ITV Racing Tips: Memory Lane trip could be just the job

Superb National Hunt racing comes our way on Saturday afternoon courtesy of the ITV cameras. Notably we're soaring over the Grand National fences in the Becher Chase at Aintree; and hurtling over the Sandown equivalent in the Tingle Creek.

Terrific contrast - a 3m 2f stamina-test on Merseyside, and chasing's flying machines over the minimum trip in Surrey.  We've got NINE races in total, with attractive supporting heats featuring some of the top yards in opposition. Here we go then - our ITV Racing tips are as follows, starting at 13:15, and if you're contemplating a little tickle, have fun. Most importantly, as always, enjoy.

Horse Racing Odds

Today's Horse Races

Full ITV schedule;

13:15 Sandown - Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle (Class 2) 2m 7 1/2f

13:32 Aintree - Boylesports Home Of The Early Payout Handicap Chase (Class 2) 2m 4f

13:50 Sandown - Betfair Henry VIII Novices' Chase (Class 1) (Grade 1) 2m

14:07 Aintree - Boylesports Becher Handicap Chase (Class 1) (Premier Handicap) 3m 2f

14:25 Sandown - Betfair Plays Different Handicap Hurdle (Class 2) 2m

15:00 Sandown - Betfair Tingle Creek Chase (Class 1) (Grade 1) 2m

15:17 Aintree - Boylesports Best Odds Guaranteed Handicap Hurdle (Class 2) 2m 4f

15:35 Sandown - Betfair Exchange London National Handicap Chase (Class 2) 3m 4 1/2f

Rationale;

13:15 Sandown - Henri The Second @ 9/2

Race one in the channel's live output, and if there's a trickier heat in the eight left to come I'd be surprised.

I've plumped for a Paul Nicholls-trained, Harry Cobden-ridden conveyance that's won on this demanding circuit previously. Henri The Second is a fairly lightly-raced seven-year-old gelding who just over 12 months ago tried his hand at chasing.

The experiment, here at Sandown, didn't go well and was extremely short-lived - and after a break of a year he reappeared over hurdles 27 days ago on this track, running on to be fourth beaten 11.5l over 3.5f shorter than today.

The step up in trip could well suit then; and he was graded-class as a novice hurdler. He had wind surgery 18 months ago and I feel the stable have been waiting on things to fall right in terms of his well-being. That patience will I believe be rewarded sooner rather than later, and I hope it's on Saturday.

Rising eight he's every right to improve still, especially if the breathing op works its magic.

13:32 Aintree - No Risk Des Flos @ 5/1

I take little persuading to side with the often deadly combination of trainer Olly Murphy and jockey Sean Bowen. They have in recent times struck up a most prolific partnership. Sean is operating at a 23% strike-rate over the past fortnight, and the Wilmcote, Warwickshire-based handler isn't far behind.

No Risk Des Flos found L'Eau du Sud 10l too good at Stratford 37 days ago and that's no disgrace, with the Skelton flyer subsequently dotting up at Cheltenham and is the likely favourite for the big Grade 1 novice chase on Sandown's card - more of which shortly.

He's another to have had a wind op, in September, ahead of that satisfactory November reappearance in Shakespeare country. The nine-year-old has won off 134 in the past and is rated just 126 today.

If the procedure has indeed helped, and the trainer's getting him back to something like his old self, then Sean, who knows him well, could have an exciting afternoon in store.

13:50 Sandown - Down Memory Lane @ 5/2

Right - what were we saying about L'Eau du Sud? He'll be a hotpot for this I reckon, but it might not all be plain sailing.

My selection is the JP McManus-owned Down Memory Lane. The six-year-old didn't waste much time over hurdles, taking a maiden easily before running down the field 12 months ago in a Grade 1. He'd taken a point and a bumper previously, and on chase debut at Navan three weeks ago after a break of some 325 days hardly put a foot wrong, jumping well and sluicing up by 7l.

Everything from the word go shouts quality about this Walk In The Park gelding, and he might just be special. L'Eau du Sud will be a tough nut to crack and will look to advertise his Arkle credentials, but I'm really looking forward to assessing JP's charge. Terrific contest.

14:07 Aintree - Gaboriot each-way @ 4/1

Always a thrill, when the National fences are being utilised. Not quite the full April distance of course but still a very stern test, at 3m 2f, for the Becher.

