The winter is almost behind us and we have some fantastic jumps action to look forward to this spring – check out our Saturday Racing Tips ahead of the card at Kempton, Newcastle and Southwell.
Saturday Racing Tips: Kempton, Newcastle and Southwell, Feb 22nd 2025
However, the Flat also goes up a gear and this weekend is a significant marker because the Winter Derby is upon us at Southwell and that is the best race on the level this year so far. Two of the last three winners of that feature have gone on to win Group 1 races.
Saturday Racing Tips: Choosethenews (2.10 Newcastle)
This is one of the longest races on the calendar, taking place over a marathon 4m1½f and the key to winning will be stamina so step forward Choosethenews, who looks sure to stay well. The Mark Walford-trained eight-year-old simply loves Newcastle. He has a win and two seconds from three starts at Gosforth Park and was a big eyecatcher when second over 2m7½f at the course last time, when he finished a place ahead of the reopposing Lord Roco.
Choosethenews became badly outpaced at a crucial stage that day and dropped to a well-held fifth at one stage. However, he turned on the afterburners in the final couple of furlongs and finished well to be a never-nearer second, only two lengths behind the winner. That was a strong hint that Choosethenews will be even more effective over a longer trip and he gets the chance to prove that assessment correct here, going more than a mile further. He is unexposed after just seven starts over fences and still looks handicapped to win again.
Saturday Racing Tips: Miami Magic (3.00 Kempton)
This Grade 2 is a cracking race and the most exciting horse in the line up is Miami Magic, who was mightily impressive when winning over course and distance in November. The Stuart Edmunds-trained gelding put 12 lengths between himself and the runner-up that day in a dominant display from the front and has since shown improved form in defeat.
He stepped up to Grade 1 company in the Formby Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree on the back of that victory here last time and ran the top-class Potters Charm to two and a quarter lengths. That is the best form on offer in this weaker race and a reproduction should be good enough. Miami Magic is still open to further improvement after just three hurdle runs and we know that he likes this track, so he rates the banker of the afternoon at Kempton.
Saturday Racing Tips: Champagne Prince (3.15 Southwell)
The biggest race of the Flat season so far and it has thrown up top-class performers in two of the last three seasons, so it will be fascinating to see if there is a Group 1 horse this year. Royal Champion has competed at the top level and sets the standard. However, he will be vulnerable if there is an improver in the line up and Champagne Prince might be just that.
Jane Chapple-Hyam has always held this four-year-old in high regard and we saw why over course and distance last time. He slammed the smart Eydon by two and three-quarter lengths in the trial for this race and produced a big career-best Racing Post Rating to boot. That made it three consecutive peak efforts in a row, so Champagne Prince is clearly going forward quickly, and he beat Eydon further than Persica had managed at Ayr last year. That gives the selection the edge over that rival and he might be capable of making the step up.
By Adrian Mills
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