In search of returns on Saturday....

Friday, 25th April 2025

In search of returns on Saturday….

Pointers for the bet365 Gold Cup….

In ATC today….

…. I swing the bat in all the big weekend handicaps….

The bet365 Gold Cup is the feature handicap at Sandown tomorrow….

…. the off time is 4.10….

…. and my pick of the prices is LOMBRON at 16s….

I’m also on BUNTING in the 4.45 at Sandown – he’s up at 7s & 13/2 ….

…. I’m on YORKSHIRE at 8s in the 2.40 at Haydock….

…. and I’m on ROUSING ENCORE at 14s in the 2.05 at Leicester….

That’s the summary….

…. you’ll find all my reasoning below – as per usual….

Oh…. and if you’re looking for the standout place terms on offer – you’ll find them in the Bet Box below….

Read on….

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Willie Mullins and his intentions are clear….

…. he wants to win tomorrow’s bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown (4.10) – which would deliver a crucial £98k to his prize total for the season and help him pip Dan Skelton to the post for the Trainers Championship….

…. and if he can scoop up some decent place money too – then all the better….

His ten runners make up half the field tomorrow….

…. and Grangeclare West running off a mark of 168 means that eleven horses are wrong at the weights – quite a few of them plenty wrong….

It could well be that Mullins reckons Grangeclare West has a big chance conceding 13lb+ to the field tomorrow – and he is joint-second in the betting at a best price of 6s….

…. or it could be a ploy to make life easier for one or more of his other runners….

High Class Hero is the obvious beneficiary of any such strategy….

He’s totally unexposed, Paul Townend – who has the pick of the Mullins crop – has chosen to ride him, and if the top-weight weren’t in he’d have quite a bit more lead in the saddlebag….

The market isn’t foolish – and that’s why the 8yo is the jolly at 4s in the betting….

Dancing City – another who could be said to benefit from Grangeclare West’s presence at the top of the card – is in as a joint second favourite….

I’m never afraid to have to take a flier and I’m going to back LOMBRON at the general 16s….

He’s another Mullins runner who is right at the weights….

…. he’s entirely unexposed….

…. he’s progressed (albeit gradually) for each of his three goes over fences – without setting the world alight….

…. and the step up in trip is interesting….

It could be that he’s been thrown in as part of a numbers game – a shotgun approach – a case of cut him loose, let him run, and let’s see what happens….

…. but he might also be a bigger and more intentional part of the wider plan than the prices suggest….

Either way, I’m happy to swing the bat at the 16s….

Later at Sandown, in the bet365 Handicap Hurdle (4.45) I’m sticking with Mullins and backing BUNTING at the general 7s & 13/2….

He wasn’t unfancied in the build up to the Coral Cup at the Festival – but patently failed to stay the trip….

Dropped back to the minimum distance last time at Ayr in the Scottish Champion Hurdle he was racing toward the rear most of the way under Danny Mullins….

…. and that was the wrong place to be – with the principals all on the pace or closer to it early doors….

He’s probably been a little disappointing for connections….

…. but he was still on the premises at the last at Cheltenham….

…. and I reckon his mark is not beyond him if or when things fall right….

If he can improve on that last effort at Ayr tomorrow then he will take the beating….

In the Try Unibet's New Same Race Multis Handicap at Haydock (2.40) I’m backing YORKSHIRE at the general 8s….

He took his form to a fresh level at Kempton on the AW last time and he’s up to a career high mark of 98….

Look at his profile and you might conclude he’s an AW horse rather than a turf horse….

…. but I’m not so sure….

He was aimed at the money in last season’s Bunbury Cup – where he had absolutely no luck on the day….

…. and he likes it at Haydock – where he was third in a maiden behind future G1 winner Charyn….

…. and where found just one too good in a handicap over course and distance last September – finishing off strong….

That was one of PJ McDonald’s two rides on the horse….

…. and he’s back in the plate tomorrow for the first time since….

The 5yo is fit and firing and I reckon he can get competitive….

Finally, ROUSING ENCORE is worth a bet at the 14s in the King Richard III Cup Handicap at Leicester (2.05)….

He showed a couple of times last term that he will prove capable of landing a pot off his current mark of 83….

…. and he ran well enough on his return at Newbury earlier this month….

Trainer Ruth Carr has been among the winners over the last fortnight….

…. and I just get the impression that he’s going to step on from that seasonal pipe-opener and have a good crack at the money tomorrow afternoon….

…. and at a decent price!
 
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Now, just to recap….

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That’s all for today….

I’ll be back next week….

Meantime – contact me direct at nick.pullen@oxonpress.co.uk  

And remember – win, lose or draw – enjoy the racing….

Stay tuned….

Against the Crowd