Horse Racing Tips: Saturday 3rd December 2016

12:30 Aintree – Cernunnos @ 13/2

The second race on the card at Aintree is Saturday’s first port of call and it’s Tom George’s Cernunnos who makes plenty of appeal at a decent price.

Although this six-year-old has only won once over fences, he’s turned in a number of encouraging efforts and looks as though he might just have been found a good opportunity here. Since falling late on in the Summer Plate at Market Rasen back in July (probably would’ve taken 2nd had he stayed up), the gelding’s efforts haven’t been anything special this season, but he has run with credit and drops into an easier contest here.

Two pieces of Kempton form from last season stand out when looking at the profile of this runner. Back in February and March he twice finished 2nd over a slightly longer (half furlong) trip on both good and good-to-soft ground – first in a Class 3 event and then in a Class 2. The form of the latter looks fairly decent. He beat a number of runners who, on paper at least, have a bit more about them than the majority of this field and looked good in doing so.

His run at Sedgefield back in August is another that catches the eye and but for a mistake at the last he would’ve surely gone much closer than his eventual 5th place finish against a number of good-quality rivals.

On some of his better form, Cernunnos looks as though he’s got a real chance here. Add in the fact that trainer Tom George has an impressive 25% strike rate at Aintree and, at a decent price, this one is well worth a go.

14:20 Wetherby – Ifandbutwhynot @ 11/1 (each-way)

In the 14:20 at Wetherby, the Tim Easterby runner, who’s handicap rating continues to fall, is a very interesting contender and looks as though he’s well worth supporting each-way.

Ifandbutwhynot might not have won over hurdles since late 2013, but, on his day, he’s performed respectably in a number of very good races.

Since winning a decent handicap at Musselburgh back in early 2013, this horse has consistently found himself running off a mark somewhere between the high 130’s and low 140’s. With this in mind, the fact that he’s now down to a mark of 124 is hard to ignore. He’s previously won at both Grade 2 and Listed level, which suggests that a race of this nature (Class 3) wouldn’t be beyond him.

Having returned from a break in late September, the gelding’s reappearance run, although nothing special, wasn’t bad and he duly built on it when running a close-up 3rd over C&D six weeks ago. In comparison to Saturday’s contest, that October event looked stronger and thus such form bodes well.

Last time out at Haydock he was unsuited by the bottomless ground so it’s worth putting a line through that particular piece of form. Although, judging by his price, the bookies have seemingly failed to do this.

In a race that probably won’t take too much winning, under conditions that look set to suit, Ifandbutwhynot looks to have a decent chance and, at odds of 11/1, he’s worth being on each-way.

14:45 Chepstow – Dolores Delightful @ 9/1 (each-way)

Nick Williams’ Dolores Delightful looks as though she may have been found a nice opening in the 14:45 Chepstow and is another who looks to hold solid each-way prospects.

This six-year-old is still relatively unexposed but already has a string of good performances to her name. She’s a winner over three miles at this level and an impressive one at that. On top of this, she has several placed efforts next to her name, some of which came in tougher contests. Her Class 3 record over timber reads: 23314523 – it’s fairly clear that consistency is her game, and, let’s be honest, that’s never a bad thing.

When reappearing around six weeks ago at Worcester, she once again ran with plenty of credit to finish 3rd and was keeping on well. It would be fair to assume that she’d come on for that run and, all things considered, there isn’t much to dislike about her profile with this race in mind.

In terms of the opposition, there’s question marks over plenty, many of which are expected to improve, while others could easily be found wanting for stamina and fitness. Dolores Delightful looks pretty solid, though, and is certainly worth supporting each-way.

15:30 Sandown – Five In A Row @ 8/1 (each-way) & Jimmy The Jetplane @ 11/1 (each-way)

In the final race at Sandown, two horses both look to have stand out chances and, at decent prices, it’s worth backing the pair of them each-way.

Starting with Five In A Row – Brian Ellison’s eight-year-old has some decent chase form to his name and having had just five runs over fences remains unexposed.

After winning a couple of decent Class 3 events last season, Five In A Row made a very pleasing reappearance when finishing 2nd at Sedgefield just over a month ago. He was upped in distance that day for the first time and put in a solid performance. The marathon trips of 28/29 furlongs often find horses out when stepping up for the first time, but this gelding seemed to relish it. Considering that race last time out was both his first of the season and his first going further than three miles, it’s more than reasonable to expect him to strip fitter for it and it wouldn’t be wise to bet against there being more to come.

Tackling the longer trip for a second time, in a race that certainly isn’t the strongest of it’s kind, Five In A Row is fancied to make it two good performances on the spin and it would be no surprise to see him get seriously involved come the business end of this contest.

Moving onto Jimmy The Jetplane. Kim Bailey’s eight-year-old is also fairly unexposed over hurdles and is another who looks as though the longer he goes the better he’s going to get. Having made his debut over fences back in May, he stepped up in trip to improve the following month. Following a 77 day break, the gelding returned to action back in September, where a further step up in trip saw him lay down another solid effort (finished 2nd in a Uttoxeter Class 3).

Having won over 26 and a half furlongs at Sedgefield just over one month ago, Jimmy The Jetplane once again gave the impression that the longer, marathon-type trips are where he wants to be competing. Although this wasn’t the strongest contest, he got the job done in good fashion, keeping on really well in the closing stages. Last time out he wasn’t disgraced when finishing 2nd back down in distance, although this run probably confirmed that he does relish the ultra-long trip. If the extra distance suits today, and there’s every chance it will, then there’s no reason why Jimmy The Jetplane can’t get himself involved.

On ground that suits, Bailey’s unexposed runner could easily prove that we’ve not seen the best of him just yet and, at a very appealing price, he’s fancied to run a good race.

See all of Saturday’s tips here.