Neil Morrice shares all of his best bets and tips for Saturday’s racing coming your way from Sandown Park , Haydock Park , Doncaster, Leicester. Ripon and Southwell 25 April 2026.
SANDOWN PARK
Race 2 No17 SECRET SNIPER ( Each Way)
Trainer: Hughie Morrison – Jockey: Thomas Bellamy
SECRET SNIPER chased home a long odds on shot at Taunton and now moves into a competitive handicap hurdle straight out of novice company. While on paper it’s a tall order he’s very lightly raced, travels and jumps well and could light up the board at a working man’s’ price. There’s very little to separate WILSTAR and TALAKAN on the book, they bring strong form to the table and could both be involved, although my selection looks better value.
Race 4 BET365 CELEBRATION CHASE (Grade 1)
No4 JPR ONE (Each Way)
Trainer: Joe Tizzard – Jockey: Brendan Powell
All eyes will be on JONBON as he attempts to win this race for a third time. He’s enjoyed a very productive season and Grade 1 win number 13 is a distinct possibility. He worried THISTLE ASK out of it in the dying stages of the Clarence House Chase at Ascot and that horse has a freshness advantage to make the rematch very interesting. Whether SOLNESS can repeat his excellent run at Aintree is open to question and I fancy JPR ONE to turn the tables on him over these fences where slick jumping is at a premium. While it’s hard to see it on the evidence of the book there’s a line of thought that suggests JPR ONE is open to improvement on just a third visit to this course where his attacking style could be seen to best effect.
Race 5 BET365 GOLD CUP HANDICAP CHASE
No6 OUR POWER (Each Way)
Trainer: Sam Thomas – Jockey: Dylan Johnston
Having been a late scratch from his race at Aintree, OUR POWER returns from a break as a fresh horse for this historic end of season feature. While the contest doesn’t quite have the same glitz as when run as the Whitbread, it still commands abundant interest from jumping aficionados, and remains a good race to bet in. The selection is in the veteran stage and has blinkers added for the first time which can bring about a renaissance following his very light season. He was scratched from the Scottish National because of the heavy ground. One who should go well from a prominent position throughout is ROCK MY WAY, who for the majority of the trip looked the likely winner of the Midlands Grand National. He should make a good fist of it and is worth saving on. At the front of the market both HAVAILA and MONTREGARD are hard to leave out and especially the former who loves the better ground and looked ready to go round again at the end of Plumpton’s Sussex National. MONTREGARD also enjoys this faster ground and is a fresh horse on a first outing since February. A victory for him in the colours of JP McManus would be a welcome one for his stable who by their standards have been relatively quiet.
Prediction: 1st OUR POWER, 2nd Havaila, 3rd Rock My Way, 4th Montregard
Race 7 No3 CALIMYSTIC (Nap)
Trainer: Nicky Henderson – Jockey: Nico de Boinville
The progressive CALIMYSTIC enters the stage on the edge of completing a hat-trick after victories at this course and Newbury. He appears versatile regarding both trip and ground, and over this two and a half miles can dominate affairs as the best bet on the card.
HAYDOCK PARK
Race 6 No7 BLACK ENDEAVOUR (Each Way)
Trainer: Mark Rimell – Jockey: Paul Mulrennan
BLACK ENDEAVOUR ran better than his eventual finishing position indicates at Kempton, which was his first outing on the all-weather. On this return to turf, and with the benefit of the race under his belt, he can get into the shake-up.
DONCASTER
Race 4 No1 ROCKIN THE BOAT (Nap)
Trainer: David Menuisier- Jockey: Danny Tudhope
ROCKIN THE BOAT couldn’t quite cope with an in form opponent at Southwell, but if as her connections believe the race has brought her on she can go one better over a longer trip that should suit.
LEICESTER
Race 1 No6 TURNSTILE
Trainer: Tim Easterby – Jockey: Harry Russell
TURNSTILE outran his odds when troubling the judge at 33-1 on his Thirsk introduction. The Territories colt compromised his chance by hanging left, but is unlikely to show as much greenness on this second start and can earn.
Race 2 No11 FIVETHOUSANDTOONE (Each Way)
Trainer: Tim Easterby – Jockey: Harry Vigors
From the same stable, FIVETHOUSANDTOONE is rated one of the best bets of the day. He’s been running consistently well on the AW without managing to get his head in front, and while it’s accepted he seems more effective on sand, he comes here in very good order and with a good apprentice taking weight off his back. If close to his paper price he makes a lot of sense as a solid win and place bet.
Race 5 No3 HEYZOOM (Nap)
Trainer: Owen Burrows – Jockey: Rossa Ryan
Dubawi colt HEYZOOM was overturned as an odds-on shot on his Wolverhampton introduction back in November where he never looked comfortable and stayed on for a minor podium finish. The difference today is that he’s been given time to strengthen up and afforded a longer trip, which is pedigree tells us he’s crying out for. Furthermore the switch onto grass should also benefit him.
RIPON
Race 1 No1 MIND THOSE STEPS (Nap)
Trainer: Tim Easterby – Jockey: David Allan
Easterby doesn’t send out many first time winners but inexperience might not prevent Pinatubo colt MIND THOSE STEPS from having a good shot at this novice. He hails from a speedy family, while those with a run under their belts still have something to prove.
SOUTHWELL
Race 3 No2 KENNETH
Trainer: John Gosden – Jockey: Rab Havlin
After a full year off the course, KENNETH can come out on top in this very interesting contest. He was backed to beat an equally well regarded rival in that Newbury race for three-year-olds who went onto much better things. There was no disgrace in the defeat, as my nap ran green, and he returns as a more rounded entity and a horse to follow.
Race 4 No1 DOWN TO THE KID (Nap)
Trainer: Michael Herrington – Jockey: Neil Callan
The giant DOWN TO THE KID is a multiple course winner who has every chance of adding to his tally breaking from the rail. He ran very well in defeat two weeks ago, rarely fails to trouble the judge and should prove hard to beat.
