Free horse racing tips TODAY: ITV racing best bets at Ascot, Haydock and Newbury including 12-1 shot in Betfair Hurdle

AFTER a week off, The Weekend Punt is back and looking to follow up 9-1 and 4-1 winners a fortnight ago.

Our man Jack Keene has picked out his best bets on ITV and is hoping to fire in a few more nice-priced winners.

Mamma mia, what a humdinger of a weekend this is going to be. Ascot, Haydock, Newbury. Bring it on.

It’s not the greatest renewal of the Reynoldstown you’ll ever see but still a fascinating little betting heat – and SEVARANO (1.50 Ascot) looks the play.

He had been mighty impressive on his first to starts over fences, scoring in gutsy fashion at Sandown first time out before a wide-margin win at Exeter (although in fairness that race did fall apart).

He was well-fancied for a strong novice handicap at Newbury off the back of that, but his race was over before it had really begun, as he slipped on landing after the first, badly lost his position and was always fighting an uphill battle from then on.

He wasn’t far behind De Machine giving him 8lb that day, and he re-opposes off levels on Saturday.

He is top-rated in the field and there are major question marks over most of his rivals. Hurricane Harvey has a penalty, Kalooki is error-prone and it remains to be seen if Full Back or Remastered have actually beaten anything of substance.

If Oliver Sherwood has managed to get Sevarano’s confidence back at home he should take plenty of beating, especially on ground he loves.

At Haydock, ITCHY FEET (2.05 Haydock) is a fascinating contender switched back to timber in the Rendlesham Hurdle.

He was a high-class novice earlier in his career, finishing third in a Supreme, and he went on to win Grade 1 honours in the Scilly Isles over fences last season.

He has run with credit in three outings over fences this term, but in an attempt to get his head back in front Olly Murphy has reverted him to the smaller obstacles (he used a similar tactic to great effect with Brewin’upastorm).

This horse has long shaped as though the step up to three-miles would be well within range, as he has been strong at the death over 2m4f-2m5f.

He is rated just 4lbs inferior to reigning Stayers’ Hurdle champ Lisnagar Oscar, and he receives weight from each of his main market rivals.

He will be ridden patiently off a likely strong gallop and this Grade 2 could well fall into his lap in the closing stages. Even if there isn’t a pace meltdown, he has the class to turn this field over.

I’ll also be setting a few quid aside for a punt at Newbury’s Sunday spectacular.

I was really quite keen on Sceau Royal in the Game Spirit (3.00 Newbury), but the uncertain weather forecast is giving me the yips.

If the course avoids any significant rain and the ground remains in the Good to Soft range, then I suggest you UNLOAD if there is still some 4-1 available. He gets weight from Greaneteen and will be far too slick for Champ.

So at time of writing (late Friday afternoon), the one bet I’ll be committing to is EDWARDSTONE (3.35 Newbury) in the Betfair Hurdle.

Ah, Edwardstone, we meet again. I’ve long been a fan of this horse, and he hasn’t won half as many races as he should have, given his ability.

He has a Rolls-Royce engine under the bonnet and goes on any ground, though much like Sceau Royal he would ideally prefer the rain stayed away.

He carries a 5lb penalty for his easy win at Market Rasen, but he has long looked the type to win one of these big-field handicap hurdles, especially on a flat track like this.

There is still scope for improvement after just six starts over hurdles, there should be bundles of pace for him to aim at and trainer Alan King can do no wrong this winter.