National Hunt racing dominates the action on Sunday 9th November with three meetings coming from Sandown, Naas and Ffos Las. Our GG Lucky 15 for the day focuses on the first pairing of those three tracks and we pick out our four best bets of the day here…
1.30 Sandown – INTO THE PARK (1pt win – 5/2 bet365)
Philip Hobbs and Johnson White have been knocking in the winners of late and they can taste more success on Sunday in the 1.30pm at Sandown with INTO THE PARK, who can land victory in the conditional jockeys’ handicap hurdle. The six-year-old ran a fine race when just touched off at Uttoxeter last month and he should strip significantly fitter for that outing and off a 2lbs higher mark here can get back to winning ways. Paso Doble is the biggest danger and will be tough to beat for Paul Nicholls, but Into The Park certainly has the potential to improve at a rate of knots this season and he looks the solid option here.
2.27 Naas – SOMMESKY (1pt win – 9/1 William Hill)
Runner-up in the Punchestown Gold Cup at the end of last season, Spillane’s Tower is set to make his seasonal reappearance over hurdles in this listed event at Naas at 2.27pm. Undeniably, the classiest horse in the race, he will be the one to watch, but it’s worth taking him on as there will certainly be much bigger days down the road for him, so this will just be a pipe opener. Henry De Bromhead’s SOMMESKY was a smart novice hurdler, who was deemed good enough to contest a Grade 1 at Leopardstown’s Dublin Racing Festival. Well beaten that day by Final Demand, he will find this much calmer waters and he could be one that improves for a second season over obstacles and is worth taking a chance on.
3.02 Naas – INTHEPOCKET (1pt win – 7/4 bet365)
A field of five line up for the Grade 3 Barberstown Castle Chase at 3.02pm and Willie Mullins will be looking to land glory with either Ile Atlantique or Champ Kiely. However, it can go the way of Henry De Bromhead, who can saddle INTHEPOCKET for glory. A former Grade 1 winner over hurdles as a novice, the eight-year-old has had his injury problems and hasn’t been seen since finishing third in a Naas Grade 2 back in January. Still very lightly-raced he’s the one in this field that could turn into a top notch chaser, and while he’s likely to come on for the run he’s one that is still hugely exciting over fences and could be a potential Champion Chase or Ryanair Chase candidate come the spring.
3.15 Sandown – COURTLAND (1pt win – 100/30 generally)
Hugely consistent in recent seasons, COURTLAND suffered a fall in the Sodexo Gold Cup at Ascot last weekend, but Mickey Bowen’s ten-year-old makes a quick return to the track on Sunday and can land victory in the 3.15pm veterans event at Sandown. He will face five rivals in this event and most have struggled to deliver the goods in recent time, and while Only The Bold was a winner last time out, Courtland can prove to be a cut above that rival in this event. If he can put in a clear round then a mark of 134 certainly looks within his capabilities and he can record his first win in over 18 months.
GG Racing Lucky 15 Tips For Sunday 9th November
1.30 Sandown – INTO THE PARK (1pt win – 5/2 bet365)
2.27 Naas – SOMMESKY (1pt win – 9/1 William Hill)