ITV Racing Tips: Saturday Each-Way Double for Sandown & Haydock

The bet365 Celebration Chase has attracted a quality field of five and I am going to take a chance on CAPTAIN GUINNESS (best price 5/1) who makes the trip over from Ireland and his trainer Henry de Bromhead has deliberately bypassed the Aintree and Punchestown Festivals with him to have a shot at this race. 

The eight-year-old was back to winning ways in the Grade 2 Fortria Chase at Navan and turned in a near-career best performance when second behind Energumene in last month's Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Festival. Adding to that, he wasn’t beaten all that far into third in the 2021 Betfair Tingle Creek Chase over track and trip, so he has the course experience this time around. 

I just get the impression he is an even better horse now, especially upon reflection of his latest showing and conditions will suit. He has long been overdue a Grade 1 success in his career having seen the backside of some top-class horses in his time over fences, so this is a fine opportunity for him to put the hoodoo to bed and take top honours. 

In the bet365 Josh Gifford Novices' Handicap Chase, Ben Pauling has two intended runners with the vote going to QUINTA DO MAR (best price 7/1) who gained a confidence-booster success at Fontwell last time and the first-time cheekpieces that were on that day are retained here, which seemingly sharpened him up. 

This eight-year-old jumped very well under a positive ride from Luca Morgan last time and that form has been boosted by the second, who has won since. He only won by a length but he wasn’t asked for maximum efforts, as he was confidently ridden throughout and has only been hit with a four-pounds rise, which is really fair on the face of it with more to come. 

He remains well-treated on the pick of his hurdles form and is open to plenty more improvement after just three chase starts. In addition, conditions and a positive ride will suit around this course too. Luca Morgan has his only ride on the card and with Ben Pauling enjoying one of his better seasons, he can wrap up the campaign with success here.

SPYCATCHER (best price 5/1) should arguably be a clear favourite for the Join Racing TV Now Handicap, who produced a convincing performance when easily scoring at Thirsk last week and the fact that he’s turned out quickly suggests he must have come out of that race well. 

Karl Burke’s classy five-year-old returns to handicap company for the first time in over a year and what’s more appealing about his chances, is the last time he ran over six furlongs on good ground, he finished a two-length second to Highfield Princess in the Group 2 Duke Of York Clipper Logistics Stakes. 

He was giving the winner three pounds and would have finished even closer had the winner had not of dragged him across the course when he was about to make a challenge. The winner has won three Group 1’s since, so there is no doubt this five-year-old is a pattern-class horse, as proven at York. He’s a major contender with four places widely available. 

TACTICAL (best price 14/1) drew a blank last year but he acquitted himself well in each start and this former Group 2 winner will be much more at ease back on better ground and should strip fitter from his reappearance/stable debut when fifth in the Listed Pertemps Network Cammidge Trophy Stakes. 

He is still capable of smart form on his day and should get a nice lead into proceedings here, plus Graham Lee will have learnt a lot from riding him last time. His stable are amongst the winners and this course should suit, so he should be in his element and is worth an each-way investment at double-figure digits with four places widely available. 

Three key components you need to potentially identifying the winner of this race is stamina, being in-form and a low weight. With firms paying six places, I have two suggestions who could easily make the splash in this grade and give their small yards something to cheer about. 

MORODER (best price 14/1) has been a real flag bearer for Seamus Mullins, who is getting better and better and having won four times last season, he has now won five of his last seven starts and has not finished improving over fences yet with stamina and jumping very much his forte. 

The nine-year-old gained a career-best victory in the Grimthorpe Handicap Chase at Doncaster last-time-out and whilst he was sent off 18/1, ranked as one of the outsiders in the field, he certainly didn’t win like an outsider, as he travelled and jumped well and stuck to the task well to see off the remainder. 

His mark has been nudged up another six pounds but he is a winning machine, who jumps well and won under Michael Nolan over 3m6f at Exeter, so he has already proved he stays further plus he goes well on good ground and gets into this on a tiny weight. With so many clutch of positives, he is a strong each-way fancy with six places widely available. 

Chris Gordon’s COOLVALLA (best price 14/1) was only modest over hurdles but the seven-year-old has looked a different proposition since going chasing, in which he has won five of his six starts and makes a lot of appeal with six places widely available. 

His only disappointment was when pulled up in the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham but that run can be excused and he bounced back in good style at Exeter last time over 3m6f, coming from off the pace to score under Rex Dingle and winning with a bit in hand. 

He is five pounds higher now but it is hard to knock his chances when he keeps on winning and has more to come over marathon distances as well. This race could be tailor-made for him, so he is the other one I really like at a price.