Super Saturday Racing Tips By Dave Stevos
Super Saturday Racing Tips Sandown and Leopardstown
It was another struggle for us last weekend, unfortunately. Cool Mix ran better than his finishing position suggests and he is worth keeping an eye on. Mister Whitaker didn’t stay and needs to drop back in trip on better ground. I thought House Island ran a blinder, despite still showing signs of greenness. When the penny drops he is going to be a proper horse. The Dublin Racing Festival starts at Leopardstown today and it is a mouth-watering card. The fare at Sandown isn’t half bad either! Check out Dave Stevos’ free Super Saturday racing tips below…
Super Saturday Racing Tips: 12.50 Leopardstown – Novice Hurdle (Grade 1)
As far as Saturdays go, you don’t get much better than this if you are a racing fan. First up at Leopardstown is a cracking 22f Grade 1 Novice Hurdle. Latest Exhibition is a horse I like and he has huge potential. He is short enough today though and you would be better off backing him at double figure odds for Cheltenham. If he wins this, which he could well do, he will go off much shorter. Fury Road and the favourite Elixir D’Ainay look his biggest threats, but I like one at a bigger price.
Cobbler’s Way looks a fascinating runner for Henry De Bromhead. He is a trainer that does really well at Leopardstown, and this fella won here over 20f at the Xmas meeting. The Big Getaway was travelling all over him from 3 out but Cobbler’s Way hung in there. The Mullins horse made a bad mistake at the last and Cobbler’s Way won, but De Bromhead’s charge quickened nicely after the last flight and shaped like further might suit. That race has produced two wide margin maiden winners and the form looks decent. At odds of 14/1 Cobbler’s Way is the e/w pick.
LEOPARDSTOWN SATURDAY TIPS: COBBLER’S WAY E/W @ 14/1
Super Saturday Racing Tips: 1.25 Leopardstown – Dublin Chase (Grade 1)
Things just get better in the second race of the day at Leopardstown, a 17f Grade 1 Chase. If this race was pay per view there would be plenty of subscribers. Four of the best 2 mile Irish chasers go toe to toe in this and it will be some spectacle. Chacun Pour Soi (rated 169), Min (rated 171), A Plus Tard (rated 165) and Cilaos Emery (rated 165) will line up at the start and it is a mouth watering line up.
However, 4 of the 8 runners are trained by Willie Mullins and that is far from ideal. That gives him a big advantage tactically, but on paper at least there ought to be lots of pace. I think that will suit the forgotten horse of this race, Ordinary World. He ran really well here last time to grab 3rd behind A Plus Tard and Chacun Pour Soi. Henry De Bromhead’s charge loves Leopardstown and has only finished out of the first 4 once from 8 starts there. He’ll need a couple to underperform, but at 100/1 he should give small stake e/w backers a run for their money.
SUPER SATURDAY RACING TIPS: ORDINARY WORLD E/W @ 100/1
Sandown Saturday Tips: 1.50pm – Betway Hurdle (Listed)
Only five runners and prices look correct. No bet for me.
SANDOWN RACING TIPS: NO BET
Leopardstown Preview: 2.00pm – Arkle Novice Chase (Grade 1)
Only 7 will go to post for this race, but it will be a very informative contest. Notebook is the favourite after his win over Xmas, but I believe Fakir D’oudairies is the better horse. Notebook beat him here last time, but the tactics employed on Fakir were hard to fathom. He proved his stamina for 20f when winning in scintillating style when racing prominently at Fairyhouse. Samcro may have fallen before push came to shove, but it was still a superb performance.
At Xmas, Mark Walsh rode Fakir with restraint and it disappointed the horse. His jumping wasn’t as slick as it was at Fairyhouse and Notebook took full advantage. It was a strange decision to change tactics and Mark Walsh losing an iron between the last two fences didn’t help matters. I think Fakir has the speed to be effective at 17f and his stamina is not in doubt. Hopefully Mark Walsh lets him roll in front and if he does, I think he’ll win.
LEOPARDSTOWN SATURDAY TIPS: FAKIR D’OUDAIRIES WIN @ 5/2
Saturday Racing Preview: 2.25 Sandown – Scilly Isles Chase (Grade 1)
The Grade 1 action isn’t confined to Ireland this Saturday. The Scilly Isles Chase is a Grade 1 contest for novices run over 20f. Only seven will go to post and for me, this is a race best watched. Laurina is probably the form pick but her run last time was woeful. Good Boy Bobby also has decent form in the book. We were on Midnight Shadow last time, who was a rather fortunate winner at Cheltenham. At a huge price Champagne Platinum impressed me as a Novice Hurdler but his last few runs have not impressed. However, with only 2 places available for each way bets, I won’t be getting involved.
