Mick Fitzgerald’s Sandown Tips
13:50 Sandown – Secret Squirrel
14:05 Leicester – Thunder Roar
14:25 Sandown – The Real Whacker
14:45 Haydock – Roach Power
15:00 Sandown – Jonbon
15:35 Sandown – Le Milos
16:10 Sandown – Ballyadam (each way)
16:45 Sandown – Nickle Back
17:20 Sandown – Gold Dancer (each way)
*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.
The latest racing odds are on PaddyPower.com nowWe have the final day of the Jumps season at Sandown on Saturday and there’s some really good, competitive, racing to get stuck in to. We also have a little spice in the mix with Willie Mullins leading the race to be the British Champion Trainer and trying to do what hasn’t been done by an Irish trainer since Vincent O’Brien did it 70 years ago!
13:50 Sandown – Secret Squirrel
Secret Squirrel was a good winner at Taunton for Hughie Morrison over 2 miles last time out and is a pretty straightforward horse. He’s got form on good ground where he was a good second to another one of today’s rivals Fire Flyer. His run at Newbury reads well now and I take him to have a chance in what is a really open and competitive event. Maasai Mara, with cheekpieces on, could could be a lively outsider and will appreciate the decent ground.
14:05 Leicester – Thunder Roar
Thunder Roar ran a very good race over 1m at Doncaster last time and went down narrowly to Look Back Smiling. Was very fancied on that occasion and carried a little bit right. I don’t think it made any difference on the day but, with that run under his belt and a fancy for soft ground, this horse is definitely a player.
14:25 Sandown – The Real Whacker
I think this trip, at a jumpers’ track, is tailor-made for The Real Whacker. He will love everything about this place. We know he’s got very good form at Cheltenham and he does jump slightly right which will favour him at Sandown.
14:45 Haydock – Roach Power
The one I like in here is Roach Power. He’s won here on heavy ground so there’s no concerns there. He looked in need of his last run when well beaten at Doncaster. With that run under his belt and only 8st 2lb to carry, he’s the one.
15:00 Sandown – Jonbon
Paddy’s got El Fabiolo as the short-priced favourite in here but I’m taking him on with Jonbon. Jonbon’s backed up before from winning at Aintree. It is a quick turnaround but I’m not concerned about that, this is a track he excels at and he’s unbeaten round here over fences. I fancy him to get the better of Willie Mullins’ charge.
15:35 Sandown – Le Milos
I’m backing Le Milos for the Skelton team. I thought that was a good run in the Pertemps over hurdles and if you go back to his win at Newbury he’s only 3lbs higher over fences now. He hasn’t run much over the larger obstacles since then and I take him to be the one here. Le Milos is lightly raced, unlike some of these who come here off the back of hard seasons, and I really like this horse.
Kitty’s Light has to be on the radar but his price is plenty short enough for what he’s done this season and, remember, it’s only two weeks ago that he ran such a good race in the Grand National. He’s backed up before and he’ll love the conditions but Le Milos gets the nod from me.
16:10 Sandown – Ballyadam (each way)
I’m taking a little bit of a punt here and I’m going for Ballyadam. I thought that was a very good run in the Coral behind Langer Dan and we know he likes decent ground which we will get. I just fancy Ballyadam to be a little bit of a surprise package and, as we’ve got eight runners, I fancy it each way.
16:45 Sandown – Nickle Back
This is a hard race to get a handle on and I am quite keen to have a small amount on Kotmask each way. However, I’m a little bit concerned about his jumping and that is a big worry around Sandown. For that reason I am going to go for the favourite Nickle Back. He’ll love the ground, he’s a hard horse to peg back, and is a winner over course and distance.
17:20 Sandown – Gold Dancer (each way)
I like a Willie Mullins horse in here but not the one that Paul Townend is riding! I’m on his other horse in here, Gold Dancer, ridden by Danny Mullins. I think this horse is better than what we’ve seen and the fact that Willie brings him over is a tip in itself. Off a mark of 130 he can be competitive and I’ll have him each way because I think he should place.
Saturday’s Racing Tips
13:50 Sandown – Secret Squirrel
14:05 Leicester – Thunder Roar
14:25 Sandown – The Real Whacker
14:45 Haydock – Roach Power
15:00 Sandown – Jonbon
15:35 Sandown – Le Milos
16:10 Sandown – Ballyadam (each way)
16:45 Sandown – Nickle Back
17:20 Sandown – Gold Dancer (each way)
*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.
Saturday’s Racing Tips
- Paddy’s pundits’ epic Cheat Sheet for ITV Racing on Saturday
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- Matt Chapman’s Saturday ITV Racing picks at Sandown, Leicester & Haydock
- Jason Weaver’s Saturday plays at Leicester & Haydock
- Rory Delargy’s ITV Racing picks on Saturday
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