TONY CALVIN: TODAY’s ITV DETAILS at Huntingdon, Kelso and Cork – and all copy now in here

1.15pm Huntingdon – 14/1 Time to shine back over 2m

This handicap is only one of three of the nine ITV races on Sunday to offer each way 1,2,3 betting and, as far as 0-125 handicaps go, it’s a decent enough contest.

I thought the initial 20s, in several places, about Time Interval was interesting.

It clearly was as, coming back to the race after watching a superb Bulls-Bordeaux match, the best price around was 14s.

I managed to get a score each-way (I knew I couldn’t go through a Saturday without a horse racing bet, however modest…)

The 14s is still available in two places, and obviously acceptable if you want to follow me in for a song and a dance. It’s my only bet of the day, and indeed my only horse racing bet of the weekend.

Thin gruel.

The firm offering four places go a laughable 7s.

He is only David Dennis’ third runner since October but he obviously has a small string and he is actually an impressive seven from 23 this season, and his Time Interval is expected to benefit from a drop to the minimum trip again after a probable non-staying effort over 2m5f (on soft) at Cheltenham last time.

The handicapper dropped him 2lb for that and the expected soft ground will hopefully be okay for a horse that handled deep ground well on the Flat; indeed he won on heavy at Goodwood.

Granted, all his best hurdling form has come on good to date.

1.30pm – 7/2 Skuna Bay primed to go well on chase debut perhaps

The ground at Kelso is already soft,  and the weather could get very tasty from midday, with 11mm forecast from thereon in.

So, with that in mind, a five-runner 2m7f novices’ handicap chase in deteriorating ground doesn’t make a great deal of appeal.

However, I would say that Skuna Bay has a fair bit going for him at [7/2], for all this is his chase debut.

A mark of 120 looks fair on his hurdles form – he won from the front over 2m7f on soft ground at Bangor last month – and I imagine this ex-pointer will look to do the same here.

The pace map below suggests he should, anyway.

1.45pm Huntingdon – De Kingpin may skittle these from the front, but there are question marks

I also have De Kingpin down as potentially getting a solo in front here, and I can see him going close as a result, for all he is hardly a safe betting conveyance.

And initial prices ranging from 2s to [11/4] on Saturday afternoon were hardly a gift.

But at least he has drifted to [10/3].

I still haven’t backed him, though.

He gets into this 0-110 courtesy of the handicapper dropping him 3lb to a mark of 111 after his Ffos Las chase debut/reappearance (beaten a long way in the end), and that gives him chances on his soft-ground hurdling form.

This is only his second start over fences, so he is entitled to have learned from the Ffos Las run, and there is plenty of stamina in his pedigree (he is a half-brother to Hennessy winner Sizing Tennessee) for this 2m7f+ test.

The stable form wouldn’t put you off, either.

Fern Hill is a NR (maybe 15p Rule 4).

2pm Kelso – De Legislator is the right favourite at 4s

Another National enters stage left – in this case, the 4m Scottish Borders version – and four of the 11 runners are priced between 4s and [11/2].

There is no earthly chance of me having a bet in this marathon test, set to be run in the rain on already deep enough ground, but I can see why De Legislator is the jolly at 4s.

He is a course winner, who handles heavy, and is race-fit after a win at Ayr  on his return.

The 4m trip is an unknown, but Peter Scudamore is on record as saying he is a long-distance chaser in the making – and I guess we will find out if he is right here.

2.15pm Cork – Kalypso possibly has less of a chance than 5/4 quotes suggest

I wouldn’t profess to have any sort of handle on Irish form – I admire those who can keep a meaningful trace on racing on both sides of the sea, unless they are spoofing – but it seems to me that Kalypso’chance is plenty short enough at odds between evens and [5/4].

Sure, he was a good bumper horse – he went off the [5/2] favourite at the Cheltenham Festival, only to disappoint – and he did it well over 2m4f on heavy (it will be heavy over hurdles here – with 13mm forecast throughout the day) in a Grade 3 over 2m4f at Navan on just his second hurdle start last time, having been beaten at 5s-on first time up. And Gordon Elliott is going along at a good strike rate considering the number of runners he has.

He could well relish the step up to 3m but he is unproven over it and he also carries a 6lb penalty for that Grade 3 win, and all four of his rivals (none of which is bigger than 10s) all have their chances against him at these weights.

Yes, [5/4] would not be for me.

2.37pm Kelso – There are reasons to think Tommy’s Oscar may run better here

A cracking 75k 2m1f handicap chase and another race in which the market has a cramped look, with five horses priced between 4s and 6s if you shop around (one firm has the range of prices on those horses as between 7/2 and 11/2, the generous souls).

I have no strong betting opinion but Tommy’s Oscar continued his way down the slippery handicap ladder with a poor run at Wetherby run last time (down to just 143, having been rated 157 after an Ayr win in April 2024) but maybe deeper ground and first-time cheekpieces, allied to that falling mark, could see him bounce back.

The two-time course winner is best at 9s, though two points bigger win-only to the usual minimum liquidity (£7 quid…).

2.50pm Cork – Majborough 4/6 on his return

Another five-runner race but four of them are rated 160 and above, and the Hilly Way marks the return of the exciting Majborough.

The 5yo clearly has the most potential of these, and from a very high base already, but most of us are guessing as t0 how straight he is for his comeback – as ever , the late market could tell all – and it could be very hard work for the seasonal debutants if they get the forecast rain (though the chase course is better than the hurdles’ track).

And he does have a 10lb Grade 1 penalty, with the odd jump to worry his backers, too.

Not a betting race for me, but the Cork card as a whole looks very good, with something for everyone.