SUPER SATURDAY RACING TIPS: NO BET
Super Saturday Racing Tips: 2.35 Leopardstown – Handicap Chase (Grade B)
I usually relish reading these handicaps but this is a notable exception. It looks an extremely difficult puzzle to solve. Of those at shorter prices, Snugsborough Hall likes it here and connections are hopeful of a big run. However, one that might go well at a bigger price is Allardyce for Eddie O’Grady and Philip Enright. This 8yo is in solid form in recent months, winning 2 of his 3 runs since November.
He ran a lovely race behind Drumconnor Lad here at Xmas in between those victories, finishing 3rd off 116. Trevor Ryan was on that day, but the last two times Philip Enright has been on board this horse has won. He was handed a 5lb rise for his win at Naas in January (16f yld) and he now races off a career high 121. This is his toughest assignment yet but this horse is only an 8yo and could still be on the improve. For small stakes and with 6 places available, Allardyce is the e/w selection at 18/1 in an open race.
SUPER SATURDAY TIPS: ALLARDYCE E/W @ 18/1 (6 Places W HILL)
Super Saturday Racing Tips: 3.00 Sandown – Handicap Hurdle (Grade 3)
I tipped up Coole Cody in this last year and I fancy him again. This horse loves heavy ground and it was soft when he ran so well here in 2019. A 9yo son of Dubai Destination looks like this has been his target and he arrives off 131, 6lb lower than last season. He has had three runs this term and his best came at Uttoxeter off 133. He went down by less than 2L that day in 3rd and he is now 2lb lower.
Coole Cody just bumped into a better handicapped horse last season in this race. He beat the rest handily enough and he has won off 136 in the past so off 131, he looks better treated this time around. Nick Schofield is back on board (rode last year) and he has a fine record riding for Michael Blake. He has 11 winners and 37 top 4s from just 126 rides for the stable. Hopefully he enhances that strike rate today on Coole Cody who is the e/w NAP of the day at 20/1.
SUPER SATURDAY RACING TIPS: COOLE CODY E/W @ 20/1 nap
Saturday Racing Preview: 3.10 Leopardstown – Irish Champion Hurdle (Grade 1)
Arguably the best race of the day, the Irish Champion Hurdle will be contested by a field of 9. Klassical Dream is the only absentee but plenty of quality remains. Honeysuckle puts her unbeaten record on the line and it is her hardest test yet. She has passed the rest with flying colours, but the question remains about her raw speed for 2 miles. It is over a year since her last run at the trip and at the odds she could be worth taking on.
With the ground drying out all the time, I’ll be taking a chance on Aramon. Okay, he ran a dire race last time but he was having his first run back of the season. He was entitled to be rusty and he is a better horse than he showed that day. Sharjah and Honeysuckle will be hard to beat but Petit Mouchoir is far from reliable, Monsieur Lecoq is probably just below this level and Supasundae is a 10yo having his first run back. With drying conditions to suit, Aramon could sneak into the money.
SUPER SATURDAY TIPS: ARAMON E/W @ 25/1
Saturday Racing Preview: 3.35 Sandown – Handicap Chase (Class 2)
The final live race from Sandown on ITV4 is a 3 mile handicap chase. A field of 12 go to post and the one I like here is Diable De Sivola. Gary Moore’s charge ran a nice race at Newbury last time, staying on late over 22f for 3rd. He was 16L behind the winner but he was hampered at the 4th last and only for that he would have got a lot closer.
He has course form in the book, placed off 136 (beat 2L) over 20f. His run last time out at Uttoxeter suggested that 3 miles would suit this 7yo and it will be fascinating to see how he fares. I think he is going to relish it and it could bring about enough improvement to help him hit the frame with Josh Moore keeping the ride. At odds of 8/1 with 4 places on offer, Diable De Sivola is the e/w pick.
SUPER SATURDAY TIPS: DIABLE DE SIVOLA E/W @ 8/1 (4 PLACES BETFAIR)
Saturday Racing Preview: 3.45 Leopardstown – Handicap Hurdle (Grade B)
The final race on RTE2 this afternoon from Leopardstown is a 23 runner handicap hurdle. I am pretty sweet on the prospects of one at huge odds here. Eddie Cawley is a trainer I respect and Golden Jewel looks massively overpriced for him here. This 8yo loves big fields, as he showed when a fast finishing 3rd over course and distance last time.
Thatsy was 4th in that race off 131 (2lb higher here) but if anything Golden Jewel would have beat him by more than the length he did if he wasn’t denied a clear run. Thanks to Adam Short’s claim Golden Jewel is actually a pound better off here, so how the bookmakers have Thatsy at 8/1 and Eddie Cawley’s horse at 33s is a mystery to me. At those odds, Golden Jewel is well worth chancing each way.
