Another busy Saturday of horse racing action ahead, so be sure to see Andy Newton’s ITV Racing tips and key stats with NINE races spread across Haydock and Musselburgh.
With all the races covered showing on the weekend ITV Racing schedule on Saturday.
Andy Newton’s ITV Racing Tips: Saturday 4th April 2026 📺🏇
- 1:25 Musselburgh – COMIC HERO
- 1:55 Musselburgh – BELLARCHI (e/w)
- 2:12 Haydock – DANCE AND GLANCE
- 2:30 Musselburgh – AL QAREEM
- 2:46 Haydock – BLUE CARPET
- 3:05 Musselburgh – WISE EAGLE (e/w)
- 3:20 Haydock – LE MILOS
- 3:42 Musselburgh – JER BATT
- 3:55 Haydock – BONZA BOY
🏇Haydock Horse Racing Tips: Blue Carpet To Wipe The Floor With Rivals
Haydock Horse Racing Tips
2:12 Haydock – Pertemps Network Challenger Two Mile Hurdle Series Final Handicap Hurdle (Series Final) (GBB Race) Cl2 (4yo+) 1m7½f ITV
DANCE AND GLANCE can ‘rock’ here after having as few months off to get over his last run at Newbury, which came in heavy ground.
Likely to face less demanding underfoot conditions, but there is a bit of rain forecast.
Before that last run had run well to be a close second at Sandown of this mark (120), plus was 5th in the Swinton Hurdle here in 2025 and is only 4lbs higher.
He’s also gone well fresh in the past, so the small time off is a plus too.
Of the rest, the Emma Lavelle yard are in good form and Tashan could bounce back on better ground.
While We’re Red And Blue was a fine third in the Imperial Cup last time and is noted as well.
🥇DANCE AND GLANCE
🥈TASHAN
🥉WE’RE RED AND BLUE
Key Stats 📈
- 5 of the last 6 winners aged 5 or 6
- 7/9 – Finished in the top 3 last time out
- 2/9 – Winning favourites
2:46 Haydock – Pertemps Network Challenger Stayers Hurdle Series Final Handicap Hurdle (Series Final) (GBB Race) Cl2 (4yo+) 3m½f ITV
BLUE CARPET is the call to wide the floor with the others in the second ITV Racing contest at Haydock.
The Dan Skelton yard had a top time of it in the week and also secured their first trainers’ title, but can keep things rolling here with this 6yold.
He’s won two of his last three races and from four runs over hurdles is yet to finish out of the first two.
Is up 7lbs for the last win at Wetherby and might need to brush up his jumping, but looks the sort to have more to come and has had 37 days off to freshen up.
Harry Skelton rides.
Of the rest, Secret Trix won this in 2024 and is a pound lower, while Heather Honey and Secret Survivor are the only other two CD winners in the field.
🥇BLUE CARPET
🥈HEATHER HONEY
🥉SECRET TRIX
Key Stats 📈
- 9/9 – Aged 6 or 7 years-old
- 8/9 – Won at least twice over hurdles before
- 7/9 – Finished in the top three last time out
3:20 Haydock – Unibet Middle Distance Veterans’ Handicap Chase (Series Final) Cl2 (9yo+) 2m4f ITV
Some old faces on show in this veterans’ race – but this could be another for the Skelton’s with LE MILOS.
This 11 year-old was 4th in the race last year off 141 and is 2lbs lower this time.
While last time at Warwick might have got a bit bogged down in the heavy.
Yes, has won in very soft in the past, but I think his slightly better form is on quicker ground.
This is a big pot too, so you feel it’s probably been on their radar for much of the season (wink, wink).
Plus, he’s 7lb better off with Guard Your Dreams, who finished ahead of him at Warwick last time.
Of the rest, Numitor won this in 2024 (is 5lbs higher now) and The Flier Begley took the pot in 2025 (up 7lbs).
🥇LE MILOS
🥈GUARD YOUR DREAMS
🥉NUMITOR
Key Stats 📈
- Dan Skelton has a 26% SR with his chasers at the track
- Both past winners aged 10
3:55 Haydock – JCB Fastrac Handicap Chase (GBB Race) (Class 4) (5yo+ 0-110) 2m4f ITV
BONZA BOY is the call to take the final ITV Racing contest at Haydock on Saturday.
This Jeremy Scott runner was a good winner at Exeter in January and wasn’t disgraced behind a Venetia Williams horse last time at Wincanton (2nd) in heavy ground.
Has had 49 days off since and won’t mind the return to slightly better ground. While the Scott yard often do well here, with a 67% overall SR at Haydock.
🥇BONZA BOY
🥈COUNT ADHEMAR
🥉HEADS OR HARPS
Key Stats 📈
- 3/3 – Returned 5/1 or shorter
🏇Musselburgh Horse Racing Tips: Wise Eagle To Soar Home For Repeat Win
1:25 Musselburgh – Virgin Bet A Good Bet Royal Mile Handicap Cl3 (3yo 0-95) 1m ITV
COMIC HERO is the call to ‘fly’ home here for the in-form Andrew Balding yard, with Oisin Murphy in the saddle.
