Horse racing betting tips: Politologue can carry on where he left off

LAST season’s Tingle Creek winner POLITOLOGUE should prove hard to beat when he reappears in the Christy 1965 Chase (2.05pm).

There’s no Altior in this field to outclass the seven-year-old who looked to relish the step up to 2m4f at Aintree in the Melling Chase.

Connections have mentioned possible tilts at the King George and Gold Cup if things go according to plan, so the 2m5f trip should be well within range and the 11/8 with Coral looks worth taking.

On paper, his biggest threat appears to come from Irish raider Min who was a neck behind him at Aintree last year.

However, I’m not sure he definitely wants to go up in trip and a bigger threat may be Gary Moore’s Benatar.

The stable are in red-hot form at present and the six-year-old goes particularly well at Ascot having won here on his only two visits.

Nicholls has multiple entries in the valuable two-mile handicap chase (3.15pm), including the front two in the ante-post market.

Modus brings recent winning form to the party, while Cyrname mixed it in Grade One company last season.

But I’m going to take a chance on another from the same stable in SAN BENEDETO who is set to be partnered by the unstoppable Bryony Frost.

On the face of it, my selection looks to have it all to do to turn it around with Ozzie The Oscar on their recent Exeter running, but there are grounds for optimism.

This time 12 months ago San Benedeto was sent off the 2/1 favourite for this contest from a 5lb higher mark and wasn’t beaten far back in fourth.

He’s had an identical campaign to last season with a pipe opener over hurdles followed by a tilt at the Haldon Gold Cup.

Admittedly, he doesn’t come into this race in quite the same form, but I’m prepared to take a chance at 14/1 with Betfair from a lower mark in a wide-open contest.

POINTERS SATURDAY

Politologue 2.05pm Ascot

San Benedeto e/w 3.15pm Ascot