Saturday ITV Racing Tips: Best bets for Sandown, Musselburgh and Leopardstown on February 3

A bumper day for the ITV cameras across the UK and Ireland, with the Grade 1 Scilly Isles Novices' Chase (1435) the highlight of five races at Sandown.

There's three contests at Musselburgh and just two from day 1 of the Dublin Festival, which does include one of the four Grade 1 races Leopardstown has on the card - The Irish Gold Cup (1535). Why they are not showing the other three is anyone's guess.

We will start off with a quick run through our tips, with the reasons why we've picked them further down the page.

If you fancy a punt or two, check out the Planet Sport race centre which will show you all the live odds, racecards and results.

And if you want to hear about what top jockey and Planet Sport Bet Ambassador Harry Cobden thinks about his chances at Sandown go here.

Good luck and please gamble responsibly.

(Please be aware selections could become non-runners after article's first publication)

 

Saturday selections in full:

13:25 (Sandown) Classic Anthem

13:40 (Musselburgh) Monmiral

14:00 (Sandown) In Excelsis Deo

14:15 (Musselburgh) Peaches And Cream

14:35 (Sandown) Hermes Allen

14:50 (Musselburgh) Ballygeary

15:00 (Leopardstown) Fine Margin

15:10 (Sandown) Ed Keeper

15:35 (Leopardstown) Galopin Des Champs

15:45 (Sandown) Java Point

 

13:25 (Sandown) Classic Anthem

Classic Anthem showed a liking for this course when staying on strongly to strike in mid-December and appeals in the Virgin Bet Daily Price Boosts Novices’ Handicap Hurdle.

He was just collared close home when looking set to make it a double at Plumpton but the feeling is that Jim Boyle’s gelding has more to offer and will benefit from a stronger-run race here.

Bought for £200,000 after winning an Irish point-to-point, the form of that contest has been franked by joint-favourite No Time To Wait going on to shine for Gordon Elliott.

 

13:40 (Musselburgh) Monmiral

Monmiral would be a fitting winner at Musselburgh with Bryony Frost on board in the bet365 Frodon Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase.

The well-regarded seven-year-old can be forgiven for tiring late on in a hard-run December Gold Cup on his first outing for nine months and is just the type to go well for Frost, who had such an affinity with the recently-retired Frodon.

 

14:00 (Sandown) In Excelsis Deo

In Excelsis Deo may just have paid the price for a couple of costly jumping errors at a crucial time when second at Cheltenham but has been given a little break to recover and gets the nod in the Virgin Bet Every Saturday Money Back Handicap Chase.

 

14:15 (Musselburgh) Peaches And Cream

Irish trainer Gavin Cromwell has had great success with his raids on Britain this season, so Peaches And Cream appeals in the bet365 Edinburgh National Handicap Chase.

 

14:35 (Sandown) Hermes Allen

 

Hermes Allen can hardly be faulted for finding Il Est Francais too good at Kempton on Boxing Day and can grab Grade One glory in the Virgin Bet Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase.

The Paul Nicholls-trained seven-year-old was an elite-level winner as a novice hurdler last season and went off as favourite for major events at Cheltenham and Aintree.

He kicked off his chasing career with a nice Newbury triumph over a decent yardstick in Nickle Back, jumping better and better as that race went on, so he remains one of Britain’s brightest prospects in this sphere.

 

14:50 (Musselburgh) Ballygeary

Ballygeary has been in good form this term and can give Donald McCain a third win in six years in the bet365 Scottish County Handicap Hurdle.

 

15:00 (Leopardstown) Fine Margin

Fine Margin resumed from a lay-off beaten second in November. Returns from another short break and could go well.

Panda Boy finished second tackling fences during December and is an interesting contender revisiting hurdles.

Canal End has progressed with each run this campaign and is unexposed attempting the distance, so keep an eye on the market.

 

15:10 (Sandown) Ed Keeper

Ed Keeper is fancied to gain compensation for a frustrating defeat last time out by landing the valuable Virgin Bet Heroes Handicap Hurdle.

After taking a step up to three miles in his stride when scoring impressively at Newbury, the six-year-old was backed to follow up over the same trip at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day.

Everything looked to be going to plan as he came to challenge Butch approaching the final flight, with Sam Twiston-Davies having time to remove his goggles while travelling sweetly.

However, Ed Keeper met that obstacle all wrong and was unable to get going again on heavy ground after losing all momentum with a bad mistake, eventually going down by a length and three-quarters in third.

The bare form of that effort feels solid, as there was a whole host of recent winners in the 10-strong field, but it is the untapped potential of this French-bred gelding which makes him so interesting.

Sam Thomas will have been disappointed to receive another 5lb uplift for picking up just a bronze medal but his charge has the scope to cope.

 

15:35 (Leopardstown) Galopin Des Champs

Galopin Des Champs was back to his brilliant best in the Savills Chase over Christmas and can see off his nemesis Fastorslow in the Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup.

 

15:45 (Sandown) Java Point

Java Point made an encouraging first start for new trainer Henry Oliver when running well for a long way at Newbury and has each-way claims in the Virgin Bet Masters Handicap Chase if coming on for the outing.

 

READ MORE: Harry Cobden’s Planet Sport bet blog: Hermes Allen the one to beat at Sandown