Mick Fitzgerald’s Saturday ITV Racing tips
13:15 Sandown – Henri The Second (each-way)
13:32 Aintree – Richmond Lake
13:50 Sandown – L’Eau Du Sud
14:07 Aintree – Iron Bridge
14:25 Sandown – Willmount
15:00 Sandown – Jonbon
15:17 Aintree – Bingoo (each-way)
15:35 Sandown – Unanswered Prayers (each-way)
*Since publication of this article racing at Aintree has been abandoned on Saturday
*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.
13:15 Sandown – Henri The Second (each-way)
A Pertemps Handicap qualifier over almost 3m and HENRI THE SECOND is a course winner over 2m 4f on soft ground. He should appreciate the step up in trip and the ground won’t be an issue.
Remember, most of these aim to finish in the top four at least to have a chance of running in the Cheltenham finale, so he might even be an each-way angle into the race to give himself some options next Spring.
13:32 Aintree – Richmond Lake
Donald McCain’s runner, RICHMOND LAKE, won this contest by 14 lengths last season, off the same mark he runs off now. The ground was very testing 12 months ago, but it’s no coincidence that he pitches up in the same race off the same mark and can deliver again.
13:50 Sandown – L’Eau Du Sud
Despite just five runners, this is a fantastic race for novice chasers, and we see recent impressive Cheltenham winner L’EAU DU SUD trying to bring up the hat-trick over fences. He’s a strong traveller in his races, but there are a couple more in here who like to go forward, too, so there should be plenty of pace. That should set it up perfectly for L’Eau Du Sud.
Rubaud could chase him home on his fencing debut if he takes to the larger obstacles. He was good over hurdles and likes to press the pace.
14:07 Aintree – Iron Bridge
The Becher Chase over the Grand National fences is always a thrilling spectacle, and there are plenty of runners with chances. Jonjo O’Neill saddles IRON BRIDGE, who was second in the Welsh Grand National last year off a 6lb higher mark.
Jonjo Junior rides him off 10-7, and that’s about his minimum weight, so he looks set for a big run. Top weight Chianti Classico brings in a bit of class and the hat-trick-seeking King Turgeon looks dangerous at the foot of the weights.
I’m happy to stick with Iron Bridge.
14:25 Sandown – Willmount
I’m a big fan of WILLMOUNT and he runs here off a hurdle mark of 130. He’s schooled well over fences, so if he wants to prove himself a good horse, he should be winning off this mark.
He won a point-to-point on soft ground, and the only time he had a poor run last season was in the Challow Hurdle. Hopefully, that was just a blip in his otherwise consistent performances.
15:00 Sandown – Jonbon
JONBON is unbeaten at Sandown when Nico de Boinville rides him, and I see no reason why that shouldn’t be the case again. I thought he needed the run at Cheltenham last time but still ran out an impressive winner. He should confirm his superiority.
15:17 Aintree – Bingoo (each-way)
BINGOO won at this track last December off the same mark of 124. He unseated two out at Carlisle and didn’t look finished despite a few jumping errors. That run should have helped to tighten him up again and he looks a solid each-way play.
15:35 Sandown – Unanswered Prayers (each-way)
UNANSWERED PRAYERS could be the answer in this tricky London National Handicap Chase – especially with Freddie Gordon taking off 5lbs.
It’s a competitive contest, and he was running a big race last year when coming down at the last when booked for second place. He looks like an attractive each-way play at the prices again.
Mick Fitzgerald’s ITV Racing tips
13:15 Sandown – Henri The Second (each-way)
13:32 Aintree – Richmond Lake
13:50 Sandown – L’Eau Du Sud
14:07 Aintree – Iron Bridge
14:25 Sandown – Willmount
15:00 Sandown – Jonbon
15:17 Aintree – Bingoo (each-way)
15:35 Sandown – Unanswered Prayers (each-way)
*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at the time of publishing but subject to change.
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