Saturday horse racing tips: Vincenzo and Apple Away can shine at Ascot

A fine weekend of horse racing action lies ahead.

Our resident tipster, Paul O’Brien, delivers his best ahead of the meets at Ascot and Haydock.

This six-year-old gelding has placed in all of his last three starts, and he took a big step forward last time out on January 13 at Warwick, jumping through into second place two furlongs out.

He gave his all to challenge the favourite Diamond Ri but was no match for him at the finish. That said, Vincenzo was well clear of those behind and the third place in that race, Tap N Go Leo, has won comfortably since.

For this novices hurdle at Ascot quite a few of Vincenzo's rivals are suffering from handicap penalties for having previously won races, so if he has a repeat of his Warwick performance he should break his maiden tag today.

She was second last time out over the same distance, where she tried to lead off the front but only succeeded in giving the winner, Grey Dawning, a beautiful tow throughout the race.

The seven-year-old mare was a remote second, 14 lengths behind, but nothing else came close. Prior to that she won a novices race by 31 lengths, and the second place has also won since at Newbury. Trained by Lucinda Russell who's had a whole month to prepare for this race, Apple Away is reunited with jump jockey Derek Fox, who won with her at Leicester on December 13.

Killbeg King should present the greatest opposition today after it came third last time out at Kempton on Boxing Day, but still everything points to Apple Away coming away with a win in a race that looks easier than her last outing.

Fell on his penultimate start at Ascot when he was in second, four lengths back from Victtorino. The seven-year-old gelding followed this up with a second place chasing home Victtorino again and was narrowly beaten by 3/4 length.

The increase in distance of an extra 4f 97y today may ask questions of his stamina but at the last outing he finished strongly which suggested there was more in the tank. He's been upped three lbs for that last performance but that shouldn't prevent him from being in the fray again.

Favourite in this race, Iron Bridge, will take a lot of beating but Yeah Man is well worth a punt.