ITV Racing Tips on January 31st - Saturday's best bets at Sandown and Musselburgh
Saturday promises a superb lineup of horse races at Sandown and Musselburgh, garnering much interest from UK racing fans. Expert recommendations highlight potential winners, such as Rip Wheeler in the Novices' Limited Handicap Chase and Gunsight Ridge in the Money Back Handicap Chase at Sandown. At Musselburgh, Gibbs Island shows promising form for the Scottish County Hurdle, with Teddy Blue posing a strong challenge in the Scottish Champion Chase over a new trip. These tips aim to guide fans throughout the exciting events of the day.
- Free tips for the ITV races on Saturday 31st January
- Sandown and Musselburgh feature on Saturday's ITV schedule
- Gunsight Ridge, Teddy Blue and Henri The Second feature in our ITV selections
- ITV Racing Schedule
- 12:55pm Sandown - Novices' Handicap Hurdle Tips
- 1:10pm Musselburgh - Scottish Triumph Hurdle Tips
- 1:25pm Sandown - Novices' Limited Handicap Chase Tips
- 1:43pm Musselburgh - Scottish County Hurdle Tips
- 2:02pm Sandown - Handicap Chase Tips
- 2:20pm Musselburgh - Scottish Champion Chase Tips
- 2:40pm Sandown - Scilly Isles Novices' Chase Tips
- 3:10pm Sandown - Heroes Handicap Hurdle Tips
- 3:42pm Sandown - Masters Handicap Chase Tips
Saturday's Tips
Irish eyes might be fixed on Leopardstown, but UK racing fans have a feast of excellent action to take in on Saturday afternoon. The bulk of the ITV action comes from Sandown on Scilly Isles Chase day, with Musselburgh chipping in with three strong races from their Festival trials card.
I've covered every race on day one of the Dublin Racing Festival here on our website. Here are my best betting tips for all of Saturday's ITV races at Sandown and Musselburgh.
ITV Racing Schedule
| Time | Track | Title |
|---|---|---|
| 12:55pm | Sandown | Novices' Handicap Hurdle (Class 2) 2m4f |
| 1:10pm | Musselburgh | bet365 Scottish Triumph Hurdle (A Juvenile Hurdle) (Listed Race) 1m7½f |
| 1:25pm | Sandown | Novices' Limited Handicap Chase (Class 2) 2m4f |
| 1:43pm | Musselburgh | bet365 Scottish County Handicap Hurdle (Class 2) 1m7½f |
| 2:02pm | Sandown | Money Back Handicap Chase (Class 2) 1m7½f |
| 2:20pm | Musselburgh | bet365 Scottish Champion Chase (For The Bowes-Lyon Trophy) 2m4½f |
| 2:40pm | Sandown | Scilly Isles Novices' Chase (Grade 1) 2m4f |
| 3:10pm | Sandown | Heroes Handicap Hurdle (Premier Handicap) 2m7½f |
| 3:42pm | Sandown | Masters Handicap Chase (Class 2) 3m |
ITV Racing Tips - Saturday 31st January
12:55pm Sandown - Novices' Handicap Hurdle Tips
Bollin Thou should keep the good times rolling here, but I don't fancy backing the market leader at such a short price. Nothing stands out in opposition. I'll leave the opener alone.
1:10pm Musselburgh - Scottish Triumph Hurdle Tips
Nothing for me in this one either.
1:25pm Sandown - Novices' Limited Handicap Chase Tips
Gary and Josh Moore have struck with their last three runners, and RIP WHEELER (13/2) could outrun his odds in this competitive handicap.
Caoilin Quinn's mount shaped like a chaser during his novice season over hurdles, and claimed to cosy victories on his first couple of starts over fences. Despite still running green and not looking particularly comfortable on good ground, Rip Wheeler scored at Huntingdon on his reappearance, and again at Lingfield in November.
The Moore's six-year-old was badly hampered early on his most recent run at Wincanton and failed to get back into the contest. I'm happy to put a line through that performance though, and softer ground here at Sandown could bring about further improvement.
1:43pm Musselburgh - Scottish County Hurdle Tips
The top two from last year's renewal, Welsh Charger and Afadil hold appeal here, as does the in-form Williethebuilder. Yet, at the prices, I'm most tempted to back GIBBS ISLAND (14/1) for the in-form Tom Lacey.
