11am Mullins runs Un De Sceaux against Sprinter at Sandown
Willie Mullins relies on Un De Sceaux in the bet365 Celebration Chase at Sandown on Saturday after deciding against declaring Douvan and Vautour.
The master of Closutton entered his three brilliant chasers for the two-mile Grade One at the five-day stage for a prize that promises to be key in his race with Paul Nicholls to be crowned this season’s champion National Hunt trainer in Britain.
In a repeat of the Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, Un De Sceaux will clash with Nicky Henderson’s stable star Sprinter Sacre.
Un De Sceaux was a red-hot favourite for the feature event on day two of the showpiece meeting, but the resurgent former champion Sprinter Sacre brought the house down after a comprehensive success.
Nicholls will be hopeful of picking up plenty of prize-money after declaring three runners. Last year’s Champion Chase hero Dodging Bullets appears the stable’s number one hope, but needs to raise his game significantly after being well beaten when defending his crown at Prestbury Park. The Ditcheat handler also saddles Grand Annual winner Solar Impulse and Ulck Du Lin.
Gary Moore’s pride and joy Sire De Grugy, winner of the Champion Chase and this event in 2014, completes the six-strong field. PA
Thursday’s best bets, by Greg Wood
Paul Nicholls has ducked the Perth Festival this week as he attempts to maintain his slender lead over Willie Mullins in the trainers’ championship, and Mulllins will hope to follow up Wednesday’s one-two in the feature race with a double via Townshend (2.00) and Tennis Cap (4.00).
Elsewhere on the final day of the track’s much-loved three-day meeting, Western Miller (5.05) looks a solid bet to improve on his close second behind Zanstra last time out. Charlie Longsdon’s gelding is certainly racking up the mileage this spring, as that outing was at Newton Abbot, but it was also his first race for nearly three months and he had to make up plenty of ground from the rear. That contest has produced two subsequent winners already and Western Miller is a decent price at around 13-2 to be the third.
While Mullins has the field to himself at Perth, Nicholls is mob-handed at Exeter and Warwick. At Exeter, Black Corton (7.00) has obvious prospects for the trainer in the maiden hurdle and Bill And Barn (8.00) should win the final race and at Warwick, Nicholls should also have a double via El Bandit (2.10) and Stiletto (3.40).
On the day’s only Flat card at Beverley, Arab Poet (2.50) will be fancied to improve Sir Michael Stoute’s impressive 26% strike rate from 19 runners at the track over the last five years, while later on the card, Jacbequick (4.20) is an interesting new recruit to the David O’Meara stable.
Tipping competition, day four
Our winners so far:
Monday
Perfect Pasture 14-1
Carre Noir 7-1
Englishman 7-1
Tuesday
Alzammaar 6-1
Loose Chips 9-1
Cottersrock 9-1
Wednesday
Barwick 16-1
Dark Red 12-1
No Duffer 2-1
And our leader is:
Copshaw +19
... who had No Duffer to maintain his score. Factormax (+14) moved into second with Dark Red, while millreef (+12) is third.
Today, we’d like your tips, please, for these races: 3.20 Beverley, 4.00 Perth, 4.10 Warwick.
This week’s prize is a copy of Timeform’s ‘Horses To Follow’ for the new Flat season, featuring 50 animals picked by Timeform’s team of experts, with plenty more to read in the features section at the back, including Irish horses to follow and ante-post tips. If you don’t win, you can buy a copy here.
As ever, our champion will be the tipster who returns the best profit to notional level stakes of £1 at starting price on our nominated races, of which there will be three each day up until Friday. Non-runners count as losers. If you have not joined in so far this week, you are welcome to do so today but you will start on -9.
In the event of a tie at the end of the week, the winner will be the tipster who, from among those tied on the highest score, posted their tips earliest on the final day.
For terms and conditions click here.
Good luck!
And post your tips or racing-related comments below.
