE STOP TOUR (3.35) from the Lucinda Russell/Michael Scudamore school of staying chasers. He was hauled into the deep end of the Festival Trophy at the Cheltenham Festival, but couldn’t hack that class rise, but being aimed at the Grand National this term he surely has to win a race of this nature to enable him to rise up the ratings to have a chance of making the Aintree field. Fit and ready to roll following two runs this autumn, I fancy this should be his peak run before the turn of the year.

The big event at Ascot is the Grade Two 1965 Chase and all roads to the prize here surely lead to course specialist PIC D’ORHY (1.30) especially as he should be race fit from a fine second in the Charlie Hall behind Djelo. He should get a lovely tow through here from the King George runner-up and French raider Il Est Francais. I shall also be keeping a close eye on Arkle Chase winner Jango Baie with a view to him stepping up further following recent wind surgery and the Festival Trophy being an obvious aim at the Cheltenham Festival.

It is nice to see a field of 12 being declared for the Berkshire National Handicap Chase over three miles and five furlongs and when the initial entries came out for this I immediately thought that ROCK MY WAY (2.05) was made for this race.

This seven-year-old has always shaped as though this kind of test would suit but his breathing has obviously been a problem for him, as he has had two procedures. However, his opening salvo this season when losing a shoe at Cheltenham when in midfield behind the impressive Three Card Brag should have put him straight for this challenge following on from his cracking fifth in the 2025 Scottish National at Ayr. Our Power, fell early in the Grand Sefton at Aintree is now becoming well weighted especially as Dylan Johnston takes 3lbs off his back, while the 10-year-old Credo will be a big player turning for home if able to stay in touch from Swinley Bottom final time around.

All eyes will be on Wodhooh in the Ascot Hurdle as she bids to continue her rise up the timber topping ladder following wins in the Martin Pipe at Cheltenham and then a career best second to Lossiemouth in the Grade One Aintree Hurdle in April. However, I am happy to let her win at around 6/4 and would much prefer an each-way play on CELTIC DINO (2.40) whose success in the Welsh Champion Hurdle has been well and truly advertised to the max by the subsequent winning performances of Greatwood Hurdle runaway winner Alexei.

Boothill probably needs a deal more rain to come anywhere near defying 12 stone and a mark of 157 in the Hurst Park Handicap Chase at 3.15. Further down the weights, though, I am really keen on the chance of TEDDY BLUE (3.15) even though I would probably want a bit more than the 9/2 top price on offer. He looked an improved version when hosing up over the course and distance on the first day of the month and a 4lbs penalty means he could once again be seriously well treated, albeit he is in a much deeper race here.