Gibbs Island returned to action with an impressive handicap triumph against his fellow four-year-olds at Chepstow, and was a single-figure price for the Greatwood when the final field was confirmed. Lacey's charge was a huge drifter on the day and ran accordingly, before struggling under a welter-weight at Kelso on his most recent outing at the start of December.
Lacey has freshened his five-year-old up since then, and the handicapper has dropped Gibbs Island's mark by four pounds for those defeats. Kateira's presence in the field leaves Stan Sheppard shouldering just 11-5. Gibbs Island is classy enough to mount a challenge.
2:02pm Sandown - Handicap Chase Tips
As much as I like Jax Junior, I'm going to take the market leader on with last year's winner, GUNSIGHT RIDGE (6/1), who returns to Sandown running off the same mark he won off 12 months ago.
Gavin Sheehan gave Gunsight Ridge an excellent ride that day, seeing off Dr T J Eckleburg after another fluent leap at the last. Since then, Sean Bowen has guided Murphy's 11-year-old to three fourth-place finishes, hitting the frame in the Red Rum Handicap at Aintree and two handicaps around Cheltenham this season.
With Sean Bowen riding at the Dublin Racing Festival on Saturday, Gavin Sheehan reprises last year's winning partnership with Gunsight Ridge, and the ground is suitably heavy once again. Despite his advancing years, Sheehan's mount has every chance of retaining his crown.
2:20pm Musselburgh - Scottish Champion Chase Tips
The Kalooki Kid and Insurrection won impressively at this meeting last year, and hold obvious chances. Yet, I'm most tempted to back an old favourite of mine, TEDDY BLUE (9/2), who returns to action over a new trip.
Twice a winner over fences as a novice, Harry Derham's charge recorded a cosy victory at Ascot on his reappearance. Teddy Blue was then backed into favouritism for a similar handicap just three weeks later, but didn't travel with his usual zest and finished a distant seventh behind impressive winner, Calico.
Paul O'Brien's mount should be nice and fresh after a 70-day break, and Teddy Blue has always shaped like he'd improve for a step up to two-and-a-half miles. I fancy his chances quite strongly.
2:40pm Sandown - Scilly Isles Novices' Chase Tips
Read our guide to the 2026 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 from Sandown via a mobile or tablet.
3:10pm Sandown - Heroes Handicap Hurdle Tips
HENRI THE SECOND (3/1) bumped into Red Dirt Road in this race 12 months ago. Last year's winner will make his seasonal reappearance off a six-pound higher mark on Saturday, whereas Paul Nicholls' star is two pounds lower in the weights and went close on his most recent outing in January.
Harry Cobden's mount again failed to take to fences on his reappearance. Nicholls' charge returned hurdling in a two-and-a-half mile senior's handicap hurdle here at Sandown on January 3rd, and was only beaten a head by Range in a thrilling finish.
Henri The Second motored through heavy ground to claim an emphatic victory in a Pertemps Qualifier over this course-and-distance last term. Three miles and much softer ground will certainly suit Nicholls' nine-year-old better, and I expect this race has been the target for some time.
3:42pm Sandown - Masters Handicap Chase Tips
Two weeks after he missed out on riding Jonbon in the Clarence House, Harry Cobden will pull on the JP McManus silks for the first time when he rides FORTUNATE MAN (9/4) in the Heroes Handicap, and the O'Neill's seven-year-old looks to have a huge chance off bottom weight.
Fortunate Man has been largely consistent since switching to fences. Jonjo and AJ O'Neill's star lost out narrowly to O'Connell at Carlisle last December, before he beat Gustavian to open his account over fences at Aintree. Jonjo Jnr's mount then ran well in defeat in the three-and-a-half mile handicap chase at Windsor last January, before a third-place finish behind Tanganyika at Carlisle.
Despite struggling on his two starts on good ground last term, Fortunate Man managed to claim a reappearance win on similar going at Aintree on Boxing Day, beating Kelce and Duke Of Deception by three easy lengths. Softer ground has always been to Fortunate Man's liking, and Cobden is down to the lowest weight he's been all season to take the ride.
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