We head to Ascot this Saturday for our Big Saturday Race and free Tip.

It's early in the jumps season which makes these big race previews trickier than usual as the fitness of horses can only be taken on trust. Evan Williams has a good chaser on his hands in Annsam and hopefully he is straight enough to run a big race today.

Annsam landed a valuable handicap chase over course and distance last season and can go in again. He stays well and won a three-mile handicap hurdle race at Newbury as well as a 3m chase here. A 5lb higher mark might not be enough to prevent this horse winning with the nice ground a positive. Like many in here this is there first race back for the season, so fitness is taken on trust. This race has proved a good prep and trial race for the upcoming Coral Gold Cup which has been renamed from the Ladbrokes Trophy at Newbury. Annsam is only a 7yo and has bagged two wins from six runs over fences.

The Alan King trained Major Dundee should go well off a rating of 132. He finished third when we had him onside in the Scottish Grand National last season on just his fourth chasing start. That was a big run for a novice chaser in such a competitive race but I would have concerns regarding the three mile trip on nice ground today. In the end I sided with Annsam with Major Dundee one to remember for the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury next month.

Ascot – 3:15

0.5 point each way Annsam 9/1 William Hill 5 places else 17/2 Skybet 5 places.

Compare Odds at https://www.oddschecker.com/horse-racing

Best of Luck,

Nicky