Ben Linfoot free horse racing tips for ITV racing at Sandown and Wolverhampton Saturday March 9

The Verdict: Saturday, March 9

1pt win Dartmoor Pirate in 1.50 Sandown at 14/1 (General, 16/1 William Hill)

1.5pts win Sans Bruit in 2.25 Sandown at 8/1 (General)

1pt win Crazierthandaisy in 3.00 Sandown at 9/1 (General) - NON-RUNNER

1.5pts win Final Voyage in 3.15 Wolverhampton at 11/2 (BetVictor, Coral, Ladbrokes)

Sky Bet odds | Paddy Power | Betfair Sportsbook

Final frontier at Wolverhampton

Finally, over at Wolverhampton Johnny Murtagh and William Buick can strike with FINAL VOYAGE in the BetMGM Lincoln Trial Handicap.

He has a wide draw in 11 to overcome, but he’ll be dropped in the rear anyway and with potential pace forcers like Tacarib Bay, Benacre, Sudden Ambush and Chasing Aphrodite in the field this should be run to suit.

Three from four over the course and distance when trained by James Tate, he loves Wolverhampton and he’s taken his form to a higher level for Murtagh since being gelded, including when he came over to Lingfield last April to win on the Good Friday card.

He’s raced sparingly over the distance since, but he bounced back to winning form back over a mile last time, coming from last to first to beat subsequent winner Hightimeyouwon at Dundalk – a track where he hasn’t found it easy to win.

That suggests to me he’s fit and firing and in the form of his life, so it’s no surprise to see Murtagh bring him over for a decent pot at his favourite track.

The Verdict: Back Final Voyage in the 3.15 Wolverhampton

Preview posted at 1440 GMT on 08/03/24

Nicholls to make a noise with Imperial rule

Excitement is building ahead of the Cheltenham Festival and an excellent Betfair Imperial Cup card at Sandown on Saturday offers punters the chance swell the punting bank ahead of next week.

The big betting race is the Betfair Imperial Cup itself and Ben Pauling has a strong hand with Bad and Jipcot who are both towards the head of the betting.

Bad has gone up 4lb for defeat last time, though, and Jipcot backs up quickly from his Huntingdon run last Sunday, the 7lb penalty making life tougher for him in a much deeper race.

I want to take them on and I’m keen on the chances of Paul Nicholls and Harry Cobden making it three wins in five years in this race with French import SANS BRUIT.

This horse’s French form stands up to close scrutiny as he beat recent Kempton winner Golden Son over four lengths giving him 6lb, with a certain Gaelic Warrior back in third.

That was a while ago but more recently he has beaten Ain’t Got Wings over both hurdles and fences and that horse has won twice since at Auteuil, while all of his French wins came on soft, very soft or heavy ground.

With all that in mind he shaped well over 2m3f on good ground on his British debut at Doncaster, pulling way too hard to do himself justice, but he only weakened after the second last and it very much looked like a sighter ahead of bigger days. Indeed, his usual hood was left off that day, but it’s back on at Sandown.

Since wind surgery data began (in 2018), we all know Nicholls is one to watch first time after wind surgery (20% strike-rate), but he’s even better second time back after the procedure (23% strike-rate) so improvement is expected from Sans Bruit on his second start after having his wind done.

Dropped 2lb to 132 in conditions he excels in, it’s no wonder the double-figure prices were snapped up early on Friday but, for me, he remains the bet in the race at 8/1.

The Verdict: Back SANS BRUIT in the 2.25 Sandown

Pirate to plunder EBF riches

Earlier on DARTMOOR PIRATE looks a good bit of business at 14/1 for Anthony Honeyball in the EBF Betfair “National Hunt” Novices’ Handicap Hurdle Final over 2m4f.

The key to this horse could be stepping up in trip as he’s been running really well over two miles for a horse bred for further and his form has been working out well.

He bolted up the only time he has encountered soft ground over hurdles and then he ran well behind Sky Bet Supreme hope Tellherthename on better conditions at Huntingdon, where he was second.

Okay, he might’ve been beaten 14 lengths by the smart winner who had too much speed, but he finished ahead of two subsequent winners in Home Free and Wise Guy, so it looks hot form.

He improved again behind another smart sort in Steel Ally at Wincanton, but that was again over two miles and he is expected to find another gear over this 2m4f trip given he’s a half-brother to Baradari and Especially So who both won over 2m5f and further.

With Ben Godfrey taking another 3lb off he looks to have a good chance in this off 121 and 14/1 (or 16/1 if you can get it) underestimates his chance.

The Verdict: Back DARTMOOR PIRATE in the 1.50 Sandown

Crazy price about Henderson mare

In the middle of the card it’s the Listed British Stallion Studs EBF Mares’ Bumper and Nicky Henderson’s CRAZIERTHANDAISY makes plenty of appeal.

Again, the double-figure prices have gone, but the general 9/1 is more than acceptable as she was a massive eyecatcher on debut at Huntingdon where she shaped like the best mare in the race by a mile.

She travelled best of all but had to switch around rivals when finding herself on the inside in the straight and, while it cost her victory, her reputation was enhanced in defeat as she finished with a rattle to almost get back up despite adversity.

Clearly better than the bare form, a huge amount of improvement is expected and Henderson traditionally farms mares’ bumpers, winning 84 from 303 runners at 27.72% since 1997.

Yes, there's a question mark over the Henderson yard, but that is clearly factored into this mare's odds.

The Verdict: Back CRAZIERTHANDAISY in the 3.00 Sandown

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