Seven key runners on ITV Racing from Newbury and Newcastle

UK's first female horse racing caller Dani Jackson on ignoring critics to blaze a trail

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ITV Racing are covering events at Newcastle and Newbury on Saturday in a star-studded day of racing. Cheltenham Festival Constitution Hill is set to reappear in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle, where he will take on stablemate Epatante.

With several wide-open races on the cards, landing the £50,000 ITV7 prize pot will be a tough task for entrants. However, there are some strong favourites almost amongst the selected races. Express Sport shares their picks for the day’s racing…

13.55 Newbury

WALKING ON AIR (7/2) is an unexposed type and could prove hard to beat here if bouncing back to the form that saw him land a novices’ hurdle over 2m in January in taking fashion. West Balboa heads here with a great chance as well for the Skelton yard, though Stage Star did not do his form any favours on Friday.

14.10 Newcastle

Racing fans were starved of star quality last weekend after CONSTITUTION HILL (1/3) was withdrawn by Nicky Henderson due to the ground. The Champion Hurdle favourite reappears here against Epatante in what will be a true test of his character, though the five-year-old should win here.

14.30 Newbury

FIRST STREET (7/2) finished last season in fine form and this could be the ideal opportunity for the gelding to get his head in front. The five-year-old faces a tough task running off of top weight but his form in the Betfair Hurdle and County Hurdle at Cheltenham has worked out quite well. Gary Moore’s Teddy Blue and Grivetana also are in with a shout.

14.45 Newcastle

Tahmuras’ form lines are looking ones to follow this season, and SERGEANT WILSON (13/8) could be the next to frank them. The gelding stayed on incredibly well at Chepstow last time out when finishing third, hanging left late on. If Nigel Twiston-Davies has managed to solve that issue then his four-year-old could prove tough to beat. Sergeant Wilson certainly isn’t a straightforward type but he has potential.

15.05 Newbury

David Pipe’s REMASTERED (15/2) looks set to go close here off a mark of 142, following his success in a Pertemps Qualifier earlier this month at Aintree. The nine-year-old returns to chasing and could gain his comeuppance in this race, having fallen in last year’s renewal when falling four-out whilst travelling very strongly. With race fitness on his side, it would be a shock not to see Remastered thereabouts in the closing stages of this 3m1f race.

15.25 Newcastle

It is easy to forgive the run of L’HOMME PRESSE (13/8) last time out when he felt the consequences of a long campaign. Into Overdrive receives gets 26lb from the favourite, but that may not be enough to tip the balance in his favour and enable the seven-year-old to land the five-timer. L’Homme Presse will be primed for this outing and should be able to assert himself as a Cheltenham Gold Cup hopeful with a victory here off of top weight.

15.40 Newbury

AMARILLO SKY (6/4) stayed on very strongly at Cheltenham when landing a handicap chase two weeks ago, and he is hard to look past here. Joe Tizzard’s six-year-old was raised 4lb for that victory but that may not be enough to stop him back at Newbury, where has performed well previously. Only Money will need to sharpen up his jumping if he is to go close, whereas Bun Doran must bounce back from his poor showing at the back end of last season.

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