ITV horse racing tips and best bets for Ascot and Haydock on Saturday, January 17
We thought it would be best to let you know that Sport News Blitz’s horse racing tipster Jeff Mexico is one of those strange people who has no sauce on his bacon sandwiches. No red, brown, yellow, white or black (Worcestershire sauce, if you were unaware). Just bacon and bread. What a crazy world we live in.
Hopefully, this doesn’t put you off wanting to find out Jeff’s tips for this weekend’s action from the seven races ITV are showing at Ascot and Haydock.
The telly schedule includes the juicy Grade 1 Clarence House Chase from the Berkshire track as well as the Grade 2 Warfield Mares’ Hurdle, while up in the North West there’s a Grade 2 and 3.
ITV horse racing tips and best bets for Windsor, Market Rasen and Newcastle on Friday, January 16
After picking out a couple of winners on his debut, Sport News Blitz horse racing pundit Kieran McHugh returns.
ITV have offered up seven races this Friday afternoon, which is our pundit’s lucky number, and he is thus hoping for a magnificent seven.
The greatest horses owned by JP McManus in British & Irish National Hunt racing
Billionaire owner JP McManus started 2026 by appointing former champion jockey Harry Cobden as his retained rider from May.
It’s certainly a bold statement from McManus, filling a role that hasn’t been taken since Barry Geraghty retired in 2020. And before that, AP McCoy held the position, so Cobden has huge boots to fill. There is also a slew of top-class horses for him to mount.
Here, Sports News Blitz reveals the greatest JP McManus horses to shine at the Cheltenham Festival, Aintree, Punchestown and beyond.
Horse racing news: Who will replace Harry Cobden as Paul Nicholls’ retained rider?
Former champion jockey Harry Cobden will become JP McManus’ number one jockey in Britain and Ireland from May.
Sports News Blitz’s racing expert, Kieran McHugh, explores the question on many people’s minds - who will replace him at Ditcheat?
Romantic Warrior and Voyage Bubble go head-to-head as Ka Ying Rising returns
Romantic Warrior and Voyage Bubble have both been entered for the HK$13 million (approx. £1.2m) G1 Stewards' Cup (1 mile/1600m), while superstar sprinter Ka Ying Rising is set to return in the G1 HK$13 million (approx. £1.2m) G1 Centenary Sprint Cup (6f/1200m) on 25 January at Sha Tin.
Horse racing news: Harry Cobden announced as retained rider for leading owner JP McManus
Former champion jockey Harry Cobden has been announced as the new retained rider for JP McManus from May onwards.
Cobden will hold the position of number one jockey to McManus in both Britain and Ireland, writes Sports News Blitz racing expert Kieran McHugh.
Horse racing tips and best bets for the King’s Plate Festival in South Africa
Oisin Murphy features as South Africa’s finest descend on Kenilworth racecourse this weekend - with a place at Breeders’ Cup at stake.
Sports News Blitz’s Kieran McHugh offers his suggested tips for the three Grade One races featured at the King’s Plate Festival, including the 165th running of the main event.
The three Grade One races are all part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series, giving the victors a guaranteed starting spot, in their respective races, at Keenland in the USA.
ITV horse racing tips and best bets for Warwick, Kempton and Fairyhouse on Saturday, January 10
A new betting year is upon us and Sport News Blitz’s horse racing tipster Jeff Mexico has emerged from his self-imposed festive exile in the bins behind the BetFred in Penzance.
ITV have served up a whopping 10 races for Jeff to get his grubby mitts on this Saturday afternoon, so forgive us if he starts to lose interest after about seven tips. He’s easily distracted.
There’s five from Warwick, including a Grade 2 and 3, four from Kempton, which also has a Grade 2, and finally a Grade 2 from over the water in Fairyhouse.
New World Pool fixtures from Australia, South Africa, UK and Ireland for 2026
World Pool’s 2026 fixture list will feature a host of new big race days from Australia, UK, Ireland and South Africa.
World Pool’s new spate of fixtures will kick-off in South Africa little over a week into the new year, when 10 races on King’s Plate Day from Kenilworth on 10 January will be commingled for the first time.
A further new South African addition to the fixture list will see races on H F Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes Day (7 March) from Turffontein part of World Pool in Q1.
Horse racing news: After making history yet again, where next for Japanese star Forever Young in 2026?
It’s fair to say that Forever Young is Japan’s new idol horse.
But what lies ahead for Yoshito Yahagi’s history-making five-year-old in 2026? Sports News Blitz’s Kieran McHugh explores.
Horse racing tips for Kempton’s evening card on Wednesday, January 7
Making his debut for Sport News Blitz, horse racing pundit Kieran McHugh finishes the first week of the new year with his first set of tips.
