ITV Racing Tips: Three To Back On Finale Saturday

The ITV programming is rolling on later than usual this Saturday as a special extension due to the Trainers' Title battle, which will reach its thrilling conclusion at Sandown. Billy Grimshaw has three bets, with two at Sandown and an extra pick up at Haydock...

14:25 Sandown - Oaksey Chase

This is a tricky race to have a strong opinion in as it revolves around one of the most enigmatic animals in training, Gaelic Warrior. There is no doubting the class of Willie Mullins' charge, as he exemplified once again in winning the Bowl in impressive style under Patrick Mullins at Aintree, however his record indicates it's rare he backs up a good run with anything other than a shocker. Couple that fact with the suspicion this is an afterthought for the horse and he is only here to bolster the Mullins title charge and at 11/8, I'm happy to take him on.

The issue is I am not immediately sold on one in behind him as the obvious play. Hitman will be a place banker for many, although after his run at Aintree in the Grand /National I wouldn't be surprised to see him sulking a bit in here or feeling the effects of that hard race, but his stablemate PIC D'ORHY has been kept back with this race in mind and at a meeting Paul Nicholls always targets, he rates the solid proposition to my eye at around 5/2,

Granted, he does seem to do all his best work at Ascot, however he has run well enough here in the past and the configuration of the track should suit. I hope to see Harry Cobden ping him out in front as that's when all his best performances have been achieved, and while Gentleman De Mee could be a big threat after his fantastic Topham win showed he was right back to his best - as he always is this time of year - I am hopeful Pic D'Orhy's jumping can put him and anything else vying for the lead under pressure. It's not my strongest bet of the day, but I do think Pic D'Orhy is the most likely winner yet is over double the price of the fav and that makes him a bet.

14:40 Haydock - Try Unibet's New Same Race Multis Handicap

Haydock is my local track and there doesn't look to be much rain around, although we know that it is one of those courses that just needs a whiff of a cloud for the ground to turn soft so tread carefully if backing anything that wants genuine quick ground. I am anticipating something on the quicker side of good to soft myself, and that should be fine for the majority in here. English Oak is up there with the market leaders, but on seasonal debut I can't have him off a mark of 108, for all the horse is obviously the best in the field it'd be bizarre were connections to have him anything more than 80% fit given he will surely have bigger fish to fry later in the year. 

MYAL is the one I'll be siding with and I think 9/2 looks fair, and that price may not last given he is the obvious pace angle and has a fantastic record at the track. He also comes on for his first run of the season so finishing under two lengths back last time out at Doncaster will have been the perfect tune up for a return to his beloved Haydock. The four year old ended last season with four wins on the bounce, with two coming here, and with English Oak in here meaning everything else has a featherweight, I think he could be incredibly hard to peg back with just 8st9lbs on his back.

There are dangers aplenty, with Ramazan a horse I respect on his day but much like English Oak, do not trust this will be the day they're targeting, and the main pace rival Gorak for Charlie Fellowes is not without a chance with Shoemark booked to ride and certainly plying his trade with more confidence and results than he was when under the cosh last season.

15:00 Sandown - bet365 Select Hurdle

I was on Lucky Place for the Stayers' Hurdle at Cheltenham and that looked pretty stupid when the Irish registered the first five home, although I do take a crumb of comfort that he was best of Britain labouring into sixth. Okay, it's a very small crumb but we take what we can in this game! Clearly, this lad is no world beater for Nicky Henderson, but on watching the race back he actually was travelling pretty nicely for a long way and this drop in trip could be exactly what he needs to put in a run that is more reminiscent of what he showed earlier in the campaign.

Kitzbuhel is obviously a potentially gigantic fly in the ointment for Hendo's Stayers' sixth as he is clearly highly though of at Closutton given the weight of money that came for him last time out at Aintree, however at odds of around 6/4 I couldn't touch him with a bargepole given how buzzy and freely the five year old was at Liverpool. It'll be calmer at Sandown and he has headgear on, which could be the key for the maestro Mullins, but still I can let the youngster win at those odds given his blowout potential. I was all set to row back in with Lucky Place until I checked out the form of the sole entry of the 2022 and 2023 winning trainer of this race Paul Nicholls, BLUEKING D'OROUX.

Earlier this season Blueking D'Oroux was just a length back from Lucky Place in the Ascot Hurdle, but on that day he was having to give six pounds to the winner whereas here the six year old will run off levels. so just purely on the weights and measures he has to be value. Nicolls targets this meeting every season and with Harry Cobden on board and riding the crest of a wave due to his burgeoning association with Willie Mullins, I'm hoping in similar style to Pic D'Orhy in the race previous at the track this lad is an all the way winner. Back him each-way as there is potential Kitzbuhel is just levels above, but I am quietly confident of a big run from the Ditcheat representative.