Saturday horse racing tips from Tom Lunn for Sandown, Leicester and Haydock
talkSPORT have you covered for horse racing with free racing tips and free bets from the fixture at Sandown, Leicester and Haydock.
Tom Lunn has gone through the cards, form, going and much more to help guide your horse racing betting choices.
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Saturday April 27th horse racing tips
- SANDOWN - 1.50: Maasai Mara 20/1 each-way (2pts) & An Bradan Feasa 22/1 (1pt), 2.25: The Real Whacker 5/2 (1.5pts), 3.00: El Fabiolo 10/11 (NAP - 2pts) 3.35: Kitty's Light 4/1 each-way (2pts)
- LEICESTER - 2.05: Miss Cantik 9/1 E/W (0.5pt) & Thunder Roar 5/1 E/W (1pt)
- HAYDOCK - 2.45: Sparks Fly 7/1 E/W (0.5pt), 3.53: Bright Thunder 11/4 (1pt)
Maasai Mara & An Bradan Feasa
An Bradan Feasa is only four-years-old but has held his own in two tough contests this year, placing fourth in listed company to Liari, Roaring Legend and Balboa.
He then went to the juvenile handicap hurdle and was a respectable eighth in tough conditions in a stacked field.
This is a little easier but still has a plethora of top horses, but he's been dropped another 3lb which makes him a huge chance at a massive price.
The same can be said for the unexposed Maasai Mara who's going to carry very little as he's rated just 119.
But that's still potentially too low for his potential having shown real ability winning at Catterick in February, beating Golden Maverick comfortably, before placing just four lengths off Insurrection last time out, which saw him go up 7lb.
Those two went nicely clear of the rest of the field and it was possible he could have got even closer had he not been bumped heading into the last hurdle.
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The Real Whacker
The Oaksey Chase, a Grade 2 2m6f contest has been opened up considerably with a few not being declared.
Ahoy Senor is out and it leaves The Real Whacker, Hitman, Ga Law and many other big prices becoming the frontrunners.
Easy Game represents Willie Mullins' strong hopes for another big payout on the jumps finale, with £45,000 on offer for the winner.
But it's just 15 days after he struggled at Aintree and may be a bit too much to ask for a horse that has won twice and struggled twice in a year, with around two months break between each run.
Hitman hasn't won since November 2022 and it's tough to back him in this ahead of The Real Whacker, against a horse that has gone up and down around his current mark in defeat.
The Real Whacker however, has ran well in Grade 1 company this season, in the toughest races there is including the King George VI Chase.
He then came second at Cheltenham to Capodanno and does look like he'd be able to make it a tough stamina test if he runs from the front over the extended 2m6f.
El Fabiolo
While it was a concerning run for the 2/9 favourite, that very run makes him close to evens for this race which would be unheard of had he ran well.
Willie Mullins will have him in the best condition and he's looking to claim the British Champion Trainer title this weekend and could add a huge gap to his lead with this victory with nearly £100k on offer.
Jonbon and Gaelic Warrior present El Fabiolo's biggest threats, but Jonbon has to reappear after just two weeks having bypassed Cheltenham Festival and did well being upped to 2m4f for the first time at Aintree's Melling Chase.
Gaelic Warrior might be the future of the 2m chases for Mullins, but he's only six-years-old and should be the danger next season after he's given another summer to progress further.
The expectation is that El Fabiolo is going to bounce back convincingly with his only danger Jonbon, who was stepped up to 2m4f last time out and may need this run at a good clip to stand a chance when El Fabiolo comes back stronger.
Kitty's Light
Hard not to fancy this stamina specialist, who plugged on incredibly well to place in the Grand National two weeks ago.
He loves it at Sandown, placing in this race twice before winning last year.
He's still only eight-years-old and clearly has plenty of running left in him and he's as tough as the rest in the field.
Especially as he's not been bumped up in the weights for that place effort, only 5lb higher than when winning this last year.
Miss Cantik & Thunder Roar
Miss Cantik was in a deadheat with Excellent Truth back in May 2023 in France, with that runner going on to win in a Group 3 at Deauville and then placed six in the Group 1 Prix de l'Opera Longines at Paris Longchamp.
That's encouraging form as she's since gone on to place in listed company herself and comes here on British debut with a mark of 99 which could be lenient if the filly has developed well over the winter.
Meanwhile Thunder Roar gets a 6lb difference and advantage over Look Back Smiling who won at Doncaster in March.
Thunder Roar was a close second, upped just 3lb for that on his first attempt over an even 1m.
Meanwhile Look Back Smiling, who was given 2lb by Thunder Roar, now needs to give away 4lb! Which should be ideal time to strike for the Night Of Thunder gelding, who has been incredibly consistent under the training of Tony Coyle and Kaine Wood.
Sparks Fly
Sparks Fly really let the sparks fly at Sainz in October to win by 12 lengths in a listed fillies & mares contest but was further than that behind the winner three weeks later over course and distance in another listed race.
That was a tough race though against some top horses and geldings, with the winner, Tribalist, now being given an overall rating of 116.
She could be best watched on seasonal reappearance after a long and tiring 2023 campaign, with a a run on average every three weeks from January onwards, but fresh from a break she is very interesting.
The filly won six times in a row to go from a mark of 59 to 98 and still defied that mark here in September in a Class 2, she's another 9lb for that win in France but probably does warrant a small each-way if she can keep improving as she does.
Bright Thunder
Trainer Karl Burke's three-year-olds are running at a better win-rate than his overall strike-rate this season with five winners from just 24 runners since January 2024.
He sends out Bright Thunder under Shane Gray who is given 5lb from Shemozzle who gets a penalty for winning on her debut at Newmarket back in October.
She's got some great pedigree but looks vulnerable against a potential threat from the successful yard.
Tom Lunn's Racing Tips Profit + Loss
- NH 2023/24 P+L: +139.19pts
- P+L from July 2023: +209.86pts
All odds correct at time of writing
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