With a new year’s resolution of trying to end the season in profit, he’s hoping it doesn’t go the way of many people’s gym memberships – down the pan.
Horse racing news: Rivals renew feud as Galopin bids for history again
Galopin Des Champs and Inothewayurthinkin are the headline acts of the 33 entries for the Cheltenham Gold Cup on March 13, a rematch of last year’s big clash.
A further 21 Irish trained horses are entered, with the ‘Emerald Isle’ bidding to make it a tenth victory in 11 years in the race, writes Sports News Blitz horse racing expert Kieran McHugh.
However, there is optimism that Great Britain can reclaim the coveted trophy, despite being outnumbered.
Horse racing news: World Pool posts strong growth in 2025
World Pool turnover on overseas races, that is those meetings internationally commingled from outside Hong Kong, grew by 20% in 2025.
The total amount bet into the Hong Kong Jockey Club-powered pools across 57 overseas racedays in 2025 totalled HK$9.3bn, up from HK$7.8bn in 2024.
2025 also saw a new record set for the highest single race turnover for World Pool bet types. Ka Ying Rising’s appearance in The Everest saw betting surge to a total of HK$83m, smashing the previous high of HK$66.2m wagered on the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes in 2023 when Hong Kong sprinter Wellington lined up.
Myretown heads William Hill Half A Mill Classic Chase betting
Lucinda Russell and Michael Scudamore’s Myretown heads the betting for Saturday’s William Hill Half A Mill Classic Handicap Chase at Warwick. Last seen when falling at Newbury on his seasonal bow, the Ultima winner will be looking to get his campaign back on track in the latest William Hill Half A Mill bonus race.
Horse racing news: Constitution Hill 3/1 to win on the Flat in 2026
Constitution Hill can be backed at 3/1 with William Hill to make a successful switch to the Flat in 2026, having fallen on his last three starts over hurdles.
The former Champion Hurdle winner is 3/1 to win a Group or Graded race on the level at any point in the new year.
The leading bookmaker’s popular ‘Horses To Remain Unbeaten’ market is back as well, with Hong Kong’s star sprinter Ka Ying Rising heading the betting at 2/1.
ITV Boxing Day horse racing tips and best bets for Kempton, Ascot and Wetherby on Friday, December 26
Boxing Day has always been the traditional day for a full programme of football action, so typically the Premier League has stuck two fingers up at that tradition and scheduled just one match, which means many will turn their attention to one of the biggest days in the National Hunt calendar instead.
Sport News Blitz’s horse racing tipster Jeff Mexico has been camped outside Kempton Park since last Tuesday, dressed in his usual festive gear – a pair of camouflage shorts, a boob tube and some winklepickers. He likes to emit ‘stay well clear of me’ vibes.
On top of four races from Kempton, three of those Grade 1s, he has also picked selections from the G1 at Aintree and the G3 at Wetherby. Good luck.
Horse racing news: Il Est Francais given query rating by Timeform
Timeform have handed last year’s King George runner-up Il Est Francais a query rating (?) ahead of his bid to go one better in this year’s Boxing Day feature, meaning Tom George’s seven-year-old is considered out of form and cannot be assessed with confidence.
Il Est Francais was imperious when winning the Kauto Star Novices’ Chase on Kempton’s Boxing Day card two years ago, beating a high-class Hermes Allen by 11 lengths and looking like one who could dominate the staying chase division for years to come.
ITV horse racing tips and best bets for Ascot and Haydock on Saturday, December 20
Sport News Blitz’s horse racing tipster Jeff Mexico nearly drowned this week. His local swimming pool is currently playing Christmas hits over the PA system and after hearing Shakin Stevens’ hit “Merry Christmas Everyone” for the umpteenth time, Jeff decided not to come up for air after his 27th length of punishing but elegant butterfly.
Luckily Jeff got a life-saving kiss from a nearby unspecified gendered lifeguard. It was the most action he’s had since 2001. To celebrate another weekend on this mortal coil, Jeff has tips for the six races on offer this Saturday afternoon – four from Ascot, including the Grade 1 Long Walk, and two from Haydock to keep the northerners happy.
Hong Kong heroes Romantic Warrior, Ka Ying Rising and Voyage Bubble star at Sha Tin
Hong Kong’s big three, Romantic Warrior, Ka Ying Rising and Voyage Bubble turned on the style at the Hong Kong International Races at Sha Tin on Sunday, all successfully defending their Group 1 crowns from 12 months ago.
Andre Fabre claims a record-breaking fourth win in the LONGINES Hong Kong Vase with Sosie
In the week he celebrated his 80th birthday, Andre Fabre became the first trainer to win the HK$26 million (approx. £2.5m) G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Vase (1m4f/2400m) four times, as Sosie surged to success under a cool and confident Maxime Guyon.