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ITV Racing Tips on April 26th - Saturday's selections on Celebration Chase day at Sandown

Jon Vine

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Last updated: Fri 25 Apr 2025 12:28

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Jon Vine 25 Apr 2025

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Free tips for the ITV races on Saturday 26th April
Sandown, Leicester and Haydock feature on the ITV Racing schedule
Pic D'Orhy, Ramazan and Minella Cocooner feature in our selections

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Danny Mullins riding Minella Cocooner (purple/black, white cap) clear the last to win The bet365 Gold Cup Handicap Chase at Sandown. (Getty)

Saturday's Tips

ITV Racing Schedule
1:50pm Sandown - Josh Gifford Novices' Handicap Chase Tips
2:05pm Leicester - King Richard III Cup Handicap Tips
2:25pm Sandown - Oaksey Chase Tips
2:40pm Haydock - Same Race Multis Handicap Tips
3:00pm Sandown - Select Hurdle Tips
3:35pm Sandown - Celebration Chase Tips
4:10pm Sandown - bet365 Gold Cup Tips
4:45pm Sandown - bet365 Handicap Hurdle Tips

The 2025/26 National Hunt season draws to a dramatic conclusion on Saturday. ITV Racing will be showing the majority of the card at Sandown, as Willie Mullins and Dan Skelton battle to be crowned Champion Trainer. Leicester and Haydock will also chip in with a couple of competitive flat handicaps.

Here are my best betting tips for Saturday's ITV races at Sandown, Leicester and Haydock.

ITV Racing Schedule

Time	Track	Title
1:50pm	Sandown	bet365 Josh Gifford Novices' Handicap Chase (Class 2) 2m4f
2:05pm	Leicester	Carling King Richard III Cup Handicap (Class 2) 6f
2:25pm	Sandown	bet365 Oaksey Chase (Grade 2) 2m6½f
2:40pm	Haydock	Try Unibet's New Same Race Multis Handicap (Class 2) 7f
3:00pm	Sandown	bet365 Select Hurdle (Grade 2) 2m5½f
3:35pm	Sandown	bet365 Celebration Chase (Grade 1) 1m7½f
4:10pm	Sandown	bet365 Gold Cup Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) 3m4½f
4:45pm	Sandown	bet365 Handicap Hurdle (Class 2) 2m4f

ITV Racing Tips - Saturday 26th April

1:50pm Sandown - Josh Gifford Novices' Handicap Chase Tips

Dan Skelton will be hoping for a fast start to the final day of the title race, as Riskintheground goes for his third victory in the space of two weeks. The handicapper has given him a chance too, having only upped his mark by two pounds following a fairly cosy victory at Cheltenham.

I'm going to take a chance on MAHONS GLORY (16/1), who has been completely transformed since joining the excellent Dylan Cunha. Despite winning just once in his last eight starts for Patrick Neville, Cunha's recruit is two-from-two since making the move, winning over fences at Leicester and again at Stratford four weeks ago.

A seven-pound rise for those victories sees Mahons Glory enter this handicap running off a career-high mark of 137, but that's only one pound higher thank his peak mark over hurdles and Lee Edwards' mount has momentum on his side.

2:05pm Leicester - King Richard III Cup Handicap Tips

Once a Listed race run over a mile, the King Richard III Cup is now a six-furlong handicap sprint. Front-runners are often well-suited by the track at Leicester and I could see GERMANIC (14/1) going well on his first start for Julie Camacho.

Germanic opened his account on the all-weather for William Haggas last term and went close in a couple of good-quality seven-furlong contests at Thirsk and Doncaster, before struggling in the autumn. Camacho does well with her recruits and has been striking at 33% in recent weeks. Ryan Sexton won't have any problems grabbing the lead from stall six and Germanic's proven stamina will come in handy on this stiff finish.

2:25pm Sandown - Oaksey Chase Tips

Victory in this Grade Two will all-but seal the trainers championship for Willie Mullins, and he looks well-placed to land his first Oaksey Chase with Gaelic Warrior and Gentleman De Mee sitting prominently in the betting. Dan Skelton will have to rely on a favour from his old boss Paul Nicholls, who runs PIC D'ORHY (11/4) against Willie's quartet.

Harry Cobden's mount has only run twice this term, winning both times around his favourite track. Nicholls' star jumped superbly at the front when defending his Ascot Chase crown last time out, pouring on the pressure relentlessly to eventually claim a ten-length victory.

