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ITV Racing Tips on February 1st - Saturday's tips at Sandown, Musselburgh and Leopardstown

Jon Vine

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Last updated: Fri 31 Jan 2025 11:23

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Jon Vine 31 Jan 2025

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Tips for the ITV races on Saturday 1st February
Sandown, Musselburgh and Leopardstown feature on the ITV Racing schedule
Afadil, Marble Sands and Gustavian feature in our selections

Expired

Sandown races. (Getty)

Saturday's ITV Tips

ITV Racing Schedule
1:25pm Sandown - Novices' Handicap Hurdle Tips
1:42pm Musselburgh - Scottish Triumph Hurdle Tips
2:00pm Sandown - Handicap Chase Tips
2:17pm Musselburgh - Scottish County Handicap Hurdle Tips
2:35pm Sandown - Scilly Isles Novices' Chase
2:50pm Musselburgh - Scottish Champion Chase Tips
3:07pm Sandown - Heroes Handicap Hurdle Tips
3:30pm Leopardstown - Irish Gold Cup Tips
3:42pm Sandown - Masters Handicap Chase Tips

ITV Racing will show nine live races from across three tracks on Saturday afternoon. The bulk of the action comes from Sandown, where the Grade One Scilly Isles Novices' Chase headlines the card. Three strong races will be shown live from Musselburgh, before we head over to Leopardstown to watch Galopin Des Champs go for a third Irish Gold Cup.

Here are my best betting tips for Saturday's ITV races at Cheltenham and Doncaster.

ITV Racing Schedule

Time	Track	Title
1:25pm	Sandown	Novices' Handicap Hurdle (Class 2) 2m4f
1:42pm	Musselburgh	bet365 Scottish Triumph Hurdle (A Juvenile Hurdle) (Listed Race) 1m7½f
2:00pm	Sandown	Money Back Handicap Chase (Class 2) 1m7½f
2:17pm	Musselburgh	bet365 Scottish County Handicap Hurdle (Class 2) 1m7½f
2:35pm	Sandown	Scilly Isles Novices' Chase (Grade 1) 2m4f
2:50pm	Musselburgh	bet365 Scottish Champion Chase (For The Bowes-Lyon Trophy) (Class 2) 2m4½f
3:07pm	Sandown	Heroes Handicap Hurdle (Premier Handicap) 2m7½f
3:30pm	Leopardstown	Irish Gold Cup Chase (Grade 1) 3m½f
3:42pm	Sandown	Masters Handicap Chase (Class 2) 3m

ITV Racing Tips - Saturday 25th January

1:25pm Sandown - Novices' Handicap Hurdle Tips

Venetia Williams entered SOLE SOLUTION (4/1) in the Heroes Handicap Hurdle, that comes up later on Saturday's card. Charlie Deutsch's mount had little chance of getting into that Premier Handicap off 114, but Sole Solution has to be a big player in this lesser race with his fellow novices.

Williams' seven-year-old won two bumpers last season, before suffering lengths defeats behind classy types like Junker D'Allier and Sixmilebridge on his first two hurdles starts. Sole Solution ran out an easy winner on his most recent novice outing at Hereford and that entry in the Heroes suggests to me that the team think he's much better than this opening mark.

1:42pm Musselburgh - Scottish Triumph Hurdle Tips

With Lucinda Russell's horses going well of late, I'm taking the market leaders on with JOHNNY RINGO (20/1). Russell's four-year-old was rated in the 80s on the flat and didn't run badly on his hurdling debut when beaten into second by stable Melinda, who was getting almost a stone at the weights.

Johnny Ringo returned to Musselburgh on New Year's Day for his second hurdles start. A mistake at the third-last put Derek Fox's mount on the backfoot, but the favourite worked his way back into contention and powered three lengths clear of the pack on the run to the line. On ratings Johnny Ringo has plenty to find, but given his course form, a bold showing isn't off the table.

2:00pm Sandown - Handicap Chase Tips

There are question marks beside all of the six runners here, not least so Etalon, who has made his way to the head of the market. I'm happy to give this one a swerve.

2:17pm Musselburgh - Scottish County Handicap Hurdle Tips

The right three horses sit atop this betting heat and the strongest case can be made for AFADIL (4/1). Paul Nicholls' five-year-old came into this race last year with little early-season form, but ran out a convincing winner off a mark of 124 and went on to place in the County Hurdle, the Alder Hey and the Scottish Champion Hurdle off 130.

Like last year, Afadil has done nothing during the first half of the season. In fairness, Freddie Gingell's mount wasn't beaten that far twice at Ascot in November and clearly hated the sodden ground at Southwell last time out. Those defeats see Afadil return to Musselburgh rated four pounds lower than last year and Gingell travels up to Scotland to take the ride again.

