Daryl Carter's Tips: 17/2 It's no secret this has been the plan for Hughie's Squirrel

• This long-term plan can come good for Hughie Morrison's Novice

• Leicester NAP 5/16.00 has to be well-handicapped under optimal conditions

• Tacarib Bay will relish the return to Haydock

• Terrisita can prove well-treated at Sandown

El Fabiolo Superboost

Do you fancy El Fabiolo to win today's Celebration Chase at Sandown at 15:00? If so then head over to the Betfair Sportsbook where they've super-boosted his price from 8/111.73 to 1/12.00 for the Willie Mullins multiple Grade 1 winner.

13:50 Sandown - Back Secret Squirrel @ 17/29.50 1pt e/w (5 places)

This is a scorching race for a seasonal closer in the Novice ranks, and Secret Squirrel - 17/29.50 on the Betfair Sportsbook - gets the vote now sent handicapping off of a very fair rating of 126, for which he looks worth every inch of that rating on his exploits this term.

They include a narrow defeat to the reposing Fire Flyer at Taunton (see below). I am not sure David Bass made as much use of him as he should have, so I expect him to be the sharper horse at 2m, but that one rates a significant player.

There's a case to argue that the selection is the form horse in the race, with a line through Jeriko Du Reponet on unfavoured soft ground when finishing with running left. His bumper victory at Taunton over Act Of Authority, who is rated 129, makes him look well treated. The other avenue to take is through Steel Ally, who went down narrowly to subsequent winner Doyen Quest at Newbury, and the latter was well adrift for Fire Flyer in the bumper at Cheltenham.

Connections have bided their time with Secret Squirrel this season. I found myself asking why they were not going into a handicap, but they qualified for this race on his hurdle debut, and this may have been the plan from the get-go. Good ground is a big positive to his chances with form figures of 211, and it's very tough to see him run a poor race, providing David Bass gains a good early position.

Fire Flyer is another solid form line for this race. If he is none the worse for his pulled-up effort in the EBF Final, he can certainly make his presence felt back on a sounder surface. He could be worth a small saver at double-figure odds. Steel Ally is fancied for tricast purposes.

14:05 Leicester - Back Thunder Roar @ 5/16.00 1.5pt

Thunder Roar - 5/16.00 on the Betfair Sportsbook - looks to hold excellent claims off the back of a career-best second at Doncaster, where he shaped far better than the bare result, and he can prove to be very well treated off a three-pound higher mark.

The selection was drawn out of stall one at Doncaster, and his rider lost plenty of ground at the off by switching to the near side behind the main bulk of the pack, only to find many of those runners fall into his lap as the pace quickened. He travelled through the race like a well-handicapped runner as he switched back to the centre of the track, was short of room, and was carried right at the finish by the hanging winner.

Today's soft ground conditions are optimal, with figures of 211312 in his career to date, and he is unexposed at this 1m distance. Today, he receives stacks of weight from two useful rivals handicapped to their best. He arrives firmly on an upward curve and is lightly raced with plenty more to offer yet, and a mark of 83 must be within reach on multiple lines of evidence.

Back him at 11/43.75 or bigger.

14:45 Haydock - Back Tacarib Bay @ 9/110.00 1pt e/w

Tacarib Bay - 9/110.00 on the Betfair Sportsbook - loves this Haydock venue, and he makes plenty of appeal returning to turf, having had a spell on the AW. His record at this course reads 211, including two wins on soft ground and the defeat to a horse that ended his career as a Group 1 winner, rated 121.

He is one pound lower in the weights than his excellent Balmoral Handicap third and off the same mark as when scoring here in July 2022. He continuously runs RPR ratings in the mid-100s and caught the eye at Wolverhampton last time, suggesting a return to form could be imminent.

The move back to today's trip of seven furlongs is positive, and he is unexposed when soft is in the going description. Stall ten won't make life easy, but he has plenty stacked in his favour and a race fitness edge over a few regular rivals. It's tough to find faults with him, and he should be playing a strong hand in the finish under Pat Dobbs.

I like to catch Boardman the second time out, and the ground may have gone against Rainbow Fire, who is a horse to keep on the right side of this term.

Back the selection at 6/17.00 or bigger.

16:45 Sandown - Back Terresita @ 9/110.00 1pt e/w

Terresita - 9/110.00 on the Betfair Sportsbook - shaped like one well ahead of the handicapper over course and distance two starts back and off just four pounds higher, having demolished a single rival at Ludlow at 1/61.17, she looks worth siding with to continue her upward curve.

The seven-year-old stuck on powerfully here in March to chase home a subsequent victory, and Cheltenham Grade 2 placed improver, and that looks like fair form in the context of this race for which she meets a handful of rivals again.

She clocked excellent closing sectionals that day, and today could see the race set up well for her with strong-headed Nickle Back likely to get into a pace battle with relentless front-runner Bourbali. The last time that pair did that was at Kempton, and they set it up for Master Chewy. I am hoping that this Mare can reap the benefits.

It's challenging to see the improving Mare out of the first three should she repeat the running of her penultimate start.
She has more to offer off this rating.

Back her at 8/19.00 or bigger.

Now Read: Ryan Moore: Some good chances in Sandown's Group races on Friday

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