Saturday’s Horse Racing Tips: D’Aunou has the spirit to get the job done at Sandown

A predicted overnight deluge on Friday should leave the ground at Sandown pretty testing, especially on the hurdles course which is currently listed as soft, heavy in places. 

With deep ground often comes a spate of non-runners and Fighting Fifth Hurdle favourite Constitution Hill could be among them. Fingers crossed that’s not the case as we all want to see the unbeaten Champion Hurdle winner back on track this weekend. Whatever happens, you should be looking to side with horses who are proven with cut underfoot for punting purposes.

The best betting race on the card is the Rachael Blackmore Serial Winners Fund Handicap Hurdle (2.25 Sandown), where Nicky Henderson’s Impose Toi fails to tickle my tastebuds at 5/2. His main assets are a high cruising speed and turn of foot, both of which could be blunted by conditions, and he’s also yet to prove himself in this kind of company. Many people will look at connections and the form figures and believe he’s a good thing - not so fast.

It’s 13/2 bar the jolly and I would much rather place my hard-earned cash on the Gary Moore-trained Spirit D’Aunou, who improved a good rate of knots last year as a four-year-old and had excuses for his defeat on seasonal reappearance at Cheltenham.

Among his successes last season was a heavy ground strike over this course and distance, which conveniently puts a tick in two very important boxes (suitability of ground and track) for Saturday’s contest. He progressed from that win to plunder a handicap hurdle at Chepstow in April before finishing fourth on his return in October.

Spirit D’Aunou was a very fresh horse in that latter affair and ruined his chance by pulling throughout the early stages of the race. He became a little outpaced coming down the hill on the good to soft ground, before staying on nicely under tender handling inside the final two furlongs. There was enough promise there to suggest that he has improved over the summer and I’m pretty confident that his mark of 129 remains lenient.

With Niall Houlihan claiming an important 3lb, which is basically a free weight allowance as he has the experience and talent to match the fully fledged professionals, Spirit D’Aunou should give us a good run for our money. I wouldn’t put you off an each-way wager if that’s your thing, but I’ll be betting straight on the nose.

Two shorter-priced runners will make up the betslip this week, starting with Lion’s House in division one of the 6f novice event (6.30) at Wolverhampton. He is one for your combination bets this weekend.

I went to Kempton on October 16 to watch a few nice-looking contests and a horse named Harry Did caught my eye in the seven-furlong maiden after producing a strong late burst to finish fifth. I backed that runner at 5/1 when he returned to the track in November and, as the gates opened, I knew I had a solid edge as he went off half the price (5/2). 

Harry Did travelled through the race well and I was pretty confident at halfway, but he was readily outpointed in the final furlong by Lion’s House, who quickened clear in the style of a nice type. The time of the race was pretty strong and his RPR of 88 suggests he could easily develop into a Group or Listed performer in time. It was very much a case of ‘bumping into one’.

As such, I’m happy to part with a few quid to back Lion’s House on Saturday under a penalty. Roger Varian’s winter team is doing pretty well of late and this juvenile can add another victory to the Newmarket trainer’s tally.

Finally, it’s off to Ireland for the Grade 2 Navan Novice Hurdle (1.07). Henry de Bromhead, Gordon Elliot and Willie Mullins all have live chances, but I’m pretty sweet on the Gigginstown-owned Stellar Story, who seems to only just do enough in his races and could be open to the most amount of improvement.

This son of Shantou is going to thrive over three miles next season as he’s an out-and-out galloper, but he’s already making an impact over these shorter distances and I was impressed with how he upped his cadence in the homestraight last time out after briefly appearing in trouble.

Prior to that victory he disposed of the Mullins-trained Ile Atlantique and stablemate Caldwell Potter at Naas. Those two horses have boosted the form by finishing first and second in their subsequent outings and earned RPRs of 133 (without being asked for maximum effort) and 137 respectively.

Stellar Story may have a high RPR of 123 next to his name, but the related form suggests he’s way better than that and he will outbattle his rivals if he’s in with a chance in a close finish.

Saturday’s Horse Racing Tips

Stellar Story (1.07 Navan) @ 6/4
Spirit D’Aunou (2.25 Sandown) @ 6/1
Lion’s House (6.30 Wolverhampton) @ 7/5