Horse Racing Tips: Tanya Stevenson's 3 Bets For Sandown On Saturday
Storm Darragh brings forth some gusty winds and heavy rain, which is enough to ward me off picking anything at Aintree with some parts of the National course heavy on Thursday.
It’s a packed schedule as always on Saturday with Wetherby’s first race billed to go off at 10:35. I was planning a trip to Aintree but might reroute and support the local with an early start getting the best of both worlds, live early action and watching all the remaining racing on the big screen.
I, along with horse racing betting sites, am still getting over the amazing performance of Anzadam at Fairyhouse last week, that horse looks phenomenal. To win a Grade 3 beating the likes of Kala Conti and make Givemefive appear pedestrian is something that will resonate for some time.
And the quote from jockey Paul Townend stating: “it took a long time to pull him up,” has been more than noted. I can’t wait for his next start. Many logged him and he is a name to remember throughout the season.
Another run that may have not be noticed as it should was Clonmel on Tuesday in the 2:05. Both the winner Karafon and the runner-up Uhavemeinstitches made impression for different reasons. Keep them in your notebooks.
Karafon was only confirming a run from a year previous when he was fifth in a Juvenile Hurdle at Leopardstown to Kala Conti, Kargesse, Nurburgring and Batman Girac.
He was very rusty but still stretched out well over the last two flights. He may be seen at Leopardstown over Christmas in the Paddy Power Future Champions Novice Hurdle and he is a sporting price at this stage for the Supreme.
It’s hard to guess where he sits in Willie Mullins pecking order. Christmas will tell us plenty more.
Tanya Stevenson's Selections For Sandown On Saturday
- The Panel Selection 1: 12:40 Sandown - Larchmont Lass - 11/4 With William Hill
- The Panel Selection 2: 13:15 Sandown - Authorized Art - 16/1 With Ladbrokes
- The Panel Selection 3: 14:25 Sandown - Royal Way - 10/1 With Ladbrokes
Tanya Stevenson Panel Tip 1: Sandown 12:40 - Larchmont Lass (Nap)
Back to this Saturday and while others will be keen to focus on the Grade 1s at Sandown, I prefer to seek the value in the shoulder races, starting with the 12:40 Mares Handicap Hurdle.
Paul Nicholls' Larchmont Lass seems to have some room to manoeuvre on the rating of 115 after here seasonal debut at Wincanton.
I thought she showed that she needed that race when she came under pressure as they came round the home turn. She then showed her grit, determination and courage to kick on again and come through for victory.
Last season she was fourth in that valuable Grade 2 Mares Hurdle at Newbury. Wind the clock back to March 2023 and she won the Mares Listed bumper at Sandown.
She is versatile with the ground and if anything will tough out a race like this. Ideally there will be something to carry her through to the race between the last two hurdles.
Tanya Stevenson Panel Tip 2: Sandown 13:15 - Authorized Art (Each Way)
Quirky statistics are what I endeavour to dig out, providing they hold some strength and relevance. Tingle Creek day at Sandown has been a happy hunting ground for Gary Moore over recent years and if you delve deeper into history there are more winners to be found.
From his last 14 runners on this day at Sandown he has had six winners. So as the declarations were slowly coming through, I was clicking furiously at the key website hoping that Gary Moore was going to confirm runners for the 1:15 and 2:25 and that he has.
In the 1:15 he has one of the outsiders in Authorized Art, who up until October 2024 was trained by Willie Mullins.
He had some fair form over bigger obstacles boasting a third in the 2023 Kerry National after finishing runner-up in that years Galway Plate.
I don’t think he was given a chance to run to his full potential over hurdles and that showed on his first run for Gary and Josh Moore. He was third to Rubaud and Kihavah at Kempton in a Listed race.
He didn’t take to the big spruce fences in the Grand Sefton, he completed the course but a distance behind beating one home.
Off the back of that listed hurdle run at Kempton and with Freddie Mitchell’s claim he could be wrongly overlooked and each-way value.
Tanya Stevenson Panel Tip 3: Sandown 14:25 - Royal Way (Each Way)
Spirit d’Anunou won this race 12 months ago and is back to defend his crown. However, Gary and Josh Moore have two in the race and could even have the forecast.
On the Friday of this card Royal Way ran third having raced too freely and losing a shoe. His next engagement was another Juvenile Hurdle where he finished 14 lengths second to Sir Gino, which doesn’t read badly.
No surprise that he went on to win his next three races, including beating Palio and Hamsiyaan at Ascot back in March conceding plenty of weight.
He started this campaign in a very hot race at Cheltenham where he fluffed the last hurdle behind Givemefive, Dodger Long and Bottler’secret.
They omitted the final hurdle, which was to the detriment of Royal Way, as I sense he would have finished closer as he was getting his confidence back.
Back in October, Gary and Josh Moore were 0 from 29, so the Royal Way did miracles to defy the form.
Next up was the Greatwood Hurdle, he never looked able to settle at any point. It was a big call running him in such a race and he will be at that level soon.
This race is something of a confidence boost and I sense Freddie Mitchell may have to put up overweight. He will prefer more testing ground and a stiffer two miles and his price, like Authorized Art, is each-way value with betting apps.
Don’t forget the Moore’s other horse could place of make up the forecast.
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