Horse Racing Tips: Sam Turner's best bets for Saturday including 5/1 Sandown nap

NAP: Sandown, 13.13 - Back Made U Blush each-way @ 5/16.00

With her form in Grade 2 hurdles this winter, La Luna Artista has understandably been the early mover in the markets for this final day curtain raiser on her handicap debut off a mark of 125.

Her 13-length defeat of solid juvenile One Horse Town in the Adonis Hurdle at Kempton reads well, even if the runner-up wasn't quite at his best that day, and Jane Williams' filly looks the one to beat in this company.

It may well prove a fruitless task trying to take her on, but Made U Blush is entitled to improve again over hurdles following two impressive wins on decent ground and the duo arguably look the most progressive in this field which looks a little short on quality.

The selection was quietly progressive on the level over ten furlongs for Jonny Portman, winning at Yarmouth before being sold to Dan Skelton and owner Jimmy Fyffe for 90,000gns at the Autumn horse-in-training sales at Newmarket.

Beaten at long odds-on on debut, the Masar filly learned from that experience to score tidily on decent ground at Doncaster and in a Listed event at Musselburgh and herself dips a first toe into handicaps here.

As we all know well enough by this stage, Skelton can be irresistible when he has a plan and, given his filly hasn't been sighted since the end of January, this race looks to have been her target from some way out.

Sandown, 15.30 - Back Montregard @ 9/25.50

Much has been written about the lack of quality in this year's bet365 Gold Cup, but with a plethora of quality staying handicap chases run in the last fortnight and Willie Mullins sending just one contender, there was never likely to be a huge field.

Unfortunately, that is how it has panned out, but that won't concern connections of Montregard and especially the selection's owner who bids to extend his fine run in the spring's premier staying chases.

Absent for 70 days following his smooth win at Ascot on Valentines Day, the son of Joshua Tree has the potential to throw in a shocker - three pull ups in seven starts is clear enough evidence of his inconsistency - however on his day he is extremely talented and the key to his chance may be a good break between his races.

A winner following absences of 199, 96 and 77 days, Montregard doesn't have any experience of Sandown which is a little disconcerting, however he is 3-5 in the visor and clearly goes very well right-handed on decent ground judged on his stylish Ascot win.

A 4lb rise for that success seemed very fair considering the superiority of the performance and his dosage index is one of a horse that wants extreme distances these days.

Sandown, 15.30 - Back In d'Or @ 5/16.00

Back in third at Ascot was In d'Or, a place and four lengths ahead of subsequent Scottish National winner Kap Vert.

Formerly trained by Venetia Williams, the eight-year-old has shaped with promise on both starts for new handler Fergal O'Brien and has been campaigned like a horse who has had today's feature as a long-term target.

The last time the eight-year-old tackled good ground he ran out a very impressive winner at Ascot for former connections and this test looks well within his compass nowadays.

O'Brien and Jonathan Burke are splitting at the conclusion of Saturday's proceedings with the Irish rider preferring to go freelance next season, however the duo could go out in a blaze of glory as a partnership with a marquee win here.

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