Each week, our betting offers expert, Del Pugh picks several big races from the upcoming weekend meetings and briefly looks at the big hitters and the current ante-post favourites in each. 

This weekend Ascot hosts the Clarence House Chase and Bet365 Chase, while over at Haydock, the Peter Marsh Chase is the feature race on the card.

Bet on the top races with bet365, who have improved their welcome bonus to Bet £10 Get £50!

Looking for more racing bookies? Check out our horse racing betting sites page.

 *Odds are correct at the time of publication and subject to change.  Start times are for UK.

The Clarence House Chase takes place at Ascot on Saturday, with six runners taking on the 2m 1f trip and facing thirteen fences. According to bookmakers, this is set to be a two-horse race with Jonbon and Energumene battling it out.

Jonbon (8/11) goes in as favourite, with Nicky Henderson's charge looking for a fifth consecutive victory and to go one better than last year's edition, when second to Elixir De Nutz in the rearranged race at Cheltenham. He has looked strong in two runs this season, winning the Shloer Chase and Tingle Creek, with Nico De Boinville's ride expected to take another victory.

Nicky Henderson has trained the most winners (6) in this race.

The main threat is Energumene (5/2) for Willie Mullins. Winner of this race in 2023, he returned to action last month after a massive 593-day break to take the spoils in a Grade 2 - Hilly Way Chase at Cork, easing to a 10-length win, ahead of Dinoblue. A question mark remains over his recovery from injury and whether he can still perform at the highest level, but Willie Mullins fancies his chances against the favourite. 

Behind these, Edwardstone (10/1) has a tough task, having finished behind the favourite four times, including the Shloer Chase, when just 2.25 lengths adrift. A second, last time out in the Desert Orchid Chase was decent enough but also shows that he may not have enough to trouble Jonbon.

Boothill (16/1) finished just 1.5 lengths adrift of Jonbon in the same Shloer Chase contest, but will not receive the 2lbs weight advantage from that race, while conditions will also swing in his opponent's favour. Libberty Hunter (16/1) and Unexpected Party (66/1) complete the field.

Clearly a two-horse race, with conditions likely to suit the favourite. Energumene has plenty of class but I do wonder if this has come too early for him, with Cheltenham likely to see him at full tilt. Jonbon to win and add to Nicky Henderson's record in this race.

The Peter Marsh Chase is a Grade 1 contest at Haydock, with fifteen runners currently declared to take on the 3m 1f test, although this is likely to lessen with conditions expected to be heavy going on the day.

Royal Pagaille (3/1) goes into the race looking to win this contest for a third time in a row, having won in 2021 and 2022. The last two editions have not run due to abandoned meetings, so Venetia Williams' runner has a chance to make history as the most successful horse in the race. he loves this track, having won five of six runs here, including an impressive 2-length win over Grey Dawning in the Grade 1 - Lancashire Chase in November, after a 300-day break. 

Royale Pagaille and Jodami have both won this race twice.

The Sara Bradstock-trained Mr Vango (3/1) offers a very appealing alternative to the favourite, a winner of the Class 2 - London National at Sandown comes in some 27lbs lighter than Royal Pagaille. Besides that victory, there isn't anything unusual to report, with a couple of Class 3 victories, but conditions, the trip and that impressive weight advantage put them in with a shout.

Trelawne (9/2) will be hoping to replicate the Graduation Chase victory here in November when beating Iroko by half a length. A disappointing run in the Howden Silver Cup last month was his first run on good-to-soft conditions, while an improvement is expected with heavy ground likely.

Imagine (10/1) leads the best of the rest, while Gelino Bello and Iwilldoit (both 12/1) have each-way claims at best, with the rest 16/1 bar.

Royale Pagaille will be looking to make history, but I don't believe it will be that easy, especially with the unknown quantity of Mr Vango's potential. Trelawne will also improve when back on suitable ground, so I fancy one of the latter to take the spoils.

The Bet365 Handicap Chase features a field of 14 over this 2m 5f trip, with seventeen fences between the runners and glory.

There are several leading candidates, with Martator (4/1) the current favourite. This Venetia Williams' trained runner won five in a row, including the Grade 3 - Byrne Group Chase at Ascot back in November, beating Issar D'Airy by 1.75 lengths. After another victory three weeks later, he found the step up in class a tougher challenge, finishing third in the Desert Orchid Chase, some 10 lengths adrift of the winner. Has a genuine chance, but much depends on whether he can carry the weight increase.

Kotmask (11/2) beat race rival Scarface in the Class 2 - Howden Handicap Chase last month by 1.75 lengths and comes into the race with his opponent some 3lbs better off, however, that is still 18lbs lighter than the favourite, which could play to his advantage. Before that win, he had finished three times behind Martator, so he has plenty to prove even with the weight advantage improved.

Scarface (6/1) offers a genuine challenge to the favourite and will relish battling Kotmask once more, having exchanged wins between themselves over the last year. The second last time out in the Howden Handicap Chase sees the Moore-trained runner gain a 3lbs advantage this time around and it should be enough to see them fighting for places at least.

Bad (7/1) and Shantreusse (8/1) are the best of the rest, with the former winning just once in fourteen starts, while the latter has not won in nearly three years. 

It's 12/1 bar those, with the winner likely to come from the aforementioned runners, barring a huge surprise.

Martator's form took a minor knock recently, but this field isn't as strong as the Desert Orchid Chase, however, Kotmask and Scarface offer the big threat, with the former in with a chance of turning the formbook around with that huge weight advantage.

How to Claim the Bet365 Bet £10 Get £50 Offer

1. Click 'Go to Promotion' and register with Bet365.
2. Make a £5+ deposit within 30 days of creating an account.
3. Place one or more bets to the value of your first deposit (capped at £10) at minimum odds 1/5.
4. Use your 500% bet credits bonus up to £50.