Our top tipster, Daryl Carter has four selections for Saturday, with the focus on Sandown’s jumps meeting, which features the Imperial Cup. Check out his tips below alongside an excellent Bet £10 – Get £60 Sign-Up Bonus! at Paddy Power
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THUNDER ROCK – (1.50 Sandown – 2pts win – 11/2)
THUNDER ROCK is not done improving yet, and the form should have been given a boost by the runner-up at Newbury only for him to be caught late on. Still, the selection had any amount in hand that day, and his form looks extremely strong to suggest this mark of 129 is beyond him.
He beat Cobblers Dream – a subsequent Lanzarote winner easily at Wetherby and bolted up at Musselbught next time before his latest win. That was a career-best effort and 11 seconds faster than the Sydney Banks won on the card by Elle Est Belle. He surely has more to come, and this race has been the target.
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HOWDYALIKEMENOW (2.25 Sandown – 0.5pts each-way – 66/1) (6 places with Bet365, Paddy Power, Betfair, Betfred and Boylesports, 7 places with Skybet, William Hill)
I want to take a stab at three in this contest that are big prices given I am not convinced by any of those at the top of the market, and this race has thrown up a fair share of surprises. The first one is HOWDYALIKEMENOW, who is the rank outsider of the field but will appreciate any rain that falls overnight.
Considering this has been a tough stamina-sapping course all season, he could prove hard to catch if connections revert to front running tactics. This is easier than the Betfair Hurdle last time, and this track should play to his strengths, and I maintain that he is on a very workable handicap mark on the balance of his form.
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TRANSATLANTIC (2.25 Sandown – 0.5pts each-way – 22/1) (6 places with Bet365, Paddy Power, Betfair, Betfred and Boylesports, 7 places with Skybet, William Hill)
TRANSATLANTIC has been given an opening handicap mark of 130 for Gary Moore, who has mopped up all before him at this track this season, and he would have had any number of horses for this event. Still, he runs his new French recruit, who looks on a very fair handicap mark for this British debut on the balance of his French form, notably his Listed second when a beaten odds on favourite and had a certain El Fabiolo in behind that day.
His run in September last year when third on his first hurdle start for 12 months and off a 65-day break also reads well, and he was tried in Grade 1 Company before moving to this yard. He could be ahead of the handicapper here, and he is well worth a small stakes chance.
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GRISBI DE BERCE (2.25 Sandown – 0.5pts each-way – 25/1) (6 places with Bet365, Paddy Power, Betfair, Betfred and Boylesports, 7 places with Skybet, William Hill)
GRISBI DE BERCE was given a poor ride at Kempton last time, but he certainly has the ability to win off this mark of 121 if things drop right for him, and that race at Kempton has worked out very well. The winner ran a blinder to finish third in the Betfair Hurdle, and the third and fifth have both won since.
He has been a long term project for the yard, and although he has been frustrating, it would be a positive sign to see him line up more prominently this time around.
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DARYL CARTER’S BEST BETS
THUNDER ROCK – (1.50 Sandown – 2pts win – 11/2)
HOWDYALIKEMENOW (2.25 Sandown – 0.5pts each-way – 66/1) (6 places with Bet365, Paddy Power, Betfair, Betfred and Boylesports, 7 places with Skybet, William Hill)
TRANSATLANTIC (2.25 Sandown – 0.5pts each-way – 22/1) (6 places with Bet365, Paddy Power, Betfair, Betfred and Boylesports, 7 places with Skybet, William Hill)
GRISBI DE BERCE (2.25 Sandown – 0.5pts each-way – 25/1) (6 places with Bet365, Paddy Power, Betfair, Betfred and Boylesports, 7 places with Skybet, William Hill)
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