Free racing tips: Best bets for Saturday January 2 at Sandown, Ayr and Lingfield

Racing betting tips: Saturday, January 2

1pt win Jonniesofa in 2.05 Ayr at 4/1 (minimum 7/2)

1pt e.w. Regal Flow in 3.00 Sandown at 14/1 (1/5 1,2,3,4,5) (minimum 12/1)

0.5pt e.w. double Regal Flow at 12/1 (1/5 1,2,3,4,5) & Roundabout Magic in 3.30 Lingfield at 6/1 (1/5 1,2,3) (minimum 5/1)

Sofa So Good: 2.05 Ayr - Jonniesofa

About the only thing Rory and I agree on when it comes to Saturdays is that it comes after Friday and before Sunday. We tend to tackle a lot of the bigger races from different angles, but that’s fine, because there’s lots of other Sporting Life writers with opinions on the bigger contests for you to read.

Ayr throws up a bet in the shape of JONNIESOFA, a horse that Rory has long liked and did us a good turn when scoring at Carlisle last month. He’s twice defied long absences in his career, which may lead some to assume he’s best fresh, but his career record when turned out within three weeks of a previous run is impressive, reading 23212211212 including in points, and that improves to 1212 for races under rules.

He’s on a fair mark after going up just 3lb for his win at Carlisle, and he won on his only previous course visit last season.

Go With The Flow: 3.00 Sandown - Regal Flow

One race where the streams do cross for Delargy and myself is the Veterans' Handicap Chase final at Sandown, where we have the same shortlist of Late Romantic and Regal Flow.

Late Romatic’s win over The Dutchman at Haydock looks good form, with the latter still merrily bowling along and looking sure to take a hand in the finish of the Rowland Meyrick on Boxing Day until falling four from home. Late Romantic disappointed on his only start at Sandown to date, but he has improved considerably since then, so I wouldn’t hold that against him. He holds another engagement at Ayr, but if Sandown is on, he’ll come here.

REGAL FLOW is getting towards the age where he’s thinking about getting fake ID to buy some fags, but has shaped perfectly well in two starts here this season, and is 3lb lower than when second in the race last year. Backing horses as old as he is clearly isn’t profitable in the long term, but this looks to be his Gold Cup, and with the ground no problem, the old fella looks sure to give you a run for your money.

Nod That Obvious: 1.45 Lingfield - Passing Nod

Merweb is the obvious one for this 7f handicap, as he might be able to outclass them, but stall 14 might not be ideal for him and it’s two years since he won one, so 11/4 is short enough.

Storm Melody and Winkelmann, to varying degrees, make some appeal but so too does Passing Nod, despite a couple of concerns.

He’s not been with Lee Carter long, with just the two starts for the yard having left David O’Meara’s, but there have been definite signs that a change of scenery has done him good, with two reasonable efforts over C&D.

The visor added last time certainly didn’t do him any harm, running on well in the straight to finish on the heels of the placed horses, and a solid pace up front will aid his cause. He’s on a fair mark, and with extra places available, is worth each-way consideration.

I’d want bigger than the odds available tonight, ideally a minimum of 14s, which he could easily drift to in the morning. He's one to keep a close eye on.

Worth a spin: 3.30 Lingfield - Roundabout Magic

With Super Julius in the field, this should be run at a good pace, and that’s going to suit course regular ROUNDABOUT MAGIC, who is drawn on the outside of the field in stall nine. That should in fact be ideal for him to get a bit of early cover and then pull out wide in the straight to come with his usual late, scuttling run.

Second to Equally Fast in this last year (when going off favourite), he came back to form when second over C&D last time out, and is on a fair mark now. It’s been almost a year to the day since he last won, but the each-way double with Regal Flow makes plenty of appeal, given Roundabout Magic has been placed here 45% of the time.

Both look sure to run their races and you can take five places with most firms on Regal Flow. William Hill in fact offer a sixth and are 11/2 Roundabout Magic, with Sky Bet slightly bigger on the Lingfield selection and shorter on Regal Flow. Five places is the aim at prices no lower than the minimum marks listed at the top.

Posted at 1800 GMT on 01/02/21

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