Dave Massey is Esher bound for Sandown’s Jumps Finale card and is back with his Saturday Racing Tips as the curtain comes down on the National Hunt season. Read his latest preview exclusively for kwiff below.

Saturday Racing Tips:  Sandown Jumps Finale 2026

This should be run at a very solid pace, plenty wanting to go forward and others wanting to press that pace. I can count at least eight or nine such contenders and it ought to suit something that can be held up and that travels well. 

Saturday Racing Tips: Secret Sniper (1.50)

Secret Sniper ((1.50), despite being a big price, almost picks himself here. He’s looked a handicap project from the word go, steadily brought along in three starts this spring, and finished second to Minella Yoga at Taunton last time, again doing plenty of good late work.

The winner was eased down and so getting within ten lengths flatters him a little, but the weights today give him a 15lb swing in his favour and that, plus a stiffer track and this pace, all should be in his favour. I’d have him about an 8-1 chance here; he’s twice that with a couple of firms. 

There are concerns around Bespoke Tailor too, nor least I think a bit further would suit, but he shaped a lot better than a seventh in the Morebattle Hurdle last time would suggest, doing some decent late work after getting outpaced. He’s had wind surgery since, and the faster they go here the better his chances late, as long as he handles the ground, of course. 

Saturday Racing Tips: Thistle Ask (San, 2.55) 

Thistle Ask comes here the fresh horse after missing Cheltenham and Aintree and I would not be shocked, if he went off favourite here, with the Skeltons finishing off the season strongly. Two miles on a right-handed track, and on quick ground, is very much what he wants, and this has clearly been the target. And as we keep seeing, there’s no trainer better than targeting them than Dan Skelton. He’s only got three lengths to find with Jonbon on Clarence House form and on this faster ground, I think he’ll find it, and more. 

Saturday Racing Tips: Bet365 Gold Cup (San, 3.30)

There’s not actually that much pace on here, with a smaller field than is usually the case (and will be going forward, this is what happens when you make the National nothing more than a high-class handicap) and I can see Ask Brewster making a decent go of this from the front. 

He can’t have the ground quick enough, and although beaten here in December, even the good to soft that day wasn’t anywhere fast enough for him, and it’s a run easy enough to forgive. He made up for it by winning the Kim Muir at Cheltenham last time and although up another 7lb for that, that still looks more than fair. If he’s allowed his own way up front again, he might be hard to peg back. 

The saver is the old boy Certainly Red, who will have been aimed at this after his fourth from a 2lb lower mark in the race last year. He looked as big as a brick in the paddock here on his return but still ran a cracker to be third, and might well have got closer but for a bad mistake late in the day; he acts on good ground and simply loves this track, so it would not be difficult to see him hit the frame at a big price. 

Saturday Racing Tips: Last Kingdom (San, 5.15)

Last Kingdom (5.15) joined Faye Bramley from Willie Mullins back in January and has run poorly in four starts for her, dropping 10lb in the process and back to his last winning mark for his previous yard. So there’s little to recommend, on the face of it, but hold on a mo; the cheekpieces that have been missing so far are back on, and he did win in first-time cheekpieces for Mullins at Listowel back in September, so maybe he needs some headgear now. Harry Cobden in the saddle too, and this just has half a whiff of plot about it, for all this trip is an unknown. 

By Dave Massey

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