Saturday's Bets of the Day: Horse racing and cricket tips from our team

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Racing

Ben Linfoot

History Writer - 3.15 Sandown

David Menuisier’s horse has a good record at Sandown, having won at the track off a mark of 85 last season before he acquitted himself quite well over 10 furlongs back at the course a month later.

He went close off 91 over a mile at Sandown this May, too, just losing out in a tight finish before he ran at Epsom on Oaks day where he didn’t look to handle the track.

Easily forgiven that run, he’s of major interest back at Sandown with the softer ground unlikely to hinder his chance judging by his good fourth-placed effort on similar conditions at Newmarket last November.

He still looks well treated off 91, and with Masham Star and other potential pace forcers in there this hold-up merchant could well get the race run to suit.

Oli Bell

Mekong - 3.00 York

Continued his progress when chasing home Dee Ex Bee in the Henry II Stakes at Sandown and drop in trip and soft ground very much in his favour too.

Simon Holt

Durston - 2.40 Chester

David Simcock's colt really caught my eye when chasing home the Dante third Surfman in a maiden at Nottingham last November and, after appearing to find 10 furlongs on good ground a little sharp at Windsor on his reappearance albeit in a hot maiden won by the subsequent London Gold Cup runner-up Sinjaari, he opened his account over a mile and six at Doncaster.

That was on good to firm but Durston's pedigree - he is a half-brother to the mud-loving Cubanita and recent soft ground Chester winner Aquarium - suggests some ease underfoot will be highly suitable and there is every chance he will prove too strong for his rivals in the closing stages over what could be a testing mile and a half here.

Cricket

Richard Mann

Faf du Plessis top South Africa batsman

South Africa head to Cardiff on Saturday desperately needing to register their first victory of the Cricket World Cup and will be hopeful of getting off the mark against an Afghanistan outfit that have struggled to play to their potential so far.

Afghanistan’s potent array of spin blowers seem sure to provide another stern examination of South Africa's ponderous batsman and with Quinton de Kock and Rassie van der Dussen failing to get to grips with the turning ball in the past couple of weeks, the door could be left ajar for Faf du Plessis to claim top batsman honours for South Africa.

The South African skipper is a terrific player of spin and has looked in good form since arriving in England without converting some promising starts into a big score.

With his country’s World Cup hopes on the line, he can usually be relied upon to deliver and looks worth a play at 4/1.

Golf

Ben Coley

Louis Oosthuizen to beat Aaron Wise

The banker of the day at Pebble Beach looks to be Louis Oosthuizen at 5/6 to beat Aaron Wise.

Yet again, Oosthuizen is in the mix at a major championship and while he's fallen out of contention at both the Masters and the PGA Championship this year, he's fancied to get things right this time and keep alive his hopes of joining Woods as a winner both at Pebble Beach and St Andrews.

Oosthuizen is driving the ball really well and looks better equipped at this stage to adapt to the expected change in scoring conditions, both he and Wise having so far made the most of things to card 11 birdies each - enough to lead the field.

Wise is clearly a huge talent, one who, like Oosthuizen, was in my staking plan for a major earlier in the season. Yet the suspicion is this first taste of a late weekend tee-time will be something to learn from, with proven, major-winning credentials preferred, certainly as the prices.

Greyhounds

Ian Brindle

Magical Bale - 8.45 Nottingham

Magical Bale has never won from trap five but the draw has pitched him either side of two runners that should grant him enough room for manoeuvre. Ballymac Tas could be a danger if she can get across to the rail and the likeable Dower Rory will be attempting to pick up the pieces.