Newsboy's ITV Saturday racing tips for Sandown, plus bet365 Gold Cup verdict
KITTY’S LIGHT ((2.15) can shine brightly again seven days after landing the Scottish Grand National.
Christian Williams’s stable star is attempting to pull off a double in the bet365 Gold Cup which has been achieved only once before.
He has contested both races before, finishing third 12 months ago after claiming the runners-up spot at Ayr when they were three weeks apart.
It is a much quicker turnaround but he has always gone well at Sandown and was unlucky in 2021 when he was promoted to second place after suffering late interference..
He is able to run at Sandown unpenalised for his Ayr victory, off the same handicap mark, which is still 5lb lower than he raced off in the 2022 edition.
Newsboy’s Daily Double plus tips on every race from Thursday’s four meetingsMusical Slave, who finished half a length in front of Kitty’s Light in the race last year, is 9lb worse off this time.
As long as there is no hangover from his Ayr effort, he has so much going for him.
JONBON (1.40) can put a marker down for next season when he steps into open company for the first time at Sandown today.
Britain’s leading two-mile novice chaser has an impressive record over fences, suffering his only defeat in the Arkle at Cheltenham at the hands of El Fabiolo.
He won easily at Aintree while El Fabiolo impressed at Punchestown this week to become favourite for next year’s Champion Chase.
The bet365 Celebration Chase is Jonbon’s chance to enhance his own Champion Chase credentials against established two milers Greaneteen and Editeur Du Gite.
Greaneteen has won the race for the last two years and is a much better horse at Sandown than any other track but if Jonbon is to challenge for top honours he should have his measure.
HEWICK (2.50) returns to the scene of last year’s bet365 Gold Cup triumph and can bag the Oaksey Chase.
The £800 buy has continued to go from strength to strength and had already run a huge race when taking a heavy fall at the second last fence in the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
The ground was not in his favour at Cheltenham yet he had made a bold bid until taking a heavy fall at the second last when about to be headed by Galopin Des Champs and Bravemansgame.
Newsboy’s Daily Double plus tips on every race from Friday’s four meetingsGround conditions will be much more to his liking at Sandown where he is 10lb superior to the next highest rated horse in the field First Flow and gets 2lb from him so should get back in the winner’s circle on his first start under Rachael Blackmore.
KANSAS DU BERLAIS (1.05) looks good value at double digit odds in the opening race.
He has won his last two starts for trainer Gary Moore easily and although he beat seemingly modest opposition that may have made it harder for the handicapper to assess him accurately.
Moore rarely leaves Sandown without a winner as his 23 percent strike rate this season demonstrates.
Model of consistency MUMBO JUMBO (3.25) has not finished out of the four in all completed starts but has yet to win a race.
On the evidence of his most recent run his turn is not far off. He was in the process of mounting a potent challenge at Taunton when he hit the second last fence and finished a length and three quarters behind the in-form Haldon Hill.
He has jumped round Sandown before, finishing third over course and distance behind Solo, who runs in the Oaksey Chase.
Ryan Moore looks set for a rewarded trip to Leicester and he can strike for Sir Michael Stoute on AERION POWER (3.05) in his owners’ King Power Racing’s East Midlands heartland.
A winner at Newcastle and Doncaster last year, he went on to run creditably in handicaps at Goodwood and York since when he has been dropped 4lb by the handicapper.
ORBAAN (3.45) rose to a career high mark of 100 last season, winning valuable prizes at Goodwood and Ascot. He starts his new campaign at Haydock and should continue to be a horse to follow in 7f and mile handicaps.
NEWSBOY TIPS
SANDOWN
1.05 KANSAS DU BERLAIS
1.40 JONBON
2.15 KITTY’S LIGHT
2.50 HEWICK
3.25 MUMBO JUMBO
4.00 THEATRE GLORY
4.35 FINE CASTING
HAYDOCK
1.30 TELE RED
2.05 STALINGRAD
2.40 IF NOT NOW (NAP)
3.15 STORMY SEA
3.45 ORBAAN
4.20 CONSERVATIONIST
4.55 TOMAHAWK KING
LEICESTER
1.55 DESERT MASTER
2.30 NAQEEB
3.05 AERION POWER
3.40 COCO BEAR
4.15 ANGEL TIME
4.50 BIG BEAR HUG
5.25 STALLONE
RIPON
2.25 POINT OF BLUE
3.00 BLEAK (NB)
3.35 BARENBOIM
4.10 ILLUSIONIST
4.40 THUNDERING
5.15 ISLA KAI
5.50 ANOTHER BEAR
PUNCHESTOWN
2.35 THREE BY TWO
3.10 COEUR SEREIN
3.50 ECHOES IN RAIN
4.25 BALLYKEEL
5.00 LOSSIEMOUTH
5.30 TAX FOR MAX
6.05 BARONS REVENGE
6.40 JUNGLE COVE
DONCASTER
5.10 KLIMOVA
5.40 EMERALDS PRIDE
6.15 BATTAAH
6.45 BERNARDO O’REILLY
7.15 DIVINE COMEDY
7.45 TIMEWAVE
8.15 ONE OF OUR OWN
WOLVERHAMPTON
6.00 CAPPANANTY CON
6.30 RAYAT
7.00 WEDGEWOOD
7.30 FAIR WIND
8.00 JENNY WREN
8.30 CAPTAIN ST LUCIFER
9.00 ARLO’S SUNSHINE
SUNDAY
WETHERBY
1.55 RAINBOW SKY
2.30 GOLDEN MAVERICK
3.05 CRESTA DE VEGA
3.35 EAGLES ROCK
4.05 TWELFTH KNIGHT
4.35 HIGH OPINION
5.05 CINNODIN
SLIGO
2.15 AUSSIE GIRL
2.45 LOVE MACHO
3.20 SIN E SHEKELLS
3.55 SENODO SQUARE
4.25 GRAPPA NONINA
4.55 TELLTHEMI’MHERE
5.25 MONNOW VALLEY
MUSSELBURGH
3.45 THREE BEAUZ
4.15 MYCONIAN
4.45 CELTIC EMPRESS (NAP)
5.15 HEIGHTS OF ABRAHAM
5.45 SPORADATA
6.15 MAYWAKE
6.45 RIVERSWAY