Horse racing tips: Sandown and Aintree – Saturday December 7

ITV Racing has a scheduled eight-contest offering on Saturday afternoon, with planned live action from Aintree and Sandown. 

Punters do need to be aware that, given the weather forecast concerning Storm Darragh, expected to arrive from the Atlantic in the early hours with potentially very high winds and rain, cards may be modified or even abandoned.  

With that caveat, the bulk of the scheduled programme comes from the Premier Raceday at the Surrey course, featuring the Grade 1 Tingle Creek Chase.

The Becher Premier Handicap Chase, over the Grand National fences, is the pick of the three contests due to be shown from the Premier Raceday at the Merseyside venue.

Our racing expert has pondered the proposed ITV4 action and come up with selections for all eight races.

ITV Racing tips – Sandown and Aintree, December 7

Here are Cornelius Parsons’ recommendations for Saturday’s programme. You can read the analysis behind each of his selections below.

• 1.15, Sandown – Up For Parol (each-way) @ 10/1 with Betfred
• 1.32, Aintree – Springwell Bay @ 3/1 with Betfred
• 1.50, Sandown – L’eau Du Sud @ evens with Betfred
• 2.07, Aintree – King Turgeon @ SP with Betfred
• 2.25, Sandown – Altobelli (each-way) @ 4/1 with Betfred
• 3.00, Sandown – Jonbon @ 4/7 with Betfred
• 3.17, Aintree – Bingoo (each-way) @ 9/1 with Betfred
• 3.35, Sandown – Montgomery (each-way) @ 11/2 with Betfred

Odds, correct at time of publishing, may be subject to change.

1.15, Sandown – Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle (2m 7½f, Class 2)

UP FOR PAROL has the ability to go well when fresh on soft ground, as shown when third in January last year at Kempton, in the Lanzarote Handicap Hurdle from an 8lb higher rating, after a 276-day break. Jamie Snowden’s representative finished third when upped to this trip at Chepstow in April, and a handy racing weight, on a more suitable surface, will support his likeable each-way claims here.

Selection: Up For Parol (each-way) @ 10/1 with Betfred

1.32, Aintree – Handicap Chase (2m 4f, Class 2)

Jonjo O’Neill’s charge SPRINGWELL BAY was not beaten by much when third in a Listed novice contest over an extended 3m on good ground at the Cheltenham November meeting. His drop down to this trip on a testing surface, back in handicap company, promises to suit this classy type who only had to be pushed out to make a winning chasing debut at Chepstow in October.

Selection: Springwell Bay @ 3/1 with Betfred

1.50, Sandown – Henry VIII Novices’ Chase (1m 7½f, Grade 1)

Horses bred in France are 7-26 (27 per cent, +£45.68) in the 10 runnings of this contest since 2014, and Dan Skelton’s representative L’EAU DU SUD is much better placed to enhance such positive statistics than the other qualifier, Rubaud, who is being thrown in at the deep end on his chasing debut for Paul Nicholls. Our pick is 2-2 over fences and progressing well. The 151-rated gelding is the one to beat on the book and the easier surface should suit.

Selection: L’eau Du Sud @ evens with Betfred

2.07, Aintree – Becher Premier Handicap Chase (3m 2f, Class 1)

KING TURGEON won easing down over this trip at Chepstow on his seasonal reappearance in October and took his form to a new level when the victor in the 5f-shorter Grand Sefton on the Grand National course 28 days ago. David Pipe’s inmate should appreciate the step back up in distance and is considered capable of following up from an 8lb higher mark.

Selection: King Turgeon @ SP with Betfred

2.25, Sandown – Handicap Hurdle (2m, Class 2)

Harry Fry’s six-year-old gelding ALTOBELLI has decent each-way claims in this nine-runner outing. He goes particularly well when fresh on soft ground, as when reaching second on his seasonal reappearance at Ascot in November last year. This son of Maxios registered a Racing Post rating (RPR) of 137 on that occasion, and a reproduction of that level of form here would be likely to prove particularly competitive from a mark of 130, with this venue’s stiff 2m potentially ideal.

Selection: Altobelli (each-way) @ 4/1 with Betfred

3.00, Sandown – Tingle Creek Chase (1m 7½f, Grade 1)

Last year’s winner JONBON is upwards of 7lb clear in this eight-runner field on the book. Nicky Henderson’s gelding is 13-16 over this distance, 11-14 on good to soft or soft ground, 6-6 under Nico de Boinville, 4-4 on this course and 4-4 at this time of year. This eight-year-old son of Walk In The Park is clearly capable of repeating his 2023 success.

Selection: Jonbon @ 4/7 with Betfred

3.17, Aintree – Handicap Hurdle (2m 4f, Class 2)

An ability to handle a testing Merseyside surface may prove of paramount importance. James Moffatt’s representative BINGOO registered an RPR of 128 when winning on soft ground over course and distance last Boxing Day and he has decent each-way claims from the same mark of 124. Charlotte Jones, on driving duty then, is in the saddle again. 

Selection: Bingoo (each-way) @ 9/1 with Betfred

3.35, Sandown – London National Handicap Chase (3m 4½f, Class 2)

Venetia Williams went 11-29 (38 per cent) with her runners in the past 14 days. The majority were chasers on their seasonal reappearances. MONTGOMERY is another who fits the bill as an unexposed young chaser who should have plenty more to offer after going 3-4 over fences last term. The step up in trip is likely to bring about more improvement from an exploitable mark of 127 and the excellent big-race chasing jockey Charlie Deutsch can register a fourth success on the seven-year-old Soldier Of Fortune gelding.

Selection: Montgomery (each-way) @ 11/2 with Betfred