Saturday racing tips: Sandown and Lingfield tips, Saturday 4th January
Our Saturday suggestions embrace a course and distance winner whose coach has saddle three of the final four winners of his race. Find out who he’s right here.
The first weekend of 2020 brings with it Grade 1 novice hurdling fare on each side of the Irish Sea.
Sandown Park hosts the Tolworth on Saturday afternoon and coach Colin Tizzard will have excessive hopes of profitable for a third time in four years as Fiddlerontheroof steps up in grade.
Over at Naas on Sunday, the next step on the journey of maybe probably the most exciting novice in Britain or Ireland takes place as Envoi Allen puts his unbeaten report on the road for trainer Gordon Elliott.
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Fiddler to name Sandown tune
The opening Grade 1 contest of the new decade in Britain comes up at Sandown Park on Saturday in the form of the Tolworth Novices’ Hurdle.
Recent course and distance winner Fiddlerontheroof (Sandown 2:25) seems set to offer trainer Colin Tizzard his third success in 4 renewals of this race.
Having gained an Irish bumper final spring, the Stowaway gelding made the switch to Tizzard’s Dorset yard ahead of commencing his hurdling profession at Chepstow in October.
He would accept second spot in that Persian War Novices’ Hurdle over 2m3½f behind Thyme Hill and that type appears very sturdy now as Philip Hobbs’ charge has landed a brace of wins in as many starts since, including the Grade 1 Challow at Newbury on Saturday last.
Fiddlerontheroof once more filled the bridesmaid position at Wincanton on his subsequent begin, a powerful race the place four next-time-out winners featured – our selection amongst them.
On heavy floor right here final month, Robbie Power and Fiddlerontheroof made all to win by seven lengths in good fashion, with the promise of lots more to return.
Conditions are once more going to be testing on Saturday afternoon across the Esher circuit and having proven kind on the bottom is a giant plus.
Emma Lavelle’s Hang In There may be the chief danger to the choice. He gained properly at Cheltenham final time (made running) and is a decent prospect himself.
With Tizzard having landed this prize with Finian’s Oscar and Elixir Du Nutz in two of the final three years, the Dorset handler is fancied to carry sway again with this excellent up-and-coming jumper.
Universal appeal for Lingfield contender
Trainer Keith Dalgleish doesn’t venture south to Lingfield Park with many runners from his Scottish base (just six in the whole of 2019) but they are normally noteworthy after they come down.
Of the six, four made the body, with Universal Gleam (Lingfield 12:10) scoring in ready style over 1m2f in a Class three handicap at the back finish of November.
Callum Rodriguez was on board that day and he appeared to experience with loads of confidence, holding his mount up off a good tempo before coming by way of when the gap appeared for him on the furlong pole.
That was a fourth win of the calendar year for Universal Gleam and represented a career-best, given the convenience with which he got there. A 4lb rise appears very fair and he’s meeting rivals with questions to answer in this seven-runner subject.
Rodriguez is on board again now and can probably undertake similar affected person tactics, which ought to help the selection start 2020 with another win, and pay a few of the petrol cash for the return to Scotland.
O’Brien charge can rating at Sandown
The Fergal O’Brien group aren’t firing with the same regularity as they did for much of the autumn and early winter but that doesn’t quell enthusiasm for Totterdown (Sandown 3:35) on Saturday.
He was having his first begin for this yard when gaining a decisive C&D success in November, his first run since April.
He made the running that day and pulled some 20 lengths clear by the final flight before Paddy Brennan eased him down for a ten-length success. The ground was testing and similar ways could additionally be deployed on what will be an analogous surface right here.
Totterdown has gone up 12lb for his hassle and faces a test, with Nicky Henderson saddling last week’s Doncaster winner Gunnery underneath his own 6lb penalty.
It was onerous not to be impressed with how Totterdown went via the race right here final time and he looks a solid guess at round 9/2 with that run in mind.