Weekend National Hunt Early Preview PT 1

We are just past the declaration stage for this weekend’s National Hunt racing action on Saturday and there is a lot to like about the graded contests that are set to unfold at both Ascot and Haydock Park. 

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It goes without saying that the second seasonal attempt of Sprinter Sacre is the big story heading into the Saturday and the sole Grade 1 contest of the day should prove to be no disappointment. The Sodexho Clearing House Stakes is a really interesting race that boasts some solid prices right now with Sprinter Sacre not exactly considered the favourite here with Paul Nicholls Dodging Bullets getting the edge from the bookmakers across the board here. 

Punters will find him trading as a general 6/4 while Sprinter Sacre is trading as high as 2/1 with some bookmakers but tends to be found closer to 7/4 or 15/8. 

Dodging Bullets comes into the race off his big Grade 1 victory in the Tingle Creek Chase when he finished well ahead of Somersby and the rest of the talented field. He deserves the respect and you also have to assume that punters will be a bit lukewarm on Sprinter Sacre because he doesn’t really need to win the race and it is clearly just a workout to get him in better form as we are about two months from Festival time here. 

It should be noted that Dodging Bullets is also unraced at Ascot and it will be interesting to see if he can move forward here and take to the track itself.

Sprinter Sacre was pulled up in the Desert Orchid against Sire De Grugy in a race that saw him go off at a very short price tag. He disappointed punters that day, not looking up to it, and will be going into this race with question marks over top of him.