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Saturday ante-post tips: brace of 20-1 chances among five bets

Last Updated: Tue 20 Oct 2026

After an 8-1 winner in last week's antepost preview, Nic Doggett turns his attention to Saturday's action at Cheltenham and Doncaster.

Last year’s William Hill Futurity Trophy was run in heavy ground and Aidan O’Brien relied on a three-pronged attack which eventually finished in the reverse order that the market suggested they would, with Hawk Mountain beating Action and Benevenuto Cellini.

The headlines earlier this week were focused on O’Brien leaving 11 in this year’s renewal (1.30), but I don’t suppose we are likely to see more than three as he bids for a record-extending 13th winner in the race; it doesn’t strike me that winning the British Trainers’ Championship is top of his agenda, especially on a weekend where he often dominates the French Group Ones at Saint-Cloud.

"The plan at the moment is for Noble Exhibit to go to Doncaster," O'Brien said on Monday. "Wall Street is only a possible for this weekend, we won't know until the middle of the week. Capability Brown could go to the mile race in France."

One horse not mentioned there is 10-1 chance GIANT SEQUIOA, but I’m prepared to take a chance at those odds on the one-time favourite for the Derby who was a lacklustre sixth in the National Stakes when last seen six weeks ago. Clearly not himself that day (low-level virus in the yard at the time), the Futurity Stakes winner looks sure to improve for a greater test of stamina as his dam Pink Dogwood was a heavy-ground winner over this trip at two and went on to be second in the 2019 Oaks, while his uncle Latrobe won the 2018 Irish Derby.

Giant Sequoia beat stablemate Florida Bay earlier in the season

There’s plenty of rain around at Doncaster which should help make this a real test, and he shapes as if that will suit. Clearly, very testing ground would be an unknown, but he has a rounded action, and his dam was at home in the mud, so there is hope on that front.

The last domestic Group One of the season could be a good opportunity for him to bounce back from the National Stakes (as Haffner - who was one place behind him - did when stepped up to this trip for the Royal Lodge). Like nearly all the Ballydoyle juveniles this week, he has an entry in France (Criterium International), but he hasn’t gone round a bend yet on the racecourse proper and it would surprise me if connections decided to try him around that tight turn first time around a bend/away from the Curragh.

The following William Hill Remembering Sue Wright Prospect Stakes (2.05) presents a good opportunity for connections to sneak a nice bit of late-season black type, and two fillies catch my eye: ANGELS PASSING and BELLE OF THE BALL.

Angel’s Passing made a promising start when flung straight into listed company at York on her debut back in May, and made no mistake under a positive ride when winning at Hamilton three weeks later. The form of that three-runner race isn’t amazing (rivals rated in the 70s), but the way she quickened clear (whilst hanging) was impressive and I thought she ran better in the Lowther last time than her finishing position suggests, not given a hard time once beaten.

There aren’t many better at placing their horses when the mud is flying than Kevin Ryan and she looks a big price despite having something to find on the figures; expect a more positive ride for a filly who already looks ready for seven furlongs.

Kevin Stott spoke to Racing TV after Angels Passing's Hamilton win

Belle Of The Ball clearly has plenty of ability but looked too headstrong on her first few starts, even when winning over five furlongs on soft ground at Cork.

Far from disgraced in a first-time hood when fourth to Sun Goddess in the Airlie Stud Stakes, she then looked much more tractable when third in listed company at Naas when last seen in July. That form is strong (first two have since won in this grade) and the return to softer conditions will certainly suit this Mohaather filly who hits the ground hard.

Only a few firms have priced up at the time of writing, but the sponsor's prices look a little out of kilter (20s and 40s), with the next-best 12-1 and 20-1 more representative of the fillies' chances.

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Plenty of attention this week has been on the National Hunt season kicking into gear, so for my other bets I’ll head to Cheltenham rather than Newbury (where I do think Aegean Prince will be extremely hard to beat in the BetVictor St Simon Stakes at 2.35).

The weather look pretty miserable all over Britain in the lead up to Saturday’s racing, so I think conditions could turn pretty testing, but that shouldn’t harm the chances of FOLLOW YOUR LUCK in the William Hill Each Epic Boosts Novices' Limited Handicap Chase (1.10).

Patrick Neville has always been underestimated when sending his horses down to Cheltenham, and this strapping five-year-old could go under the radar despite winning three of his last four. He only had to beat one horse (who ran around on the run in) at Perth last time, but I’m not sure that ground was ideal and I like how he rallied late on. His earlier third there looks very solid form and, with this softer ground likely to suit, and two wins at Sedgefield suggesting he should handle this venue, he looks overpriced for his in-form trainer at 20-1.

Carl Millar spoke to Racing TV after Kashchei's Downpatrick win

Finally, KASHCHEI has two options on Saturday, but it might make sense for connections to try and spring a surprise from a light weight in the Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle (Pertemps Hurdle Series Qualifier) at 2.20 rather than try to compete with some very progressive rivals – including Prix Du Cadran seventh Mr Hollywood - in the earlier novice hurdle.

“Looks well worth a try at 3m” suggests the Timeform report for his staying-on second on good ground at Clonmel at the start of this month, where the emphasis on speed didn’t suit. He’s 6 lb higher here (form solid at a low level) but is taking on a lot of exposed rivals whose main focus may be finishing in the first four to qualify for the final.

Winners of these qualifiers are now guaranteed a place as long as they are within the required weight range come the Festival. 127 was the bottom weight in the most recent finale, so he would need to improve a little to get in, and that could start here, especially if this becomes a slog in the mud. The 20-1 looks too big.

Saturday selections

1.20 Cheltenham (William Hill Each Epic Boosts Novices' Limited Handicap Chase)

FOLLOW YOUR LUCK each-way at 20-1 general

1.30 Doncaster (William Hill Futurity Trophy)

GIANT SEQUIOA win at 10-1 general

2.05 Doncaster (William Hill Remembering Sue Wright Prospect Stakes)

ANGELS PASSING win at 40-1 William Hill, 20-1 bet365

BELLE OF THE BALL win at 20-1 William Hill, 12-1 Unibet

2.20 Cheltenham (Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle)

KASHCHEI each-way at 20-1 with bet365 and William Hill, 16-1 general

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