Saturday Racing Tips: Owen’s four to follow on another super Saturday

I feel like I'm always saying this at the minute, but it's another super Saturday on the racing front. Two Grade 1s, including the Tingle Creek, are the highlights at Sandown while Aintree hosts the Becher Chase over the Grand National fences. Big names on show at Navan. A Welsh National trial at Chepstow. There's even flat fare from Wolverhampton to enjoy in the evening.

It's five Saturday racing tips for me this week - including one at 9/4 in the big betting event of the afternoon in Liverpool.

11:33 Navan - I'm All In @ 9/4

Just over two minutes later, I'M ALL IN on Gordon Elliott's three-year-old son of Kodi Bar in a juvenile contest over 2m1f at Navan.

The selection was set to finish runner-up to Minella Academy, who was bought by Harold Kirk and Willie Mullins for a mouth-watering £370k last weekend, before unseating jockey Jack Kennedy at the last on his debut at Cork around a fortnight ago.

For me, that's a stronger piece of form than Ritz Plan's second at Punchestown to Elliott's Highland Crystal. She has franked the form by winning a Listed contest at Newbury recently, but Joseph O'Brien's son of Shaman was beaten 14 lengths at the same time.

If any of the newcomers are to put it up to the aforementioned two, I suspect it'd be Baby Pearl or Coole Cafe for Henry de Bromhead and Gavin Cromwell respectively. However, both yards are in dire form at the moment.

12:43 Sandown - Sunset Marquesa @ 11/4

Joe Tizzard is enjoying a superb season and SUNSET MARQUESA can keep things going in this mares' handicap hurdle over 2m4f.

She ran encouragingly on reappearance from a 230-day layoff, during which she underwent wind surgery, at Exeter last month and I fancy there's a fair bit of improvement to come, as has been the case for many of the yard's runners this term.

A two-pound rise for finishing three lengths off the pace in third is a bit harsh, but this six-year-old daughter of Walk In The Park is relatively unexposed, especially over middle distances, and a career-best effort is likely.

In a stable tour with AtTheRaces, Tizzard said he was "chuffed" with her run in Devon and that she's come out of it really well. I'm expecting a big run.

14:40 Aintree - Westerninthepark each-way @ 9/1

Tingle Creek aside - more on that in a moment - the big race of the afternoon is the Becher Chase over those famous Grand National fences at Aintree.

There's a case to be made for the majority of these, but the one I'm most convinced by is WESTERNINTHEPARK for Olly Murphy and Brian Hughes, who is a more-than-able deputy for Sean Bowen, who's at Sandown for Grade 1 hopeful Alnilam.

This seven-year-old son of Walk In The Park, who was always going to prove a better chaser than hurdler (and he wasn't a bad one of those), was right near the top of my handicappers to follow last year, but he pretty much blew his mark at the first opportunity, bolting up by 14 lengths in a Stratford handicap that October.

He went on to place in competitive races at Cheltenham, Aintree and Leicester, climbing further in the handicap, before a no-show in the Kim Muir at the Festival in March. That proved his final run of the campaign.

His return at Carlisle, following a 234-day break, was full of encouragement. He travelled all over his rivals and was challenging for the lead on approach to the second last, but he soon weakened.

Olly Murphy has come out and said he took a big blow, and that they're expecting a big performance from him on Merseyside.

In a competitive, Extra Place Race with four places to play for, he rates a cracking each-way bet at current prices.

15:00 Sandown - Il Etait Temps @ 10/11

I'd love nothing more than to watch Jonbon, possibly my favourite horse in training, win a third consecutive Tingle Creek for Nicky Henderson, JP McManus and Nico de Boinville on Saturday. However, I don't see it.

The nine-year-old is starting to look regressive. He's won one of his last four starts and his most recent performance in the Shloer Chase was probably his worst over fences.

He should improve for the run, but I really don't like the fact he had wind surgery over the summer and will don cheekpieces for the first time in Surrey. Not one bit.

He's extremely vulnerable to the up-and-coming seven-year-olds L'Eau Du Sud, who put 15 lengths between himself and Jonbon in the Shloer, and IL ETAIT TEMPS, who beat him on the bridle in the Celebration Chase over course and distance back in April.

Willie Mullins' son of Jukebox Jury was a smart hurdler but he took his form to new heights over fences a couple of seasons ago, winning Grade 1s at the Dublin Racing Festival, Grand National Meeting and Punchestown Festival.

Injury kept him out of action for the majority of last term, but he managed to run here at Sandown in the aforementioned Celebration Chase and was as good as he's ever been.

A facile success in an uncompetitive Clonmel Oil last month ought to have put him spot on for this, which has been the target for a while now.

I think he's going to take some stopping. Nap of the Day for me.

Horse Racing - Extra Place Races

Selected race(s). Applies to Each Way, Single & Multiple bets only. Antepost bets don’t apply. Min. runner rules apply. T&Cs Apply.

Sports Welcome Offer

New customers only. Deposit via Debit Card & place first bet £10+ (1/1+) on Sports in 7 days. £30 Sports & £20 Acca Free Bets within 10 hrs of settlement. 7-day expiry. Eligibility, payment excl. & T&Cs Apply.

Click the links for the latest Horse Racing Odds and Fast Racing Results