Horse Racing Tips: Matt Chapman’s Saturday ITV Racing Picks at Sandown, Leicester & Haydock

Matt Chapman hopes to hear the Thunder Roar in the 14:05 at Leicester.

By / Horse Racing Tips / 1 week ago

Matt Chapman’s ITV Saturday Racing Tips

13:50 Sandown – Be Aware (each-way)
14:05 Leicester – Thunder Roar
14:25 Sandown – Hit Man
14:45 Haydock – Look Back Smiling
15:00 Sandown – El Fabiolo
15:35 Sandown – Amirite

*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.

13:50 Sandown – Be Aware (each-way)

The jumps season draws to a close Saturday on ITV starting here with a handicap hurdle for novices over 2m. I still think there is more to come from BE AWARE who is back down in trip for the Skelton team of trainer Dan and jockey Harry. They have had a tremendous season, the lightly raced Be Aware might still have more to offer off a mark of 124. He looked excellent on debut at Newbury but has been beaten at Lingfield and Kempton. A big field and strong pace might be what he needs, so I’ll have a go each-way.

14:05 Leicester – Thunder Roar

ITV also take one race from Leicester Saturday in this Richard III Cup Handicap over 1m. The top weights Raadobarg and Al Mubhir have conditions in their favour and have obvious class chances but they have to give plenty of weight to THUNDER ROAR who surely will be bang in the mix for Cam Hardie and Tony Coyle & Kaine Wood. My hope returned at Southwell before enjoying the mud at Doncaster when second to Look Back Smiling in the Spring Mile, a race in which re-opposing Magic Memories was fifth. The latter is also not without a chance, but I’ll hope the thunder roars!

 

14:25 Sandown – Hitman

This is harder than it looks on paper as there are so many doubts about a number of the leading contenders. HITMAN is not a horse I like, as he never quite delivers what you want, but he travelled like a machine against Shishkin in the Denman at Newbury before failing badly in the Ryanair. Maybe getting a bit of weight from some of these he can bag a decent prize for Harry Cobden and Paul Nicholls.

14:45 Haydock – Look Back Smiling

ITV also go to Haydock for this handicap over 7f. I mentioned LOOK BACK SMILING when writing about Leicester and he goes here with a big chance for Gemma Tutty and Harry Davies. After the Spring Mile, he finished a not disgraced ninth to Metal Merchant in the Spring Cup at Newbury where it looked like 7f would be ideal.

15:00 Sandown – El Fabiolo

Here we go – finally, we get EL FABIOLO v Jonbon! The latter was right back to his bets at Aintree last time and El Fabiolo arrives here after a hopeless effort in the Champion Chase at Cheltenham. That said, I have always thought El Fabiolo is the best two-miler around and I hope he scores for Paul Townend and Willie Mullins.

15:35 Sandown – Amirite (each-way)

AMIRITE was favourite for the Irish National landed by star I Am Maximus back in 2023 and I don’t think he’s out of this for Henry de Bromhead and Rachael Blackmore. A fourth at Cheltenham in October and a fifth at Leopardstown in December both read well and I’ll risk him each-way here at reasonable odds.

So best of luck and pray for Yeeehaaas. You hear me Paddy?

Matt Chapman’s ITV Saturday Racing Tips

13:50 Sandown – Be Aware (each-way)
14:05 Leicester – Thunder Roar
14:25 Sandown – Hit Man
14:45 Haydock – Look Back Smiling
15:00 Sandown – El Fabiolo
15:35 Sandown – Amirite

*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.

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