Saturday’s Racing Tip: 14/1 Spring Heeled should relish Sandown test

Lewis Jones is still drying off after spending the day at a rain-sodden Sandown yesterday and with his ante-post selection Any Currency not making the line-up, he has some alternative tip to ponder for the Bet365 Gold Cup….

It never rains, just pours. That has been the story of the last 24 hours as the downturn in weather played a big part in why both selections ran below par yesterday.

It was clear from being on course early on that the ground was about to soften more than expected as the rain drizzled and then lashed down from the moment I arrived until past the final race.

The conditions were pretty dire as we walked back to Esher station across the track and I’m very surprised to see clerk of the course Andrew Cooper leave some good in the description.

• SANDOWN 15:50 SPRING HEELED 14/1 4pts EW Stakes
• Bet only £5 Get £20 with Paddy Power plus Watch these Races LIVE!

The results proved it was genuine soft ground yesterday and that will be the way forward when searching for horses today. If stamina isn’t part of their make-up, then cross them off your list.

Its Bet365 Gold Cup day today with a full jumps card and the end of season awards set to be given out to the top jockey and trainer.

My ante-post selection Any Currency just missed out on getting into the race, so stakes have been returned on him.

As a replacement, I’m recommending getting on the chances of Spring Heeled from the Jim Culloty yard in Ireland.

The Irish have a decent strike rate from a small sample in the last 10 years, winning the race formerly known as the Whitbread Gold Cup twice, and good Cheltenham Festival form always seems to hold up pretty well for the race.

The selection won the Kim Muir when beating fellow Irish raider Cause Of Causes (the pair pulled 19 lengths clear of the rest) and the handicapper has given him a chance today by only bumping him up 9lbs in the weights.

It is his jumping that makes me think we’ll get a good run for our money today. At Sandown the fences come thick and fast. Spring Heeled, as his name suggests, is a fine jumper, who when getting into a rhythm is hard to shake off from the front as seen at Cheltenham.

He was foot perfect at nearly all his fences that day and showed enough guts to power on up the hill to victory.

Sandown is a very similar stiff finish to Cheltenham and the hill should hold no fears for the 14/1 shot.

Get on with one point each-way stakes.

Profit and Loss Record Staked: 170pts Returned: 334.02pts P/L: +184.02pts

Ante Post Bets:
1pt EW on Berkshire in 2000 Guineas 14/1