Horse racing tips: Sandown, Aintree, Wetherby, Chepstow and Wolverhampton – Steve Mullen’s betting preview for Saturday, December 9

RATHLIN ROSE can bloom in Aintree’s Grand Sefton Chase (3.10) for Tom Scudamore and David Pipe.

He likes soft ground and warmed up for this with an excellent third at Fontwell last time where he just tired in the closing stages.

The nine-year-old was part of racing’s greatest story earlier this year when he partnered amputee jockey Captain Guy Disney to win the Royal Artillery and Grand Military Gold Cups at Sandown.

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If the ground was better, Ultragold would have a massive chance. He jumped these fences for fun when winning the Topham Chase at the National meeting in April. That was over this distance but he’s run badly pretty much every time it’s been muddy. His love of the track could keep him in contention though at a decent price.

Paul Nicholls has a good record in this and his Sametegal is an obvious contender. He’s hard to keep fit but looked good when second at Wetherby on his comeback. He likes testing ground but 11st 12lb may take some lumping around here today.

Gas Line Boy fell here last time — but that was over the conventional Mildmay fences. He was going like the winner when he took that tumble too.

He was an excellent fifth in this year’s Grand National so clearly likes the obstacles and is another to consider in a wide open race.

WILLIAM H BONNEY ran out of petrol after running a cracker on his comeback in the Greatwood Hurdle at Cheltenham last time.

He can prove that was no fluke by taking Sandown’s big Listed handicap at 2.20.

Alan King’s hopeful was coming back from six months off and looked the winner until tiring late on. He was in the lead a long way out and raced in the more testing ground for most of the race too.

Wayne Hutchinson takes over from a claimer here and his experience could make all the difference.

AINTREE

11.55 Mont Des Avaloirs

12.25 Swift Crusador

12.55 Le Breuil

1.30 Highland Lodge

2.05 Malaya

2.35 Definitly Red

3.10 Rathlin Rose

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SANDOWN

12.05 Just A Sting

12.40 The Wicket Chicken

1.10 Monbeg Oscar

1.45 Finian’s Oscar

2.20 William H Bonney

2.55 Politologue

3.30 Cresswell Breeze

Steve Mullen's TV Tips

Aintree 3.10 - Rathlin Rose: 'Warmed up for this nicely at Fontwell and has the right attitude for this sort of test'

Sandown 2.20 - William H Bonney: 'Just ran out of petrol in the Greatwood and can make up for that here'

CHEPSTOW

12.30 Benechenko

1.00 Golden Sunrise

1.35 Scotchtown

2.10 Lovenormoney

2.45 Binge Drinker

3.20 Lord Bryan

3.50 The Cannister Man

WETHERBY

11.45 Gonalston Cloud

12.15 Ami Desbois

12.45 On A Promise

1.20 Captain Mowbray

1.55 Blue Hussar

2.25 Ifbutandwhynot

3.00 David Dennis

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WOLVERHAMPTON

5.45 Rapid Ranger

6.15 Mac O’Polo

6.45 Rusper

7.15 Kaser

7.45 Never Back Down

8.15 Velvet Revolution

8.45 Author’s Dream

9.15 Soghan

Trainer Nicky Henderson watches back Buveur D'Air's Champion Hurdle win