Pic D'Orhy didn't jump well when comprehensively beaten in the 2022 Scilly Isles, on what remains his only previous start around the chase track at Sandown. However, given his liking for Ascot and Kempton, I see no reason why this track wouldn't suit his style and good ground is ideal for this exuberant front-runner.

2:40pm Haydock - Same Race Multis Handicap Tips

After a below-par reappearance at Musselburgh, the handicapper has dropped RAMAZAN (8/1) down to a double-figure mark for the first time since August 2023.

Richard Fahey's five-year-old enjoyed a consistent campaign running in big handicaps last term, without getting his head in-front. Ramazan was touched off in the Victoria Cup on his second start and lost out to stablemate Dare To Hope in the Great St Wilfried. After a third-place finish in the Listed Guiborough Stakes at Redcar, Ramazan finished last in the Wentworth Stakes and faded badly late on at Musselburgh earlier this month.

A mark of 99 looks extremely lenient on most of his form last season and Joanna Mason's mount is a former course-and-distance winner around Haydock. If he's come on for that Musselburgh run, Ramazan should go well.

3:00pm Sandown - Select Hurdle Tips

Kitzbuhel looked all at sea on this sort of ground at Aintree and Willie Mullins has added a hood for this assignment. I was really keen on Lucky Place going into the Stayers' Hurdle, but Nicky Henderson's star ran a shocker.

I'd like to see a positive quote before potentially backing Lucky Place again, but as things stand, I won't be having a bet in this Grade Two.

3:35pm Sandown - Celebration Chase Tips

Read our full guide to the 2025 Celebration Chase to find out whether we're with or against Jonbon in Saturday's Grade One feature.

Visit our Celebration Chase Live Stream page if you want to watch any of Saturday's races via a mobile or tablet.

4:10pm Sandown - bet365 Gold Cup Tips

Willie Mullins' will saddle 10 of the 20 runners ahead of our penultimate ITV contest. I'm really hoping Grangeclare West is there to run and not just to keep the weights down. If he's withdrawn on the day of the race it won't shine a good light on the sport.

Grangeclare West's presence in the field leaves defending champion, MINELLA COCOONER (15/2) shouldering eight pounds less than 12 months ago. Willie Mullins' star finished a close third in last year's Irish Grand National before claiming a narrow victory here at Sandown three weeks later.

Many fancied Minella Cocooner to go close in the British Grand National earlier this month and Jonny Burke's mount was in there pitching approaching the second-last flight, before running out of steam late on. Danny Mullins, who opted to ride fifth-placed Meetingofthewaters at Aintree, reprises his winning partnership from 12 months ago and I wouldn't be shocked to see Minella Cocooner claim back-to-back victories.

13 of the 20 entrants will be running from outside of the handicap, including the enigmatic GOSHEN (50/1), who has managed to string together three solid performances. Gary Moore's nine-year-old finished third in the Heroes Handicap Hurdle here in February, before a decent fifth in the Swinley Chase at Ascot two weeks later.

Goshen was only beaten three-quarters of a length behind Hoe Joly Smoke and Java Point on his most recent outing in March, where he was giving ten pounds to the two who finished ahead of him. Niall Houlihan has been getting a nice tune out of this former Grade Two winner of late and Goshen seems to produce his best whenever he visits Sandown Park.

4:45pm Sandown - bet365 Handicap Hurdle Tips

If Willie Mullins hasn't wrapped up his second Champion Trainer crown come the final race on Saturday, then JUMP ALLEN (5/1) looks likely to finish the job. Willie's youngster caught the eye in several novice hurdles and ran out an impressive winner on his handicap debut at Naas in March.

Jump Allen could only finish second to Quebecois over three miles at Ayr two weeks ago. Harry Cobden gave the winner an enterprising ride from the front that day and third-placed Baratablet - who was backed into favouritism at Ayr - won at Perth earlier in the week.

Cobden - who has aided Mullins' title defence with some valuable winners in recent weeks - takes the ride on Jump Allen at Sandown and this drop back down in trip should enable Harry to give Willie's raider a confident ride.

Verdict

ITV Racing at Sandown, Leicester and Haydock

ITV Racing Top Tips:

Pic D'Orhy

2:25pm Sandown

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Jump Allen

4:45pm Sandown

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Minella Cocooner

4:10pm Sandown

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Ramazan

2:40pm Haydock

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