Saturday’s UK Horse Racing Tips: Tom Collins focuses on three-year-old handicaps

The Group 1 Coral-Eclipse headlines the domestic action on Saturday, but that race isn’t much of a betting heat with traders pricing it up as a match between the two jollies.

I would slightly favour recent Epsom winner Emily Upjohn over Paddington on the basis that this year’s renewal of the Eclipse could turn into an extremely tactical affair. She showcased an exceptional turn of foot to win the Coronation Cup last time and her burst might just catch out Aidan O’Brien’s three-year-old at a crucial stage. 

That being said, the Sandown’s feature should be regarded as a watching brief given the little value on offer. Finding good punting opportunities elsewhere isn’t easy but a couple of three-year-old handicaps have caught my eye, so I will get stuck in before enjoying an excellent night of US racing at Belmont Park.

You can make a case for plenty in Sandown’s closing 1m2f contest (5.25), which is perhaps why there is just six points separating the favourite and outsider in the market. Hakuna Babe and Mythical Guest are interesting after some promising efforts in maidens and either could be worth a saver, but they haven’t achieved as much as David Menuisier’s Entrancement.

This daughter of Expert Eye showed some talent when she raced for former trainer Harry Dunlop, but she’s clearly improved for the switch of yard and impressed me with her clearcut success on deep ground at Goodwood last time out. Her wheels just kept on turning when others got tired some way out.

It’s obvious that she handles testing conditions exceptionally well and it’s likely that she won’t get her ideal ground here. There are thunderstorms forecast in the early part of the afternoon - I’ve seen predictions of between 3.5mm and 6mm, which could result in a going change for the races at the end of the card. Whatever conditions come race time, I’m happy to back this rapid improver.

The other race I’m interested in has a polar opposite feel with just four runners entered in the 1m2f handicap (7.25) at Nottingham. 

Savanna King is facing rivals who have previously got their head in front, but I thought his last two efforts against better horses were pretty encouraging and it interests me that John and Thady Gosden are looking to take advantage of his opening handicap mark of 74 rather than sticking to maiden company.

It looked like he just lacked a change of gear on his penultimate start at Newmarket. However, the winner is now rated 92, the runner-up has won since and owns a mark of 87, the fourth and fifth are talented, and the seventh has also scored subsequently. In short, it was a pretty good contest and the fact that he contested the finish was admirable.

Better was expected last time out but rider Cieren Fallon could never get a clear run on Savanna King and ultimately left him to finish in his own time, so there is no point judging that performance on face value. 

I don’t hate the drop back in trip and the Gosdens have a 27% strike-rate with three-year-olds at this venue in the last five years. He is also their only runner to make the 200-mile round trip from their Newmarket base.

Saturday’s UK Horse Racing Tips

Entrancement (5.25 Sandown) @ 6.8
Savanna King (7.42 Nottingham) @ 4.2