Slop merchants need only apply by the looks of it though, especially the hurdlers.

3pm Huntingdon – 3/1 Sam could be another for Ed (a kinder line than Saint for the sinner…)

Friday’s 4s and the Saturday afternoon [7/2] may have gone, but I’d still argue that the 3s about Saint Sam remains a fair enough bet in here.

I can only envisage a scenario in which he leads (see the pace map comments below) and he may well stay there, with 2m4f and soft ground near an ideal combo for him.

He is only 3lb shy of last year’s impressive winner and [4/5] favourite Djelo on official figures , and he has a superb record when fresh, and it is the pace set-up that leads me to summise that he is the best bet at 3s for those that want an interest.

I haven’t backed him as I can’t access the remaining 3s, but I would have if I could have…

The Willie Mullins stable could just be rolling into top form again after a quietish spell, while owner Ed Ware has a decent band of NH horses this season.

Harry Cobden is 4 from 7 for Mullins in the UK (admittedly, 0 from 3 in Ireland).

3.15pm Kelso – Static could come in for support at 11/2

I’ve had enough with this no-bet early (very early) Sunday morning stuff – the Ashes coverage in the background is doing my head in, but at least it is the last over before lunch as I type this – so I’ll not keep you long.

However, I do actually think Static is a fair price at the general [11/2], as he has heavy ground form , he ran plenty well enough at Huntingdon last time in a first-time hood (retained here), and he has winning claims off this mark.

And I imagine he may well be ridden with a touch more urgency here, following that Huntingdon eye-catcher from off the pace.

Go well, today.

England have just made it lunch without losing a wicket, btw.

TODAY’S ITV DETAILS

HUNTINGDON

GOING: Soft, good to soft in places

Going Stick: Chase: 5.4; Hurdles: 5.3 (6.30am, Sunday)

Sunday morning course update: 1mm of rain yesterday. Forecast: Cloudy with some forecasts suggesting spells of rain during the late afternoon.

Weather (yr.no latest as 6am):  1mm Sunday (starting midday)

KELSO

GOING: Soft

GOING STICK: 4.4, Saturday 10am (was 4.9 on Thursday)

Sunday morning course update: Partly Cloudy. Dey overnight. Sun 7th RACEDAY: 9c overcast with sunny spells and chance of a rain showers later in day 2-5mm possible

Weather (yr.no latest as at 6am):  11mm through Sunday (starting midday)

CORK (unfortunately Cork’s update on HRI site this morning is for Punchestown, not Cork)

Current going (from a reader) – Chase: Soft; Hurdles: Soft to heavy

6 December 11.38am – Following 15mm of rain, Cork is now soft, soft to heavy in places (Hurdle) & soft, yielding to soft in places. Dry today with possibilty of scattered showers overnight (2-3mm approx)

Weather (yr.no latest at 6am):  13mm throughout Sunday, starting 6am

FIRST-TIME HEADGEAR STATS (ITV races)

Jonjo and AJ O’Neill cheekpieces; Trapista, 1.45pm Huntingdon; 45-314 (14.33pc; -56pts at SP) – includes Jonjo stats

Nicky Richards cheekpieces; President Scottie, 2pm Kelso; 10-56 (18pc; +15pts at SP)

Ann Hamilton cheekpieces; Tommy’s Oscar, 2.37pm Kelso; 2-10 (20pc; +10.5pts at SP)

PACE MAPS (manually assessed)

1.15pm Huntingdon: Bluegrass, Don’t Mind If I Do (prominent), Clap Of Thunder, Benvoy, We’re Red And Blue, Time Interval

1.30pm Kelso: Skuna Bay (likely leader though a couple of others can race prominently)

1.45pm Huntingdon: De Kingpin

2pm Kelso: Cadell, Diamond Dealer

2.15pm Cork: Kalypso’chance, Quantum Quest, Barra Rua

2.37pm Kelso: Matata, Saint Segal, Traprain Law, Homme De Guerra

2.50pm Cork: Majborough, Energumene, Found A Fifty

3pm Huntingdon: Saint Sam (Djelo hasnt made it since December 2023, and Edwardstone last went from the front in the 2024 Champion Chase)

3.15pm Kelso: Spectacularsunrise, Bel Amigo

TRAINERFORM (manually assessed)

Good: Stuart Edmunds, Charlie Longsdon, Charles and Adam Pogson, Bailey and Nicholls (very good), Gordon Elliott (going very well), Emmet Mullins (smallish sample but very good, with four winners), Joseph O’Brien, Donald McCain (another good winner on Saturday), Evan Williams, Tom Lacey, Ben Pauling

Fair: Alan King. Nigel and Willy Twiston-Davies, Neil Mulholland, Paul Nicholls, Willie Mullins (a very good Saturday though), Dan Skelton, John Patrick Ryan, Russell and Scudamore, Mickey Bowen, Nicky Richards, Olly Murphy, Ian Williams, Jane Williams (no winners though), Nick Alexander

Moderate: Michael and David Easterby (few have gone okay), Ben Case, Sarah-Jayne Davies, Venetia Williams, Henry de Bromhead, S Crawford, Sandy Thomson (very welcome 22-1 winner on Saturday), Chris Grant (7-2 winner on Saturday), John McConnell, Gavin Cromwell (33-1 winner of an academy hurdle on Saturday, so not really a proper race…)

Don’t know: Jo Davis, Jonjo and AJ O’Neill, David Dennis (had a very good season though), Chester Williams (very small sample but good), Jonathan Sweeney, Stuart Coltherd, Ann Hamilton, Dianne Sayer