Saturday’s UK racing tips come your way from meetings at Sandown and Musselburgh.
SANDOWN
Race 2 – CLASSIC ANTHEM 8/1
CLASSIC ANTHEM showed a liking for this course when staying on strongly to strike in mid-December and appeals in the Virgin Bet Daily Price Boosts Novices’ Handicap Hurdle.
He was just collared close home when looking set to make it a double at Plumpton but the feeling is that Jim Boyle’s gelding has more to offer and will benefit from a stronger-run race here.
Bought for £200,000 after winning an Irish point-to-point, the form of that contest has been franked by joint-favourite No Time To Wait going on to shine for Gordon Elliott.
Race 3 – IN EXCELSIS DEO 15/8
IN EXCELSIS DEO may just have paid the price for a couple of costly jumping errors at a crucial time when second at Cheltenham but has been given a little break to recover and gets the nod in the Virgin Bet Every Saturday Money Back Handicap Chase.
Race 4 – HERMES ALLEN 10/11
HERMES ALLEN can hardly be faulted for finding Il Est Francais too good at Kempton on Boxing Day and can grab Grade One glory in the Virgin Bet Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase.
The Paul Nicholls-trained seven-year-old was an elite-level winner as a novice hurdler last season and went off as favourite for major events at Cheltenham and Aintree.
He kicked off his chasing career with a nice Newbury triumph over a decent yardstick in Nickle Back, jumping better and better as that race went on, so he remains one of Britain’s brightest prospects in this sphere.
Race 5 – ED KEEPER 7/2
ED KEEPER is fancied to gain compensation for a frustrating defeat last time out by landing the valuable Virgin Bet Heroes Handicap Hurdle.
After taking a step up to three miles in his stride when scoring impressively at Newbury, the six-year-old was backed to follow up over the same trip at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day.
Everything looked to be going to plan as he came to challenge Butch approaching the final flight, with Sam Twiston-Davies having time to remove his goggles while travelling sweetly.
However, Ed Keeper met that obstacle all wrong and was unable to get going again on heavy ground after losing all momentum with a bad mistake, eventually going down by a length and three-quarters in third.
The bare form of that effort feels solid, as there was a whole host of recent winners in the 10-strong field, but it is the untapped potential of this French-bred gelding which makes him so interesting.
Sam Thomas will have been disappointed to receive another 5lb uplift for picking up just a bronze medal but his charge has the scope to cope.
Race 6 – JAVA POINT 11/1
JAVA POINT made an encouraging first start for new trainer Henry Oliver when running well for a long way at Newbury and has each-way claims in the Virgin Bet Masters Handicap Chase if coming on for the outing.
MUSSELBURGH
Race 1 – MONMIRAL 9/4
MONMIRAL would be a fitting winner at Musselburgh with Bryony Frost on board in the bet365 Frodon Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase.
The well-regarded seven-year-old can be forgiven for tiring late on in a hard-run December Gold Cup on his first outing for nine months and is just the type to go well for Frost, who had such an affinity with the recently-retired Frodon.
Race 2 – PEACHES AND CREAM 10/3
Irish trainer Gavin Cromwell has had great success with his raids on Britain this season, so PEACHES AND CREAM appeals in the bet365 Edinburgh National Handicap Chase.
