Sandown and Haydock Saturday Preview and Tips – DS
Sandown and Haydock Saturday Tips
I was extremely worried that we were going to have a shocker on Friday after our first three bets. Suanni was too keen, Nuvolari blew the start and Heavey didn’t stay. Ryan Moore bailed us out in the B365 mile though. He gave Lights On a peach to ensure we landed a nice 14/1 winner. We are back over the jumps on Saturday for the last big UK NH meeting of the season at Sandown. Hopefully we can finish on a high, check out Dave Stevos’ Sandown and Haydock Saturday preview below.
1.50 Sandown – Novices’ Handicap Hurdle (Class 2)
You could make a case for quite a few of these. The likes of Knappers Hill and Whizz Kid both hold obvious claims but they are priced up accordingly. At huge odds, maybe Zacony Rebel can outrun his odds for Toby Lawes and Tom Cannon. This son of Getaway was a wide margin winner in a Novice hurdle on his last run at 16f at Ludlow. It was a weak enough race but the 3rd home, 17L behind Zacony Rebel in receipt of 10lbs, is now rated 112 after going close in a pair of maiden hurdles subsequently.
Lawes’ charge previously ran into 2nd on his handicap debut at Huntingdon (16f gd), beat 1.5L by Restandbethankful off 124. Prior to that run, he won a Fontwell Novice over 17f (gd/sft) so clearly, he is most effective at around 2 miles. He was pulled up on soft over 19f at Ascot in a valuable handicap two runs ago and he didn’t stay the 21f trip on better ground at Kempton last time.
Zacony Rebel returns to handicaps off a mark of 125, just 1lb higher than when 2nd at Huntingdon. His trainer has had two 2nds and a 3rd from his last three runners so his string is in decent form and Tom Cannon is 9/59 for the yard, including a win aboard this fella. Lawes is based just 20 miles down the road from Sandown and he has freshened this horse up since his last run. I think 33/1 is far too big and at those odds, a small e/w interest is advised.
Sandown and Haydock Saturday Tips: Zacony Rebel e/w @ 33/1 (4 places)
2.05 Haydock – Great Shevington Handicap (Class 2)
The one I like at nice odds here is the old boy Oh This Is Us. Now a 9yo, this grand servant remains a very useful sort on his day. He has a propensity for popping up at big prices and hopefully Saturday is one of those days. This son of Acclamation is in off a mark of 93 today, 8lbs lower than he was for his last handicap win at Chelmsford and 12lbs lower than he was for his last turf handicap win at Chester.
He scored twice last season in races a lot hotter than this one. He landed a Listed contest at Ascot in April (8f gd/fm) and two runs later he lowered the colours of the 114 rated Century Dream in an Epsom G3. At Redcar in October he ran a super race in a Listed contest over 7f, beat only 0.75L by Azano under a penalty. He was only a short head behind the 116 rated Motakhayyel, to whom he was conceding 5lbs.
Richard Hannon’s charge has had four runs in 2022, all in handicaps. He has failed to hit the frame in any of them but the return to 7f and Haydock gives cause for hopes of a revival. Oh This Is Us has run here twice before, finishing 2nd in a handicap off 109 and winning a Listed heat, both on quick ground. Tom Marquand is back on board and he has eight wins aboard this fella. Off a mark of 93, Oh This Is Us has to be worth backing each way.
Sandown and Haydock Saturday Tips: Oh This Is Us e/w @ 20/1 (4 Places Coral) nb
2.25 Sandown – Oaksey Chase (Grade 2)
Just the four will go to post for this Grade 2 run over a trip of 22.5f. They all have questions to answer. Mister Fisher is an inconsistent sort who was pulled up last time. Erne River fell on his last run and Saint Calvados continues to flatter to deceive. Nuts Well is probably the most solid option as he ran well last time but just didn’t stay. However, I’ll be keeping my wallet in my pocket for this race. No bet.
Sandown and Haydock Saturday Tips: No Bet
3.00 Sandown – Celebration Chase (Grade 1)
Another small field and another no bet race. Nube Negra and Greaneteen will be delighted that no Irish raiders have travelled over. I’d probably prefer the Nicholls horse of those two given his course form. Sceau Royal is another C&D winner and he is an admirable horse. He ran a cracker last time at Aintree and back in trip on good ground, he could be a danger. Rouge Vif is unreliable and Sky Pirate looks to be punching above his weight. Hopefully this race is a good spectacle but I’m happy to leave it alone.
Sandown and Haydock Saturday Tips: No bet
3.32 Sandown – Bet365 Gold Cup Handicap Chase (Grade 3)
Lord Lariat won the Irish National for us at 80/1 but I am convinced that if he had stood up, Domaine De L’Isle would have gone mightily close for us at Aintree at 125/1. Sean Curran’s charge can get detached in his races but in the National he was well in touch when unseating Harry Bannister at the Chair in what was a pretty soft incident. He just pitched Bannister forward on landing and he couldn’t hold on.
He is in off 4lbs lower today and Brian Hughes takes over in the plate. The last time he rode, this horse won well at Cheltenham (26f gd) off 144. Since then, his best run came when a staying on 4th in the Becher, the race that convinced me he was a National type. I have no doubt that this horse has a nice pot in him and it is going to come in a staying race like this.
Hughes is 2/3 on this horse and in six rides for Curran he’s finished outside the first three just once. He’ll be keen to cap off an outstanding season by landing this valuable contest. The form of Curran’s recent runners is a slight concern but this fella looked in rude health at Aintree just 2 weeks ago. Hopefully he is in similar form at Sandown and if he is, he can run a massive race at odds of 20/1.
