Horse racing tips for today FREE: Beverley, Wolverhampton, Sandown, Newton Abbot, Chester, Lingfield and Chelmsford – Steve Mullen’s betting preview for ITV’s racing
Steve Mullen guides you through Saturday's racing at Beverley, Wolverhampton, Sandown, Newton Abbot, Chester, Lingfield and Chelmsford
MAY the Force be with you at Sandown.
RED FORCE ONE can land his fourth win on the spin in the 2.25.
Tom Dascombe’s three-year-old is improving with every run and showed his liking for this sort of trip and soft ground when scooting in at Newbury last time.
That built upon victories in lesser company at Bath and Chester where he was value for further than the winning margin each time.
His latest victory was easily his best as he was the only one to come out of the pack and tackle runaway leader Swiss Storm. They had a good ding-dong up front, while the third horse was a good six lengths back.
He’s been hiked 7lb for that but looks capable of progressing further and is the one to beat.
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History Writer looks a threat taking a wise step up in distance after some good runs over a mile. He stumbled and almost came down at a crucial stage at Newmarket last time before flying again right to the finishing line.
The soft ground wasn’t an issue there and this longer trip could bring out the best in him.
Almoreb is nicely bred and wasn’t far off the pace at Newbury last time. He’s another taking the step up from a mile and is bred to stay. He likes it here and can get involved.
Veteran TAKE COVER can defy a modest draw to retain his Beverley Bullet crown at 2.45.
Steve Mullen's Saturday tips
2.25 Sandown: RED FORCE ONE - 'Still on the up and could take this open race at a decent price'
2.45 Beverley: TAKE COVER - 'The class horse in the race and will take some stopping if he gets out front'
2.05 Chester: LAKE VOLTA - 'He put in by far his best effort of the season so far when a good third at Goodwood last time out'
The 11-year-old is holding his form well and wasn’t disgraced in the Nunthorpe at York last time out.
He took the same route to this race when winning 12 months ago and looks hard to beat despite being berthed in stall nine.
Final Venture chased him home last year and has a slightly better stall in five. He has been racing at a more realistic level and went close in a quality handicap at York latest. This is his best distance and a repeat of his Knavesmire run would put him right on the premises.
The draw usually plays a huge role at Chester too and LAKE VOLTA has an ideal berth in stall 2 for the 2.05.
He put in by far his best effort of the season so far when a good third at Goodwood last time out. Being able to handle that unique track bodes well for Chester, which also catches out plenty of horses.
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He took well enough to Chester on his other run here, when fourth at Listed level earlier this summer. The handicapper has given him a chance and Francis Norton is the ideal man to make the most of his front-running style.
Daira Prince has also touched lucky with the draw in box one and is better than his modest effort at Sandown last time would suggest. He won three of his previous four outings and has enough pace to drop back to this distance.
Trainer Roger Varian does well in these Saturday handicaps and Andrea Atzeni’s mount should be right on the premises.
Duretto is likely to be a short order for Chester’s 3.15 and has every chance of winning. But HOCHFELD could well nick the prize at much better odds.
Franny Norton’s mount enjoys his trips to the Roodee and has a couple of victories to his name around this unique circuit.
He comes here in excellent heart having gone close in good company at Goodwood and then again at York last time out. He has no problem with this distance and will keep digging right to the line. If Duretto has any stamina issues, Mark Johnston’s stayer can expose them.
SANDOWN
1.50 Bahamian Sunrise
2.25 Red Force One
3.00 Laugh Aloud
3.35 Too Darn Hot
4.10 Reconnaissance
4.45 Repton
5.20 Compton Mill
BEVERLEY
1.35 Brassica
2.10 Bertog
2.45 Take Cover
3.20 Bondi Beach Boy
3.55 Ayutthaya
4.30 Beverley Bullet
5.05 Macho Mover
CHESTER
2.05 Lake Volta
2.40 Drogon
3.15 Hochfeld
3.50 Light My Fire
4.25 Dark Shot
5.00 Gabrial The Devil
5.35 Angel Gabrial
NEWTON ABBOT
1.55 Leapaway
2.30 Shady Glen
3.05 Serosevsky
3.40 King’s Reste
4.15 Majestic Touch
4.50 Top Chief
5.25 Alizee Javilex
WOLVERHAMPTON
1.45 Top Offer
2.20 Favorite Story
2.55 Gates Pass
3.30 Pike Corner Cross
4.05 Gabrial’s Kaka
4.40 Procedure
5.10 Fearsome
5.40 Domestic Way
LINGFIELD
4.20 Buckland Beau
4.55 Beauty Concept
5.30 Ifubelieveindreams
6.00 Kingfast
6.30 Society Shock
7.00 Twister
7.30 Firlinfeu
CHELMSFORD
5.45 Shyarch
6.15 Leroy Leroy
6.45 Tin Hat
7.15 Fox Coach
7.45 Cliffs Of Capri
8.15 Marhaba Milliar
8.45 Crystal Moonlight