ITV Racing Saturday Aintree And Sandown Preview

One of the big races on the Aintree card kicks us off on ITV with the Grade Three Becher Handicap Chase over the National fences and with so many runners entered we have two selections.

Our most confident selection is the joint favourite Le Breuil for Ben Pauling who finished seventh in this event last year, jumping very nicely.

He made his seasonal debut at Kelso in October, finishing fourth of eight runners and it acted as a great prep run for this event.

He is 9lb lower than the mark he ran off in this event last term and having showed decent form in these sorts of races in the past he could be weighted to pounce.

At a much bigger price we like the Venetia Williams trained Aso, who at 20/1 could pick up some superb place money for how inform the yard are.

Over the last two weeks she has been a frequent handler in the winners enclosure with eight winners from 26 runners, which sees her pose a 30.77% strike rate.

Aso has been a star horse for the yard finishing a narrow second to Frodon in the 2019 Ryanair Chase at the Cheltenham festival, which looks a standout bit of form.

Although he been below his best since then it has seen him drop down the weights to a mark that makes him a very attractive runner at the prices.

Eldorado Allen for Colin Tizzard has some of the strongest form in the book heading into the Grade One Henry VIII Novices' Chase and off the back of that looks the value selection in the betting.

Having been a fair hurdler the six year old made his chase debut this term and got off to a winning start at Newton Abbott, seeing off the impressive Stormy Ireland.

He was then sent to Cheltenham for a Grade Two Novices' Chase last month and although being a tad fortunate with Gumball falling when leading, he went on to pick up the pieces and win the event by 19 lengths.

We will never know if he would have caught the leader before he came down that day, but overall he is unbeaten in both his events over the bigger obstacles and is the only runner in the field with a black type win over fences to his name.

The feature race of the day is the Grade One Tingle Creek Chase and although the favourite Altior will be tough to beat we have sided with Politologue.

It was thought that the grey would never be able to get back to his best Grade One winning form last year having raced twice before the festival, finishing second of four on debut in the Shloer Chase and then fifth of eight in the Tingle Creek, where again he finished behind Defi Du Seuil.

His win in the Champion Chase saw him back to his best and although the big hitters like Altior and Chacun Pour Soi were pulled out of the event and took the shine off the race, the grey was still the best horse on the day and will be looking to replicate that form at the weekend.

His handler Paul Nicholls believes he is in top form ahead of the event and having won this race back in 2017 he is hard to rule out getting his ideal conditions and being ridden by Harry Skelton, who triumphantly steered him to victory at the 2020 Cheltenham festival.

Santini is said to be spot on for his return at in the feature Many Clouds Chase after Henderson pulled him out of the Betfair Chase a few weeks back and his rider also believes he has come on massively for his Newbury Gallop.

The staying star for the yard always comes on a fair bit for his seasonal debut, but we think he will be bang on it this term having had a successful race gallop at Newbury.

Although winning on debut last term at Kempton, he was much better next time out after undergoing a wind op which saw him race on trials day in the Cotswolds Chase and he put in a mighty performance to beat Bristol De Mai over what was nearly the Gold Cup trip.

He then headed to the festival for the Cheltenham feature and although rallying in the final stages, had to settle for a narrow second behind dual winner Al Boum Photo.

He will again be heading for the Gold Cup this term and the Many Clouds looks a great starting point for the gelding.

The penultimate race of the day at Sandown is the staying Handicap Chase over 3m4f and the favourite Cloudy Glen has the perfect profile to land this event.

The proven stayer is exactly what you need in this race, winning on his seasonal debut at Fontwell over a similar trip in heavy ground.

He will be getting the same conditions and trip on Saturday and although slightly up in the handicap should be much fitter for his first spin of the term.

Venetia William starts to normally get her horses flying around this time of year and it would be a surprise not to see this run another big race.

The final event of the day at Aintree is another big fielded event that sees plenty of familiar faces head to post and we like the look of two of them at each way prices.

The shortest of the duo is the Philip Hobbs trained Springtown Lake who ran to a fair standard last term and kept that good form going on his seasonal debut.

At Aintree in November the eight year old finished a very good second behind bright spark Modus for Paul Nicholls and running off the same mark in this event makes him interesting.

At a bigger price we think that the superstar Might Bite can get back to his best in the Grand Sefton Handicap and what a popular winner it would be.

The Cheltenham Gold Cup second back in 2018 has not been the same horse since that season where he rounded off his campaign off in style to land the Betway Bowl at Aintree.

The 10 year old has won four Grade One races during his esteemed career including a Cheltenham festival winner in one of the most dramatic RSA Chases since the race was established.

The son of Scorpion was seen five times last term and was poor in all his efforts, unseating his rider on debut in the Many Clouds at aintree, being pulled up at Cheltenham in a Handicap Hurdle and then finishing out the placings on his last three outings, including the Cross Country Chase at the Cheltenham festival.

He finished fifth over three miles on his return at Ascot last month, but is dropping back to, two miles and five furlongs in this one and Henderson and De Boinville believe it should bring the best out of him.

The final runner of the day looks to be one of our best chances on the day with the Nicky Henderson trained Mister Coffey.

The five year old gelding was thought very highly of last term having previously won a bumper and then sent over hurdles and looking a potential runner in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle.

In December 2019 he won a 17 runner introductory hurdle at Newbury beating smart horses like On To Victory and Shakem Up'Arry.

He was then sent to Huntingdon where it looked like he would have another routine win but instead did not run to form and finished second in a weak event.

He was put away for the season after that, but this term has come back and looks to have matured massively, winning on seasonal debut over course and distance at Sandown in a handicap hurdle.

Although he has gone up 10lb for that win he still looks on a superb mark and if fulfilling his potential he should beat this field with ease.