Charlie McCann's Horse Racing Tips Saturday, 29 August - Sandown, Goodwood & Cartmel
Charlie heads to Cartmel on Saturday for his best bet
It's a busy day of racing action in the UK and Ireland, and Charlie McCann is here with his exclusive free horse racing tips - only at FreeBets.
2:15pm Sandown - Kokbastau
Conditions were described as good ahead of Friday's card at Sandown, and they are now unlikely to get the volume of rain that was forecast earlier in the week. That said, they could still get significant rain during this afternoon's card.
Roger Varian saddled the winner of the valuable 10f handicap with the three-year-old Saddadd - who was rated 101 at the time – and he runs another progressive three-year-old, the 102-rated KOKBASTAU this afternoon who can land his hat-trick having won a Southwell Novice and then blowing away his field in a Kempton handicap last time.
The handicapper has had his say and raised him a stone since Kempton, but he looked a potential Group horse on polytrack last time and the hope – and expectation – is that he can transfer his all-weather brilliance to grass. It is probably significant that Varian avoided the fast ground over the summer, and I would suggest he would not be too concerned if the ground had a couple of the showers that are likely to be in the area.
The classic generation still receive 7lbs from their elders and the older horses look vulnerable to a potential improver although I appreciate this is a huge step up in grade.
Recommendation: Kokbastau - 3/1 with bet365
2:50pm Sandown - Calendar Girl
Owen Burrows suggested he was unhappy with CALENDAR GIRL back in the spring and she had been off the track for ten months prior to her winning seasonal debut in the Dick Hern Stakes at Haydock earlier in the month.
The three-year-old filly has only tasted defeat once in five career starts and relished the step up to a mile for the first time on her belated seasonal reappearance. She has won on good and good to soft ground although she is unproven on anything worse.
The market is headed by another three-year-old, Moon Target, but the chief threat may come from the four-year-old Kon Tiki, although the latter must carry a 3lbs penalty for landing the Group 3 Valiant Stakes at Ascot last time.
Recommendation: Calendar Girl - 4/1 with bet365
3:10pm Goodwood - Pina Sonata (Each-Way)
I backed Zavateri in the Group 1 City Of York Stakes this time last week and was disappointed that he never got competitive over that seven-furlong trip. If he returns to the form of his excellent fourth here in the Sussex Stakes on his penultimate start, then he is very much the one to beat.
That said, the sole three-year-old in the field is short enough at 2/1 and had a hard race just seven days ago, and this Group 2 Celebration Mile is, arguably, a bit of an afterthought. He is the one to beat, but I am going to throw a few quid each way on PINA SONATA (Each-Way).
The hope is that the filly is more amenable to restraint than is often the case, but this easy mile around a right-hand bend looks ideal, and I thought she was in for a good season when scoring at Kempton – easy right-hand track albeit polytrack – on her seasonal debut back in the spring.
James Fanshawe must have toyed with putting a visor or hood on the four-year-old to get her to drop her head, but he, again, leaves any headgear off and must feel she is settling at home. There is potentially plenty of pace in the race.
Recommendation: Pina Sonata (Each-Way) - 25/1 with Sky Bet (3 places)
4:25pm Cartmel - Passing Diamond (Nap)
The summer must be coming to an end if it is the last two-day meeting of the year at Cartmel with Bank Holiday Monday the last card of 2026.
All five who go to post for the 2m1f+ handicap chase will have their supporters. If there is an application of cash for Palamon, I will save as I am convinced he is better than a 117-rated horse and he may get away with this trip – just shy of his optimum – from a mark just 6lbs higher than when dotting up at Bangor when the handbrake was off.
He has had a couple of nets since returning from summer recess back in July and needs decent ground to see him at his best. He is a big danger to PASSING DIAMOND (Nap), who looked one to follow when scoring over course and distance back in July from a 6lbs lower mark on chase debut.
A dual winner between the flags in his native Ireland, I thought Ben Haslam's six-year-old looked a natural over the larger obstacles here last month, and he can defy a 6lbs rise. He won't get things his own way on the lead with Tanking Along – another sound jumper – in the field, although the latter is 15lbs higher than when scoring at Sedgefield back in March.
Recommendation: Passing Diamond (Nap) - 6/5 with bet365
*Betting odds correct at the time of publication. All odds are subject to changes.
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