2023 Sandown Saturday Racing Preview & Tips – DS
2023 Sandown Saturday Racing Tips
Our Punchestown woes continued on Friday. Aaron’s day started in rear, stayed there then pulled up. Adamantly Chosen was badly hampered and also pulled up. Colonel Mustard at least managed to run a nice race but 3rd wasn’t good enough for place money. We have a mixed day of NH and flat action on ITV tomorrow with the main focus being the jumpers at Sandown. Hopefully we can get back on track, 2023 Sandown Saturday racing tips are below.
1.05 Sandown – Novices’ Final Handicap Hurdle (Class 2)
The flat card at Sandown was abandoned on Friday due to false ground after heavy rain. Fortunately, there are no issues with the jumps course, though the conditions will be unseasonably soft. Killaloan is one of the market leaders at around 5/1. He’s won his last three, a maiden and then two handicaps off 112 and 118.
He beat Bertie’s Wish off levels last time at Ludlow (16f sft) and while he did it easily, I’m not sure the Jennie Candlish horse should be nearly 8x his price at 40/1. Her 5yo son of Fast Company is now 7lbs better off with the Nicholls horse and I think he could finish a bit closer this time.
His two wins have come going left handed at Sedgefield but he hung right on both occasions. He hung right again last time out when 3rd at Chepstow and the return to a right handed track today should elicit some improvement. The yard is in good form, it is Brian Hughes’ only ride on the card and at odds of 40/1, Bertie’s Wish is worth backing e/w.
2023 Sandown Saturday Racing Tips: Bertie’s Wish e/w @ 40/1 (5 places)
1.40 Sandown – Celebration Chase (Grade 1)
Jonbon will attempt to sign off for the season with another G1 win in the Celebration Chase. He justified very skinny odds in fine style at Aintree last time (16f sft) and he is a former C&D winner. El Fabiolo is the only horse to beat him this season and it’ll be interesting to see how he gets on against the more experienced campaigners here.
Greaneteen likes it here and he’ll be more at home now going right handed. He hacked up in this last season but it was a weaker renewal. When everything is right with this horse he’s a 170 performer so if he is at his best, it’ll take a serious run from Jonbon to beat him.
I’m a big Editeur Du Gite fan but he is a real Cheltenham specialist. Captain Guinness has found just Energumene and Blue Lord too good the last twice and he may have to play second fiddle again today. Funambule Sivola has heaps of ability but he has run stinkers on both previous outings at Sandown. Not much value to be found in this race, no bet.
2023 Sandown Saturday Racing Tips: No Bet
2.15 Sandown – bet365 Gold Cup Handicap Chase (Premier)
This is a really tricky race. If the ground was genuinely good Tea Clipper would have huge claims. He was on my shortlist for the Ultima but the rain turned me off him. On good ground or quicker he has a big race in him but unfortunately, conditions may be against him today.
The one we’ll take a chance on at a half decent e/w price is Moroder. It looked like he had lost his way after two below par runs to start the season. However, he bounced back to form in a big way last time, winning a valuable pot at Doncaster off 131.
After he won that his trainer Seamus Mullins said he needed his first two runs badly. He thinks a lot of this horse and the fact that he has plenty of form at Exeter, another right handed track, is a plus. He has won over 30f there too so there are no worries regarding stamina for this 28f trip.
The son of Morozov reeled off three wins on the spin after getting off the mark last term and Mullins has given him plenty of time to get over his Doncaster exertions. Off just 5lbs higher than the last day, Moroder is the e/w selection at 16/1.
2023 Sandown Saturday Racing Tips: Moroder e/w @ 16/1 (5 places) NAP
2.50 Sandown – Oaksey Chase (Grade 2)
Just seven runners and only one priced up at bigger than 10/1. Not a betting race for me.
2023 Sandown Saturday Racing Tips: No Bet
3.05 Leicester – King Richard III Cup Handicap (Class 2)
The ground is heavy at Leicester and one horse that should enjoy conditions is Wobwobwob for Adrian Keatley and Leigh Roche. Roche, interestingly, is over from Ireland and it’s his only ride on the card. He is a fine jockey on front runners and this lad will go on from the start.
This 5yo son of Prince Of Lir’s last win came on soft ground at Catterick back in October off a mark of 82 and he is 4lbs higher today. It looked like he might be in the handicapper’s grip when well beat on his next run at the same track, but he proved he could be competitive off 87 at Redcar on his seasonal return.
In that contest he was up there for a long way and he just got tired late on. Still, he was only 2.75L behind the winner in 4th and with that under his belt, he should be able to sustain his effort for longer today. He tried a mile back in 2021 in a hot race on heavy and didn’t get home but he is a stronger horse now. His last Leicester run saw him finish 3rd off 87 over 7f. Off a pound lower, hopefully he can go one place better than that at odds of 12/1.
2023 Sandown Saturday Racing Tips: Wobwobwob e/w @ 12/1
3.25 Sandown – Josh Gifford Novices’ Handicap Chase (Class 2)
Nine run here and it is hard to make a convincing case for any of the outsiders. Gloire D’Athon is possibly overpriced at 11/1 given his course form but the worry is that the handicapper might have caught up with Sarah Humphrey’s charge. If anything is going to spoil the party for the market leaders it could be him but odds of 11/1 aren’t big enough to tempt. No bet.
2023 Sandown Saturday Racing Tips: No bet
3.45 Haydock – Racing TV Handicap (Class 2)
I fancied Witch Hunter to run big in the Lincoln off 101 but he hated the ground. Six days later he proved he was on a decent mark, finishing a head behind Diligent Harry (rated 108) at Newcastle off level weights. He had the 108 rated Annaf and the 105 rated Mums Tipple in behind so it wasn’t surprising to see the handicapper hike him up to 108 after that run.
Richard Hannon now steps him back up to 7f and returns him to turf. He hasn’t won on grass yet but he has placed twice on good to soft, including in a Listed heat at York as a 2yo. With showers forecast at Haydock it will likely be similar conditions today and Alec Voikhansky’s 5lbs claim means he is just 2lbs higher than when beat a head over today’s trip at Lingfield in February. At 16/1, Witch Hunter is the e/w selection.
