Can Victtorino be victorious? The best bets for the bet365 Gold Cup

As the curtain falls on the National Hunt season with Saturday’s traditional Sandown finale, Tipstrr’s racing pundits have put their heads together to suggest a few likely candidates in the biggest handicap on the card, the bet365 Gold Cup.

After training the winners of both the Aintree and Scottish Grand Nationals, Willie Mullins saddles no fewer than ten of the 20 starters here, so the law of averages alone would suggest his horses should dominate the frame positions.

Of those, Tipstrr’s experts are swerving the much-fancied favourite High Class Hero in favour of Minella Cocooner, who landed this very race 12 months ago, with the trainer’s son Danny Mullins again taking the reins.

This nine-year-old shaped up well to finish seventh in the Aintree Grand National three weeks ago, only fading in the final run-in, and off a favourable mark he should relish reverting to this shorter trip at a happy hunting ground.

Away from Mullins’ powerful string, there’s also been some each-way support for the lightly-raced Hoe Joly Smoke, who has won two of his four chasing efforts this term, including over three miles at this venue last time out seven weeks ago.

Trainer-jockey brothers Dan and Harry Skelton have produced five winners and four seconds from their last 13 joint efforts, and their smooth-jumping seven-year-old could well add to that tally despite being 12 pounds out of the handicap here.

Elsewhere, and also decently priced, Tipstrr’s pundits have also been drawn towards Victtorino, who notably is Venetia Williams’ only runner anywhere on Saturday’s card, and coincidentally (and perhaps significantly) is also the only ride of the day for the reliable Charlie Deutsch.

This seven-year-old’s four most recent successes all came over three miles at Ascot, including a couple of premier handicaps either side of Christmas, before he was pulled up in the Ultima Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in March.

If Victorrino can bounce back from that setback, then he certainly has the quality to reward Tipstrr’s pundits with some each-way returns (some leading bookies are offering six places), and who knows, maybe have Minella Cocooner and Hoe Joly Smoke for company down the final stretch.

365 Gold Cup 4.10pm Sandown 

MINELLA COCOONER  11/2

HOE JOLY SMOKE 14/1

VICTTORINO 12/1

(all each-way)

Enjoy the racing, good luck with your bets and always gamble responsibly.