The Weekend Wager: Raceolly's tips from Aintree and Sandown on Saturday

In this week's edition of The Weekend Wager, our tipster Raceolly tackles Saturday's racing at Aintree and Sandown, and you can check out his best bets of the weekend here...

14:40 Aintree - Unibet Becher Chase

This one took me a while and I was nearly set to go with Checkitout for Nigel Twiston-Davies, but I can’t desert my Grand Sefton winner MAC TOTTIE, who came alive over the National fences that day. No doubt the Bowen’s now have one eye on the Grand National but will need to go up another few pounds to guarantee a run and a win here would put him firmly in the race come April. He has stronger form over three miles, so the step back up in trip is a big positive - his form over three miles reads 1P212 with the pulled up coming when lame at Ludlow. The Bowen’s know how to win over the National fences and they have a 23% win rate over fences this season.

15:15 Aintree - Unibet - 2021 Horserace Betting Operator Of The Year Handicap Hurdle

BALLYANDY has become so well handicapped that he’s impossible to ignore. Placed in graded races this time last year and in handicaps off 14lbs higher and with a 10lbs claimer here effectively put him 24lbs lower. The Cheltenham Graded place came against Champion Hurdle contenders when finishing two lengths off Song For Someone and Silver Streak with horses like Sceau Royal, Goshen and Summerville Boy in behind and the handicap place off 154 came behind The Shunter who ended up being 25lbs well in. Outpaced early on last time in the Greatwood at Cheltenham before sticking on later on indicating this step back up in trip is the ideal move now and has previously placed in the Coral Cup over around this far, and he would have gone closer that day if not losing a shoe having only been beaten half a length. 10lbs claimer Finn Lambert has had a winner and six places from his 18 rides to date.

15:35 Sandown - Betfair Exchange London National Handicap Chase

I’ve gone with the Gary Moore second string here (NATURAL HISTORY) who is a 101 rated, and is a Group placed Flat horse who won once and placed three times over hurdles last season. He went off 6/4 fav on return from a 215-day break at Fontwell last month but nothing came of it and he pulled up. He should come on for that and it’s interesting the yard clearly thought he was much better than the performance on return. He was also well fancied on his previous run here in a Grade 3 handicap when going off just 2/1 in a race that’s worked out well, but despite being well beaten that day he does return here now off a 10lb lower mark. Ground may have been slightly too lively on return also and the bit of soft in the ground tomorrow could be more ideal and he has plenty of form to suggest 122 could be very lenient when things click together. Niall Houlihan is having a very decent season and has a 25% win rate when riding for Gary Moore (six wins from 24 rides) and a 22% win rate at Sandown over the last five years (four wins from 18 rides).