Gaboriot has a fabulous racing weight of just 10st 2lb, and four weeks ago ran a blinder here in the Grand Sefton (3rd), becoming acquainted with the obstacles if not the trip (it was only 2m 5f).

However, the eight-year-old gelding was running on at the finish and has an open hunter chase win over 4m on his CV (and at Cheltenham, too). The training team of Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero are in fine fettle (19% strike-rate over the past fortnight) and regular pilot Henry Brooke is on board. The extra yardage should be perfect.

Terrific chance to be played late potentially, and take this lovely prize. He's jumped around here before which is a considerable advantage enjoyed by others too, it's fair to say, but they're invariably less well treated now and we're stretching out considerably in trip.

We're paying four places each-way, so that's an eminently sensible play in my book.

14:25 Sandown - Knickerbockerglory @ 10/3

Almost compulsory to try to find at least one Team Skelton warrior to do the business in the big Saturday races, and I'm drawn to this eight-year-old gelded son of multiple Group 1-winning hero Fame And Glory.

Knickerbockerglory hasn't been seen since March, pulled-up in Plumpton's big race, the Sussex Champion Hurdle. He'd previously run adequately here in the Imperial Cup.

Just over a year ago he produced an exceptional piece of form, comfortably taking one at this level at Ascot, off a mark of 130 (claimer reduced that by a further 5lb).

He looks to get back to that level today (recorded a standout Racing Post rating of 141) off 132, with the brilliant Harry Skelton doing the steering. The stable are almost matchless at bringing horses beautifully prepared for the bigger tests, and I'm hoping this might be another case in point.

Desirable pot of £26k is definitely not to be sniffed at.

15:00 Sandown - Quilixios @ 11/2

I'm taking on the likely hotpot Jonbon here - could be a massive folly, but at the likely odds I'd rather chance this Cheveley Park-owned, Henry De Bromhead-trained seven-year-old raider.

Quilixios was a 150-rated hurdler and is proving to be an even better chaser. Last time at Navan he took a Grade 3 easily, and crucially jumped well, too, as he invariably does. That's important here, with the Railway fences in particular a definite challenge.

He's got bags to find on official ratings, but could be improving at seven-rising-eight, and last time was a career-best. Jonbon hasn't received enough love from me for all his tremendous exploits in the past, but it's true that occasionally he makes things a little more difficult than they might be.

It's a huge ask, but I'm taking a punt on Henry. If you'd done that with many of his UK raiders in the past, generally accompanied by the great Rachael Blackmore, you'd be doing very nicely thank you (the excellent Darragh O'Keefe rides today, with Rachael hoping I believe to be fit again in time for the hectic festive racing programme).

Another brilliant contest, honouring the great Tingle Creek.

15:17 Aintree - Santos Blue each-way @ 7/1

Four places each-way time, and we're heading down the Skelton well once again.

This time amateur Ben Sutton, claiming 5lb, is doing the pushing but to be fair he's the seven-year-old gelding's regular pilot. Santos Blue reappears after a break of 266 days, but has gone well when fresh in the past.

When last seen he took a Class 3 narrowly at Uttoxeter at this 2m 4f trip but though stepping up a notch today doesn't look out of place in this company - in my view at least.

Very trappy, and we're probably in 5s-the-field territory. Small stakes for me ...

15:35 Sandown - Montgomery @ 7/2

If you can hardly avoid a predatory Skelton hound or two on a Saturday, how about this deadly big-race specialist? I refer to Venetia Williams, serial plunderer of chasing prizes especially when the going is decidedly on the testing side.

Montgomery is a seven-year-old gelded son of Irish Derby winner Soldier Of Fortune. Has certainly enjoyed a fabulous 2024 since shipping in from the Christian Williams yard (Feb), winning three times for Ms Williams before performing modestly at Ayr in April.

Reappears now after 231 days and on the advertised soft ground, and at such a stiff venue, could be a typical Venetia stays-all-day job with a nice racing weight of 10st 12lb.

Has shown a slight tendency to jump out to the right, which will be much less of an issue here than, say, Haydock, or Cheltenham. Cracking heat to close with, and it's fingers firmly crossed that the extreme trip is going to prove no problem. He stays 3m perfectly well and I'll be happy if the ground deteriorates even further.

Hope you've had a enjoyable afternoon, thanks for your company, and as always, take care.

ITV Racing Tips with Betfred Insights.