talkSPORT horse racing betting tips: Selections for Saturday Jumps Finale at Sandown

The National Hunt campaign has provided plenty of high-quality entertainment, but it’s time for everyone’s favourite chasers and hurdlers to head off on their well-earned summer breaks.

Sandown hosts the final meeting of the season on Saturday and there will be fireworks.

The race of the day is the very valuable and historically significant Gold Cup and it’s well supported by the Grade 1 Celebration Chase, as well as a couple of Grade 2s.

Our expert has taken a close look at the eight-race card and selected three of their strongest fancies. Champion trainer-elect Dan Skelton could be set for a good day and he has a highly progressive chaser in the Celebration Chase, who shouldn’t be far away.

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Saturday’s horse racing tips

• 1.13 Sandown – Made U Blush @ 5/1
• 2.55 Sandown – Thistle Ask @ 2/1
• 3.30 Sandown – Livin On Luco @ 14/1 

1.13 Sandown – Made U Blush @ 5/1

The opening race is a temporary addition to this fixture but it’s certainly going to be a competitive event. That being said, the Dan Skelton-trained Made U Blush stands out as potentially very well handicapped off a lenient-looking mark of 118.

She was a winner on her final flat start for previous connections, with that success coming in a 1m2f handicap at Yarmouth. 

Very well fancied on her first start over hurdles, she looked in need of the experience and was 10 lengths adrift of the winner in third.

Taking a big step forward at Doncaster next time, she kicked well clear in the closing stages to score by 10 lengths. The daughter of Masar then followed up in a Listed contest and a mark of 118 looks extremely generous on that evidence.

2.55 Sandown – Thistle Ask @ 2/1

It has been a big season for Dan Skelton’s Thistle Ask and the nine-year-old has climbed 45lb up the handicap through the course of the campaign. He was an impressive winner at Kelso on stable and seasonal debut and he won again in a Wetherby Listed contest after that.

Jumping to his right on occasion made little difference to the result and he won with plenty in hand, despite carrying a 6lb penalty. He made some useful handicappers look pretty average in the Haldon Gold Cup, although he was officially 9lb out of the handicap.

Thistle Ask was a winner again at Kempton over Christmas and he took the Grade 2 Desert Orchid Chase by 10 lengths whilst being eased down.

Only Jonbon was too good in the Clarence House but the lightly raced chaser can reverse the form here.

3.30 Sandown – Livin On Luco @ 14/1 

Philip Hobbs & Johnson White run Livin On Luco here and the strong-staying eight-year-old will have no problem getting the trip.

This son of Malinas made all the running to win over an extended 3m3f at Fontwell in November and he showed a good attitude on that occasion.

Next up was the Welsh Grand National and he was a very respectable fourth off this mark, behind the 163-rated Haiti Couleurs. 

Staying on well that day, there was plenty to like about that performance and a similar effort will give him every chance in this easier race.

We know he stays the trip as he was denied by a narrow margin over an extended 3m6f at Exeter on his most recent start. Whilst he could be vulnerable to something with a bit more class, he stays, jumps well and has all the tools required to run a huge race.

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