IT'S another massive day of horse racing on Saturday. We got Jack Milner (JJMSports) to take us through his best bets.
13:00 Aintree | 2m 4f Handicap Chase
I want to talk about Distime in this Aintree race. He finished second at this venue at the end of October to a very smart horse called Baileys Concerto, and then followed that up with an impressive 10 length win at Catterick. He gets his chance for revenge on Saturday as he faces old rival Baileys Concerto on better terms this time round and I think that Catterick win will have given him the confidence he needs to win this contest.
13:30 Aintree | 3m 2f Becher Chase
This is a fairly unique race, in that it's the only other time of the year when we see the Grand National fences in action. I'll be backing Our Father in this race. Now I did my bollocks on this horse in last year's Hennessy. It still hurts now, but I'm expecting him to pay me back tomorrow. When he failed to win the Hennessy last year it was the first time he'd been beaten in his opening race of the season. The previous three years he had triumphed, and he finds himself in that position at Aintree tomorrow. David Pipe has never won the Becher, but he'll never have a better chance than on Saturday. Our Father is on a career low mark and can exploit that here as long as he gets a little bit of juice in the ground.
15:00 Sandown | 2m Tingle Creek Chase
This is a poor renewal when you think of some of the horses that have won this great race in recent years. There are no superstars this time. Balder Succes gets my vote. I think he's capable of reversing his Haldon Gold Cup defeat from last month as he's been specifically trained for this race and he has a 7lb turn around in the weights. His jockey Richard Johnson received a 12 day ban on Friday and he'll be determined to raise his spirits after that. Winning on Balder Succes will provide him with that, and I think that's what will happen.
15:10 Chepstow | 3m Handicap Chase
It's Carole's Destrier who's catching my eye. Okay, he should go off favourite, but I reckon he's got buckets in hand. He won at Exeter at the start of last month beating Carraig Mor and that horse has gone on to beat the much thought of Southfield Theatre in a Grade 2 at Newbury. So that Exeter win looks rock solid form. It's also pleasing that his trainer Neil Mulholland is in fine form at the moment. He looks a good bet.
Best Bets
13:00 Aintree – Distime To Win (3/1 BetVictor)
13:30 Aintree – Our Father Each Way (14/1 BetVictor)
15:00 Sandown – Balder Succes To Win (100/30 BetVictor)
15:10 Chepstow – Carole's Destrier To Win (2/1 BetVictor)
