Ascot stages a fantastic afternoon's racing this Saturday, where all eyes will be focused on Champion Hurdle favourite Binocular.

Nicky Henderson's exciting four-year-old is already 7/2 favourite with me for next year's hurdling showpiece and showed he is a class act when destroying a top class field at Aintree last season after finishing runner-up at the Cheltenham Festival.

He proved his well being on his seasonal debut at Haydock where he didn't come off the bridle against inferior rivals and quickened clear without breaking sweat in the hands of Tony McCoy.

He faces the acid test when he lines up against reigning Champion hurdler Katchit as well as the improving Crackaway Jack in the 1.40, but if he is a real champion in the making he must surely take all the beating on a track which ids sure to suit.

The day's big betting race is the Ladbroke Handicap Hurdle (2.45) where the weights are headed by David Pipe's much talked about Champion hope Ashkazar.

The four-year-old proved himself one of the top juveniles of last season when giving weight away and finishing second to Crackaway Jack in the Fred Winter at the Cheltenham Festival and word from Pond House is that he has improved significantly during the summer.

He looks sure to run a big race, but giving weight away to some classy rivals will prove no easy task.

One's that catch my eye are Gary Moore's Numide and in particular Philip Hobbs' ex French gelding Belcantista who won impressively on his first start in this country and has sneaked into the handicap off only 10st 6lb.

He has been backed off the boards ante post and looks good each-way value.

The other big race on the Ascot card is the Long walk Hurdle at 2.1- where Nicky Henderson plans to run both his World Hurdle hopes Punchestowns and Duc de Regniere.

Both look sure to run big, big races but tough Ascot specialist Lough Derg will ensure that they have to fight all the way to land the spoils and at around 14/1 could be a bit of value.

Bolton will be looking to get back on the winning trail against Portsmouth on Saturday, and they are 6/5 with me to make home advantage count and bag all three points.

The Wanderers have a good record against Portsmouth - especially at home - and will be hoping that Johan Elmander can terrorise the away side's defence.

Elmander, who has really impressed me this season, is an 11/2 shot to hit the back of the next first ahead of team mate Kevin Davies at 13/2.

Pompei, who are 9/4 to win the game, will be looking to Peter Crouch and Jermaine Defoe to get on the score sheet but they could find things difficult against a stubborn Bolton defence.

As a result I fancy Bolton to win what promises to be a hard fought game by the odd goal, and Elmader to score first and a 1-0 victory looks tempting at 33/1.

It was final confirmed this week that former Bolton boss Sam Allardyce was to take over the reigns at Blackburn and as a result I have opened up a number of specials and make him a 1/2 shot to turn around Rovers and keep them in the Premiership.

The interesting bet though at 11/4 is that Big Sam will swoop in the January transfer market and sign a Bolton player.

Rumours are rife that he could have his sights on signing one of his former players and it will be interesting to see what materialises in the coming weeks.