Banker horse racing tips from Sporting Life and Timeform team for Saturday March 11

Although the scene outside my window currently resembles a Christmas card, meeting Wolverhampton means a real change of pace, flat season isn’t far away and I’m on my side INGRA TOR prove too strong for the field, most of which have been out all winter.

He won for the first time last year and then ran to an even higher level in his next two starts, narrowly coming to Nationwide with a Kempton rookie who could hardly have run better and then a competitive 3-year sprint Handicap in Newmarkets Guineas won meeting. He disappointed after that but the fact that he was sent off in his next two games at York and Newmarket with just 7/2 and 11/2 shows just how strong that form was early in the season.

He has been on the gelding since the last race which could be a positive, helped by the noticeable booking of Andrea Atzeni and stable three should see him through a race where there is no shortage of pace. He has a BHA mark of 88 to defy, but I would expect him to be rated closer to 100 by the end of the year.

Stuart Williams has had a brilliant start to the month and I thought his new acquisition DUBAI STATION made a perfectly respectable debut for the court at Wolverhampton on 11 February when he finished fifth of seven – beaten by under four lengths.

Stuck at the bottom that day (sent off at 7/2 co-favourite) he never had much of a chance as the horses dictating the pace had it between them, but the handicapper took another pound off him.

His only AW handicap win, now rated 92, came out 95 at Chelmsford last May and there’s no doubt he should be happier with six furlongs after enjoying most of his better days on this longer journey has enjoyed.

A rival renewal of the Lincoln process, but I’m surprised to see it ALREBH Trading at double digit odds given his record on an artificial surface (21251121) and the fact that he clinched a career best win last time out at Southwell.

He had mostly been contested with six and seven stadia since joining those connections, but he enjoyed the return to a mile, traveling comfortably throughout and always finding enough when challenged by the runner-up near home .

That performance suggests Alrehb will have no problem hitting a longer mile, especially at this sharper track, and he should have that run to fit as well as there’s plenty of pace on paper. He’s gained 4 pounds but he’s certainly a horse to be positive about in all weathers.

There must be doubt that at the time of writing Sandown continues with a track that is wet in places but if the Esher course passes its inspection at 8am on Saturday then Metier will have strong claims in the Imperial Cup. Harry Fry, a 12-length Class 1 Tolworth hurdle winner by course and distance in 2021, is 3-3 when it comes to heavy hurdle clearing, even if he picked up a valuable prize of just one at Lingfield Four pounds heavier last season and his win his outstanding racing style will stand him in good stead as it proves all but impossible to compete from the pace here on Tuesday.

It’s easy to forgive his two starts after his November Handicap success, first being outclassed behind Constitution Hill in the Christmas Hurdle and then having to return to the flat after a 6 week absence. The latter should have put him on point for that, and with Sean Bowen boasting a 4-6 record on board, he’s making plenty of appeal with an 8/1 overall.

Two wins from two starts this season, just a small 3lb rise in his mark and first-time booking of Oisin Murphy should ensure Berkshire Phantom exits well supported at 3.15 at Wolverhampton, but dive a little deeper and Golden Passport looks to have much more convincing claims. The Ed Walker colt finished 2022 with a win over distance and distance but it is his return to third place at Newcastle that makes him of particular interest here.

He might have only finished third that day, but he formed best over the stiff Newcastle mile, dropping at least 6lbs to all his rivals, and the day’s winner, Imperial Ace, has been in a race again since won who looks in very strong shape. A drop to seven furlongs from a seemingly generous opening level of 80 looks like just the ticket for Golden Passport, and he’s a confident pick.

‘Always support the Venetia Williams-trained runners when the mud flies’ is one of the most widely used racing clichés, but as with most clichés, there’s a truth behind it and Easy As That certainly seems to be enjoying the predicted proving ground at Sandown.

That said, Easy As That would jump with form claims regardless of underfoot conditions and should prove itself a class above in a race that fared quite poorly. He looked like a very smart hunter with impressive back-to-back victories at Haydock and Newcastle, so a BHA mark of 142 shouldn’t pose problems for a horse who wouldn’t shy away from his place in judged company.

Lac de Constance is the only rival with similar tiered claims and they come off with a very disappointing performance here making the up and coming Easy As That a good bet at current odds of 6/4.

There are signs HUDSON DE GRUGY finally gets to grips with the fences and looks back on a dangerous lane on his favorite course in the Betfair Daily Multiples Offer At Cheltenham Novices’ Handicap Chase.

Gary Moore’s horse started life over fences with a mark of 133, thanks to a string of hurdle races including three wins at the Sandown Proving Grounds, one with a 130 handicap. He’s down from 123 here after fighting in novice hunts , but a first sight has perked him up at Lingfield where he was third at close quarters last time after a seven-week break and form is already looking good after second came out and won at Ludlow.

That should have prepared him very well for a tilt in this light weight pot, and Moore has a great record in novice handicap chases at Sandown (7 out of 29 at 24.14%).

Hopefully Navan’s Saturday card gets the green light (7:30am inspection) and if so, Slip of The Tongue will find plenty of appeal in the valuable Novice Handicap Hunt. A listed hurdle winner last year, it has taken him a while to find his way over the fences this season but he did much better than before finishing third behind Grandero Bello at Gowran last time out.

He was bred to be suitable for this type of trip, is very much the type to do better in handicaps, has received a grade of 132 which looks more than fair for his hurdle form and is being driven by a promising 7 lbs -Contender supported.

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