Saturday Racing Tips: 16/1 Jimmy tops Owen’s trio to rule on Imperial Cup day

It's the final Saturday before the 2026 Cheltenham Festival and the next time you hear from me, I'll be trying to convince you that Nicky Henderson is going to complete a quickfire double in the Supreme and Arkle (spoiler alert). What a time to be alive.

But first, some Saturday racing tips for your perusal - including 10/1 and 25/1 shots in the big handicaps at Sandown.

13:50 Sandown - Gentleman Toboot each-way @ 12/1

We start at Sandown for the EBF Final, which can go to GENTLEMAN TOBOOT for David Pipe.

The six-year-old son of Harzand, in the Brocade Racing silks of Native River fame, is as far as I'm concerned being overpriced on account of underperforming at Leicester during the Christmas period.

If he can return to the form he was in previously, which I'll get onto in a moment, he must have as good a chance as any of the 18 hopefuls.

The beating of Dan Skelton's A Pai De Nom, winner of three of his subsequent four starts and fancied for the Martin Pipe at next week's Cheltenham Festival off a mark of 129, reads very well - and so does his weight-giving triumph over G2 Dovecote hero Klub De Reve (132) at Exeter in December.

That suggests Gentleman Toboot, who remains open to improvement, has a good bit in hand off his rating of 131.

It won't be easy in such a deep race off top weight, but if he's ready for his life then he's got a huge chance in my book.

At the prices, and with Extra Places on offer, I'd play this each-way.

14:27 Sandown - Top Jimmy each-way @ 16/1

The other big handicap at Sandown on Saturday is the Imperial Cup over two miles. Twenty two are set to go to post and my vote goes to TOP JIMMY at a generous price.

Nigel & Willy Twiston-Davies acquired the six-year-old son of Kayf Tara from Fergal O'Brien last year, and he won his first two starts for the yard at Uttoxeter - including when giving seven pounds and a beating to the aforementioned Just Golden in October.

A fine effort behind Challow hero and Turners hopeful No Drama This End in a Grade 2 here in Surrey in December was next, before bumping into Scorpio Rising - one of the favourites for the EBF Final - at Windsor's Winter Million Festival in the new year.

I think he's well-handicapped off a mark of 128 and although most of his form is over 2m4f, I think he could be very well-suited to two miles in a fiercely-competitive race at a track like Sandown.

Again, Betfred are paying five places instead of four on this handicap worth £51k to the winner, so the suggestion is another each-way one.

15:55 Ayr - Primoz @ 3/1

Last but not least, the Nap of the Day - PRIMOZ in the Ayrshire Handicap Chase.

The eight-year-old son of Westerner is a horse I've followed throughout his career, and it's fair to say it's not been the easiest journey.

On his day, a smart sort. It's easy to forget that only 12 months ago he was sent off 6/1 for the Grand Annual at the Cheltenham Festival after winning a two-horse race at Kelso a month before by 54 lengths.

That was off a mark of 130 and he's since dropped eight pounds courtesy of seven-straight defeats - many which came during a difficult spell for the Lucinda Russell & Michael Scudamore yard.

However, it was a return to something like up in Newcastle a fortnight ago, as he finished third - just under five lengths off the pace - behind a couple of useful yardsticks in Prairie Wolf and Josh The Boss.

He pecked on landing after the second last and tired thereafter, but that's excusable after a 63-day layoff. He ought to strip fitter here, and appreciate what I believe to be an easier assignment.

I think he's become quite well-handicapped and if he puts it all together, he could be hard to stop.

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