ITV will have a bumper card of eleven live races this Saturday with action from Sandown’s Scilly Isles Chase Day, day one of Musselburgh’s Scottish Cheltenham Trails meeting and the opening day of the Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown.
- 12:55 Sandown: Virgin Bet Daily Extra Places Novices’ Handicap Hurdle – Bollin Thou @ 5/4
- 1:10 Musselburgh: bet365 Scottish Triumph Hurdle – Made U Blush @ 6/1
- 1:25 Sandown: Virgin Bet A Good Bet Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase – Rip Wheeler @ 6/1
- 1:43 Musselburgh: bet365 Scottish County Handicap Hurdle – Williethebuilder @ 7/2
- 2:02 Sandown: Virgin Bet Every Saturday Money Back Handicap Chase – Martator @ 12/1
- 2:20 Musselburgh: bet365 Scottish Champion Chase – Traprain Law @ 6/1
- 2:40 Sandown: Virgin Bet Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase – Kitzbuhel @ 5/6
- 2:55 Leopardstown: Goffs Irish Arkle Novice Chase – Romeo Coolio @ 4/9
- 3:10 Sandown: Virgin Bet Heroes Handicap Hurdle – Hartington @ 4/1
- 3:30 Leopardstown: Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup Chase – Affordale Fury @ 9/1
- 3:42 Sandown: Virgin Bet Masters Handicap Chase – Mr Vango @ 6/4
The opening live race on Saturday is a novices’ handicap hurdle at Sandown over two and a half miles. Nick Scholfield’s Bollin Thou has barely broken sweat when winning three time in just over four weeks since the end of December and should well enough treated here to justify favouritism.
Musselburgh’s first live race of the day will be the Scottish Triumph Hurdle. Gavin Cromwell’s Secret Force didn’t do himself justice when finishing back in fourth in the November Meeting’s Triumph Trial but our preference is for Dan Skelton’s Made U Blush who won a fillies’ juvenile maiden hurdle at Doncaster last month with ease.
Gary and Josh Moore’s Rip Wheeler was never at the races last time out at Wincanton but has otherwise had a strong start to the season and is our pick in the Novices’ Limited Handicap at Sandown.
Last year’s winner and runner-up in Welsh Charger and Afadil are near the top of the market in the Scottish County Hurdle. However, Christian Williams seems to be getting a tune out of Williethebuilder since his switch from Dan Skleton’s yard in October and can continue his good form with another result here.
A 1m7½f handicap chase at Sandown is next before Musselburgh’s big Saturday race in the Scottish Champion Chase. Paul Nicholls’ Insurrectionsecured a resounding 16l win in the Frodon Handicap Chase at this meeting and will improve from his run finishing third at the track on New Year’s Day. The same can be said for last year’s winner, The Kalooki Kid, who was two further places back in that same race. At the likely odds it might be better to side with Lucinda Russell and Michael Scudamore’s Traprain Law who has been extremely consistent this term so far.
The Grade 1 Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase has Willie Mullins’ Kitzbuhel, who won the Kauto Star Chase at Kempton, as the pre-race favourite ahead of Gordon Elliott’s talented mare Kala Conti. Fergal O’Brien’s Sixmilebridge was very impressive when winning at Cheltenham in November with Stuart Edmunds’ Miami Magic hoping not just to make up the numbers in what should be an interesting contest.
Just three runner will line up in the Irish Arkle in what looks like a match between Gordon Elliott’s Romeo Coolio and the Willie Mullins runner Kargese. Henry de Bromhead’s Downmexicoway completes the field.
Sandown’s Heroes Handicap Hurdle is one of the big betting heats of the day. Last year’s winner, Red Dirt Road, is making his seasonal reappearance here and has only run once since that victory when pulled up at Uttoxeter in March. As such, this will be a tough ask. Last year’s runner-up, Henri The Second, heads the betting but our selection goes to Hartington for Joe Tizzard who finished a distance back at Windsor on New Year’s Day but looked promising at this level when second in Haydock’s Stayers’ Handicap Hurdle back in November.
The Irish Gold Cup looks like the most exciting jumps race of the season so far with plenty of big names in contention, none less that Willie Mullins’ Galopin Des Champs who is looking for a record-equalling fourth win. Gaelic Warrior, Fact To File and Inothewayurthinkin all have question marks over their course form but the same can’t be said for Savills Chase winner Affordale Fury who is our each was pick.
The 3m Masters Handicap at Sandown is the final live race of the day, can Midlands Grand National hero Mr Vango Carry top weight to victory again? We think Sara Bradstock’s tough ten-year-old has every chance.