2:35pm Sandown - Scilly Isles Novices' Chase

Read our full guide to the 2025 Scilly Isles Novices' Chase to find out who we've backed in Saturday's Grade One feature.

Visit our Scilly Isles Novices' Chase Live Stream page if you plan on watching any of Saturday's races via a mobile or tablet.

2:50pm Musselburgh - Scottish Champion Chase Tips

The bookmakers continue to underestimate MARBLE SANDS (11/2) who has amassed an enviable CV. Graeme McPherson's nine-year-old won the Sidney Banks as a novice hurdler, the Frodon Novices' Handicap Chase here at Musselburgh last term, and kicked this season off by beating Colonel Harry in the Colin Parker at Carlisle.

Nick Slatter's mount then had his stamina stretched to the limit when third in the Rehearsal Chase at Newcastle and was last seen following the rampant Springwell Bay home on his first start over fences at Cheltenham. Marble Sands rarely runs a bad race, he hosed up over this course-and-distance last term and Slatter's claimer leaves him shouldering just 11-4 in this valuable contest.

3:07pm Sandown - Heroes Handicap Hurdle Tips

Henri The Second is the clear stand-out. Paul Nicholls' star bolted up on his first start over three miles here in December and he's been laid out for the Heroes ever since. The only negative for the favourite is his price. Fancied horses often go well in this race, but still, 4/1 looks fairly snippy.

If Tom Symonds has managed to get GAYE LEGACY (25/1) fit on the gallops, then she's got a chance of going well. Ben Poste's mount beat Don't Rightly Know - now rated 137 over fences - in a handicap at Newbury last season, before only losing out by three lengths in a Listed Mares' Novices' Hurdle at Doncaster.

Gaye Legacy has run well going right-handed in the past and she's got form on heavy ground. It's a big ask for her to win this on her reappearance, but I could certainly see her hitting the frame.

3:30pm Leopardstown - Irish Gold Cup Tips

Find our free guide to the 2025 Irish Gold Cup in our through-the-card tips for day one of the Dublin Racing Festival.

3:42pm Sandown - Masters Handicap Chase Tips

In Saturday's final ITV race at Sandown, I'm keen to side with GUSTAVIAN (11/2), who I've long thought was capable of landing a handicap chase of this stature.

Anthony Honeyball's charge looked like a real mudlark during his days over hurdles and set out over fences with a rating in the high 130s. Gustavian then endured a winless first campaign over the larger obstacles. In Fact, Honeyball's ten-year-old has only won once over fences, that victory coming on good ground at Exeter in February of 2023.

Honeyball experimented with distances during another blank campaign last term, but all of his runs this season have been over three miles. Sam Twiston-Davies' mount was beaten a neck by progressive novice Fortunate Man at Aintree on Boxing Day and a four-pound rise for that effort sees Gustavian enter this contest with a mark of 126. Honeyball is in need of a tonic, following the tragic passing of Forward Plan last weekend. Hopefully Gustavian can provide it.

Verdict

ITV Racing at Sandown, Musselburgh and Leopardstown

Saturday's Top ITV Tips:

Sole Solution

1:25pm Sandown

@4/1 - 5 Units

Bet £10 Get £40

in free bets

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Bet at BOYLE Sports

Afadil

2:17pm Musselburgh

@4/1 - 5 Units

Bet £10 Get £30

with bonus code NEWBONUS

Available to new customers only. Make a qualifying deposit of £5 or more and claim the offer within 30 days of registering your account to qualify for 300% of that amount in Bet Credits, up to a maximum of £30 in Bet Credits. Once released, your Bet Credits will be held in your account balance and are non-withdrawable. Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of qualifying bets. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Registration required. Time limits and T&Cs apply. The bonus code NEWBONUS can be used during registration but does not change the offer amount in any way. #ad

Bet at bet365

Marble Sands

2:50pm Musselburgh

@11/2 - 5 Units

Bet £10 Get £30

with bonus code NEWBONUS

Available to new customers only. Make a qualifying deposit of £5 or more and claim the offer within 30 days of registering your account to qualify for 300% of that amount in Bet Credits, up to a maximum of £30 in Bet Credits. Once released, your Bet Credits will be held in your account balance and are non-withdrawable. Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of qualifying bets. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Registration required. Time limits and T&Cs apply. The bonus code NEWBONUS can be used during registration but does not change the offer amount in any way. #ad

Bet at bet365

Gustavian

3:42pm Sandown

@11/2 - 5 Units

50% back up to £25

Racing Specialists

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