He will be fitter than most after a recent win at Kempton and the form of that run has been franked since with the second Espanita winning next time.
Of the rest, the Burke (Strength Of Spirit) and Johnston (Vincenzo Peruggia) yards have won this race in the past, so their two runners are noted as well.
The pair met last season at Beverley (Vincenzo Peruggia winning) but Strength Of Spirit has won since and is 10lbs better off this time for around 3 1/2 lengths.
🥇COMIC HERO
🥈VINCENZO PERUGGIA
🥉STRENGTH OF SPIRIT
Key Stats 📈
- 3/3 – winners came between stalls 6-8
- 3/3 – winners carried 9-7 or more
1:55 Musselburgh – Livescore Bet Silver Arrow Handicap Cl2 (4yo+ 0-105) 7f ITV
Midnight Gun, who was 6th in the 2025 Lincoln, will be popular here but despite running well in recent races still heads here having not won in his last seven.
While Persuasion won this in 2025 and is a pound lower, plus Gweedore was 2nd last year and is back off the same mark.
But 9 of the last 11 winners came from gates 4 or lower, with 6 of the last 11 from just 1 or 2.
A War Eagle comes from stall 1, with BELLARCHI has the 2 berth and looks interesting at a price.
This Grant Tuer runner blew away the cobwebs last time with an 8th at Wolverhampton, but was only beaten 3 1/4 lengths.
She also likes Musselburgh, with her last two career wins coming at the Scottish track – the last off this mark of 84.
The yard also boast a solid 23% SR with their 4+ year-olds at this venue and she gets in here with just 8-4 in weight.
🥇BELLARCHI (e/w)
🥈PERSUASION
🥉GWEEDORE
Key Stats 📈
- 9/11 – Drawn 4 or lower
- 7/11 – Aged 4 or 5 years old
- 8 of the last 9 winners stalls 1, 2 or 4
2:30 Musselburgh – Virgin Bet Goliath Cup Stakes (Listed Race) Cl1 (4yo+) 1m6f ITV
AL QAREEM is a useful cup horse in and around this level and on these terms will be hard to beat.
The Karl Burke team are in good form during this early part of the season and being rated 114 has a fair bit in-hand at the weights with the others – despite still having to give 5lbs and 10lbs away.
He was a nice winner of the Cumberland Lodge Stakes at Ascot last season and certainly wasn’t disgraced when third to Trawlerman in the G1 Long Distance Cup – on Champions Day at Ascot last October.
🥇AL QAREEM
🥈MOUNT ATLAS
🥉ROARING LEGEND
Key Stats 📈
- Karl Burke has a 33% (4-12) SR with is 4+ year-olds at the track
- James Owen has a 60% (3-5) SR with his 4+yolds at the track
3:05 Musselburgh – Virgin Bet Daily Price Boost Queen’s Cup Handicap (GBBPlus Race) Cl3 (4yo+ 0-95) 1m6f ITV
WISE EAGLE can soar home again, in a race he won back in 2023.
This Adam Nicol runner took this pot off a 3lb higher mark three years back and also likes it here at Musselburgh.
He’s won at the Scottish track five times and even though he’s now aged 9, heads here having run an excellent third in the Morebattle Hurdle at Kelso last month.
The final plus is the Nicol yard have been amongst the winners this week and also have a solid 36% SR with their 4yolds at this track.
Of the rest, Newbury scorer Moon Over Miami and Gambino, who was third to Constitution Hill (11 lengths) last time at Southwell, are sure to attract interest too.
🥇WISE EAGLE
🥈GAMBINO
🥉MOON OVER MIAMI
Key Stats 📈
- 8/9 – Carried 8-11 or more in weight
- 7/9 – Didn’t win last time out
- 1/9 – Winning favourites
3:42 Musselburgh – Virgin Bet Scottish Sprint Cup Handicap Cl2 (4yo+) 5f ITV
Last season American Affair won this and went into land the G1 King Charles III Stakes at Royal Ascot – so it just shows how open the sprint division is at the moment.
The horse that was third that day JER BATT is back for more too and is rated 7lbs lower this time.
Yes, he’s a horse that does seem to like coming third – with bronzes from his last six runs.
But this 6yold also seems to act well here at Musselburgh with a 1st and 3rd here, while the Baron yard also won this in 2023 with Zarzyni.
His last win was back at Haydock in 2024, but that also came off a 2lb higher mark to suggest this 6yold is starting to look well-treated.
10 of the last 13 winners came from gates 8+ too, so stall 9 is a positive. While 70% of the last 10 winners were also aged 6 or younger.
The horse has also had a wind op since his last run and will have Saffie Osborne doing the steering for the first time.
🥇JER BATT
🥈TROPICAL STORM
🥉ETERNAL SUNSHINE
Key Stats 📈
- 10/13 – Drawn 8 or higher
- 7 of the last 10 winners aged 6 or younger
- 3/13 – Ridden by a claimer (3 of the last 10)
