Six key punting pointers for Saturday's Grade 1 racing

There are six meetings on Saturday as Lingfield, Sandown, Wetherby, Leopardstown, Musselburgh and Kempton host competitive racing. Here are statistics from each track that could help your punting . . .

Lingfield

If you had backed Clive Cox’s runners blind this year you’d be in profit to the tune of £26.16. His sole representative on Saturday’s Lingfield card is Diligent Harry, who takes his chance in the feature 6f Kachy Stakes (2.26).

Diligent Harry has some classy form on the all-weather – notably a short-head defeat by the now 113-rated Rohaan. His overall form figures on an artificial surface read 11213.

The five-year-old was badly out of form on turf when last seen, but he’s been gelded before making his reappearance and reverting to the all-weather looks an obvious boost to his chances.

Diligent Harry07:36 Lingfield (A.W)

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Jky: Tnr:

Sandown

Four of Olly Murphy’s last 13 runners have won (31 per cent), and backing his horses blind in the last fortnight would have yielded a level-stake profit of £35.41.

He has two strong chances on Sandown’s card, with the exciting Chasing Fire set to line up in the opening 2m novice hurdle (12.35). This Maxios gelding has added to a Wetherby bumper success with odds-on hurdles victories at Market Rasen and holds an entry in next month’s Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.

Murphy also has Thunder Rock entered in the Grade 1 Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase (2.20). He was twice a winner of handicap chases earlier this season and lost little in defeat when third in Grade 2 company at Cheltenham last time.

Murphy's runners at Sandown:

12.35 Chasing Fire
2.20 Thunder Rock

Wetherby

Nicky Henderson is worth following when sending his horses up to Wetherby. He has had only 15 runners at the track in the last five years and seven have won for an impressive 47 per cent strike-rate.

The Lambourn trainer’s only runner on Saturday’s card is City Chief in the Grade 2 Towton Novices’ Chase (2.40).

This six-year-old justified favouritism to land a three-runner handicap chase at Hereford last month. He looks an out-and-out stayer who will benefit from this developing into a dour stamina test.

City Chief07:36 Wetherby

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Jky: Tnr:

Leopardstown

Charles Byrnes has been the go-to man for Leopardstown punters in the last five years. Six of his 14 runners at the track have won (43 per cent), and if focusing solely on his hurdlers, that strike-rate improves to 50 per cent (4-8).

Those statistics point towards Grozni – Byrnes’s only runner on the card – holding strong claims in the 3m handicap hurdle (3.40).

Grozni comes into this race having won three of his last six starts, successfully reverting to front-running tactics when scoring at Leicester last time out. That run suggested Grozni will appreciate stepping back up to three miles. 

Grozni07:36 Leopardstown

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Jky: Tnr:

Musselburgh

Venetia Williams’ only runner at Musselburgh in the last five seasons won at 9-4, and historically her 28 per cent strike-rate at the track is her highest at any British jumps course.

She has just one representative at Musselburgh on Saturday in Didero Vallis. He hasn’t always been the easiest horse to predict, but less than 12 months ago was seen finishing a 66-1 third in the Kim Muir at the Cheltenham Festival.

Didero Vallis runs in the 3m handicap chase (4.20), his first run in veteran company, and comes into the race after a close third at Ludlow. Jockey Ned Fox claims a handy 6lb and backing his rides for Williams to a level-stake would have produced a profit of £13.95.

Didero Vallis07:36 Musselburgh

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Jky: Tnr:

Kempton

Four of Jamie Spencer’s last 12 rides have won, including his only mount on Friday’s Lingfield card, and a 22-1 outsider at Kempton on Wednesday.

He is back in action at Kempton on Saturday evening when he has three strong chances. Frankel filly Veil Of Shadows makes her racecourse debut in the 1m novice stakes (6.00) before Spencer teams up with David Simcock for the ride on Chola Empire in the 7f handicap (7.00).

His final ride on Saturday comes in the 1m3f fillies’ handicap (8.00) in which he partners Sid’s Annie for Mark Usher. Spencer has ridden four winners from just 13 previous rides for that trainer and backing the combination to a level-stake would have brought a profit of £9.

Jamie Spencer's rides at Kempton:

6.00 Veil Of Shadows
7.00 Chola Empire
8.00 Sid's Annie

Read more here

3.05 Leopardstown: 'He has a relaxed way of racing' - Mullins has no stamina concerns for Galopin Des Champs    

2.20 Sandown: 'It's his Gold Cup' - who has pinpointed the Scilly Isles as his major target?  

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