Saturday Racing Cheat Sheet: Best bets for the Dublin Racing Festival and Sandown

• Saturday Racing Cheat Sheet for Leopardstown and Sandown

• Tips from Daryl Carter, Kevin Blake and more

• Read Rachael Blackmore and Paul Nicholls' exclusive insight

• Our Cheltenham offer is live! Get a completely free bet every weekend until the Festival

Rachael Blackmore Superboost

Betfair Ambassador Rachael Blackmore has some decent chances on the first day of the Dublin Racing Festival today, including one on Monty's Star in the Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup at 15:30.

The horse has never finished outside of the top four when completing in his whole career, and today you can back him at the super-boosted price of 1/12.00 - from 4/61.67 - to finish in the top four again. To take advantage, just click on the odds in the bet banner below to go directly to the pre-loaded betslip.

Racing... Only Bettor. Listen to the latest episode now!

Watch Paul Nicholls discuss his Saturday runners...

🗒️Paul's Ditcheat Decs

A busy Saturday for the yard of Betfair Ambassador @PFNicholls, with 5 Sandown runners and 2 in at Musselburgh but it's Kalif Du Berlais that's catching his trainer's eye. pic.twitter.com/qsO28lgpq3

-- Betfair Racing (@BetfairRacing) January 31, 2025

Saturday horse racing tips and insight

13:15 Leopardstown - Katie Midwinter says: 33/134.00 chance can upset the Mullins brigade in the opener

Katie Midwinter: "Pray Tell at 16/117.00 and Sporting Glory at 20/121.00, as well as Wingmen at 25/126.00, all warrant a second glance, but it's Liam Kenny-trained World Of Fortunes who makes the most appeal away from the main market principle.

"Capable of outrunning her odds under Jordan Gainford, who has a 60 percent strike-rate for the yard, having partnered this mare to three victories so far this season, this seven-year-old, who is three from four over obstacles, has beaten a number of talented types, and it would be no surprise to see her make the frame in this Grade One."

13:25 Sandown - Paul Nicholls says: Just Lucky Sivola has his chance

Paul Nicholls: "He won narrowly at Hereford on his second start over hurdles before paying the price for racing a bit keenly at Ascot over just shy of three miles.

"He didn't quite get the trip that day so is now dropping back half a mile. He's won on heavy ground before and has his chance in a competitive race."

14:00 Sandown - Daryl Carter says: Etalon my NAP on Saturday

Daryl Carter: "Etalon was given as a midweek ante-post bet, and thankfully, connections have taken up the entry. He holds excellent claims against these rivals, so I want to go back in again now that I have declared.

"He has endured a disappointing season and got no further than the seventh at Windsor 13 days ago before unseating his rider. However, he was travelling with plenty of zest, and that was the second time in two starts that he caught the eye.

"The return to Sandown, where he was a dominant wide-margin chase winner at this time last year over Gunsight Ridge, is a big positive, and his latest run at Windsor was the first time he had been given his favoured soft ground since, so it was a shame to see him depart before the race took shape.

"It's wise to put a line through his latest run and back him under optimal conditions on Saturday. His record on soft ground before his latest run reads 11141 over obstacles. In the hope that the Skeleton's revert to prominent tactics, he should take some stopping in this company.

"Back the selection at BSP as 7/42.75 is about right and we are likely to get a little bigger on the day."

14:25 Leopardstown - Rachael Blackmore says: Meeting of the Waters has a big chance

Rachael Blackmore: "It was great to pick up the ride on Meetingofthewaters in the Race And Stay At Leopardstown Handicap Hurdle.  It's obviously a very competitive race, but he looks to be on a very good handicap rating over hurdles compared to his chase mark.

"It doesn't always work out as easily as that, as we know, and he hasn't run over hurdles in almost two years, but he had a great season last season over fences, he won the Paddy Power Chase at Leopardstown at Christmas, and he finished third in the Ultima Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival. This is a big-field handicap hurdle, you need a lot of luck in-running, but he's a brilliant ride to pick up.  They seem to be happy with him in Willie's and I'm really looking forward to riding him."

14:35 Sandown - Paul Nicholls says: Kalif Du Berlais can have big say in Grade 1 Scilly Isles Novices' Chase

Paul Nicholls: "He's huge, fully 17 hands and I've been thrilled with his progress since he took a heavy fall at Carlisle in October. Thankfully he was fine afterwards and won tidily at Newbury next time before beating Vincenzo impressively at Cheltenham on New Year's Day.

"That horse has since well and truly franked the form with an impressive victory at Sandown eight days ago. Two and a half miles is the unknown for Kalif du Berlais but he shapes as if he should stay this trip and I'm hoping he will run very well."

15:07 Sandown - Mark Milligan says: Henri The Second can pass stamina test

Mark Milligan: "The Sandown hurdles track is always a really stiff test as we get into the depths of winter and there'll plenty in this field who'll be crying 'enough!' at the top of the home straight. That's unlikely to be the case with Henri The Second, who looked better the further he went and rates one of the best bets of the day for me.

"An honourable mention is also reserved for Deep Cave, who ran well for us at a big price at Windsor last time and should relish the stiffer test that this Sandown track provides. I wouldn't put anyone off an each-way saver on this one, but he'll have his work cut out trying to peg back the Paul Nicholls-trained runner."

15:30 Leopardstown - Kevin Blake says: Embassy Gardens can be favourite's closest rival

Kevin Blake: "The reputation of Embassy Gardens seems to be suffering due to his defeat when well fancied for the National Hunt Chase at the Cheltenham Festival and his subsequent poor run at the Punchestown Festival. He looked to not stay the trip in the former contest and might well have still been feeling the effects of that run when disappointing at Punchestown.

"The strength of his other three runs over fences are enough to make him very interesting at this higher level and a big run from him seems likely, for all that Galopin Des Champs seems sure to take all the beating."

Now read more horse racing previews and get our experts' tips