Punters Panel: Horse racing betting tips for this weekend

Horse racing

Betting

Fri, 28 Aug 2026

The ITV Racing cameras are at Sandown this weekend (Credit: Sandown Park Racecourse)

The Ebor Festival may be behind us, but there is no let-up in the quality racing this weekend as Goodwood and Sandown take centre stage on ITV.

The Group 2 Celebration Mile headlines the action at Goodwood, while there are also some intriguing contests at Sandown for punters to get stuck into.

This week's Odds Now Punters' Panel marks your card for Saturday's action before looking back at the standout moments from York. Our contributors also assess the St Leger picture following Maltese Cross' withdrawal and tackle the increasingly contentious subject of pacemakers in British racing.

Introducing the Odds Now Horse Racing Punters' Panel

Adam Smith: Betting industry veteran, Flat racing enthusiast and one half of the Races Now double act.

Harry Fowler: Regular Odds Now racing contributor who works within the industry.

Jay (Betting Better): Punter, racing lover and previous Punters' Panel contributor. @BettingBetter25 on X.

Alfie Bennett: Regular racegoer, punter, horse shareholder and racing industry professional.

Zac Castledine: Regular Races Now viewer and Punters Panel contributor with a keen eye for the big racing action.

Celebration Mile day at Goodwood. Who wins the feature Group 2?

AS: I've tipped Zavateri ante-post at 5/1. I really liked his run in the stacked Sussex Stakes after an injury break, and this is a step down. Zavateri strikes me as one on the up and his opponents now on the other side of the mountain.

HF: I am all over Zavateri. I fancied him last Saturday in the City Of York and it became rather apparent that will be the last time we see him over seven furlongs. He came there before being outpaced and staying on again. There's plenty that will go forward in the race and I think he just wins.

JBB: I would be with the favourite Zavateri. He showed that he handles give in the ground when he beat Gstaad by a head at the Curragh, and the form he brings into the race tops anyone else in the field. He's been disappointing, but the drop in class should suit. He also gets 6lb from a lot of the horses in the race. Naqeeb would interest me from an each-way point of view, with most places paying three places, if the ground goes a bit softer.

AB: I'm going for Seagulls Eleven. He looks very interesting if the rain arrives and his Summer Mile run at Ascot was seriously good. He's got a bit to find on ratings, but with conditions in his favour I think he can outrun his price. Obviously, Zavateri is the one to beat here, but he's not lived up to his previous two-year-old form.

ZC: Zavateri. There can be no debate in my mind. A reproduction of his Sussex 5th will have him lengths ahead.

Anything else at Goodwood on your betting list?

AS: Yes, I like Classical Allusion for the Balding team in the 2:35. I can see him being well backed. And I can't work out why Addison Grey is a double-figure price in the 2:00. He might not like the ground but was in career-best form in his first try over seven furlongs last time. I think he'll go well here as long as the rain doesn't go mad.

HF: In the 2:35, I'm backing Too Soon, who hasn't been seen since his victory on Derby Day. That was a career-best effort, beating Night Breeze, who has since run well in some strong handicaps, with the pair pulling clear of the third. The form of his earlier run at Ascot has also worked out well. He had Valedictory behind that day and was just behind horses such as Opportunity and Wine Dark Sea, who have since boosted the form considerably. That performance came on good-to-firm ground, but Goodwood is due a good amount of rain on Saturday morning, and Too Soon's chances only improve the more that falls.

JBB: I like Rhythm Of My Heart in the first. If he had broken well, he would have got closer to the leader. The turn of foot that he showed looked mightily impressive and he's definitely an each-way opportunity.

AB: I like Too Soon in the 2:35. He won well at Epsom last time and looks like he'll appreciate any ease in the ground. He's only carrying 8st 11lb with Warren Fentiman taking off 3lb, so I think he's got a very good chance. Gary always likes his local tracks and I think he's a nice price.

ZC: With course form of 312, and the 2 being a head second 31 days ago, Naana’s Sparkle has to be of interest in the last.

ITV racing from Sandown. Any fancies?

AS: If they avoid rain, I'll be backing Kon Tiki as a solid each-way bet in the 2:50. Sonic Angel is the main Sandown bet for me in the 3:35. Good experience in two starts thus far and he's a much more attractive price than the Godolphin favourite, who might well have beaten trees at Yarmouth on his sole outing.

HF: I like Tall Trees in the first. She was a huge eye-catcher last time when everything went wrong and she was still a good third. She has some nice form and I think today will be the day she gets her head in front.

JBB: I like Flower Show in the first for Godolphin. He's got a really smart pedigree, out of a good family, and even though he isn't having the best season in the world, Appleby is operating at 40% with his new two-year-olds. I also like Pacific Mission in the 2:50. He went close last time, has won on a right-handed track previously and looks to be improving this year. An each-way option.

AB: Secret Of Life would be my main one in the Atalanta Stakes. She impressed when winning the Coral Distaff at Sandown and looks like she'll relish softer ground if the rain comes. I'll also be interested to see Rock Montreal for Godolphin, who was very impressive on debut.

ZC: Stem is a nice price in the 14:15. He’ll definitely go on the ground and has a C&D win this season. He should be thereabouts.

What was your highlight from the York Ebor Festival?

AS: I bang enjoyed Bacio winning the Nunthorpe. No messing, out the gates, led every yard, jockey looking round at the halfway stage, and they never came back to him. An American smash and grab, twice in the UK this season. And I've not had a single penny on him.

HF: I really enjoyed the Nunthorpe. It wasn't a race I was really involved in financially, I just had a small bet on Rayevka, but the American sprinter was class. I do love the ping-the-gates-and-just-run attitude to sprinting. Not trying to follow anyone through, just being the quickest horse and going full pelt all race. Then, adding in the jockey taking a look around, I thought it was brilliant.

JBB: Not many from a betting perspective, but from a watching one it would be Sun Goddess making it look so, so easy even after finding traffic early in the race. The second would be Item winning the Juddmonte. I thought it was an excellent result, turning over two of the best horses in the world at the moment.

AB: It has to be Maltese Cross in the Great Voltigeur. Giving 5lb away and then beating Pierre Bonnard by two lengths was a seriously impressive performance. I was there on Nunthorpe day and thought Bacio was so impressive as well. He pinged and couldn't be caught. I expect we'll see him in the Breeders' Cup.

ZC: Naturally there are many. King in the Ebor, Ward in the Nunthorpe, Balding all week. But the standout for me was watching the whole Easterby clan celebrate Sondad getting the call in a photo in the final ITV race on the Saturday. A brilliant curtain closer.

With Maltese Cross now out, who wins the St Leger?

AS: It's quickly turning into a poor renewal. Christmas Day and Pierre Bonnard are both unexciting and beatable. I tipped Montreal at 66/1 over on Races Now earlier this week. He was right up there in the ante-post Derby betting over the winter, ran a cracking third in the French Derby when not really trying to win and remains unexposed. Hopefully he isn't a pacemaker at Doncaster.

HF: I am having to go with Enceladus. The Aidan O'Brien two this year really don't set that high of a bar, which seems crazy to say considering Christmas Day is a Derby winner. His win in a handicap at Royal Ascot has been well advertised by the second and third both winning races since. He then went to the Gordon Stakes, which wasn't a vintage renewal, but he did it well, finding plenty to win, and the way he won makes it look like the trip could only bring out more.

JBB: Looking now, the only one that really interests me is Del Mars stepping back in trip, but even then I am not entirely confident. I would much rather sit back and wait to see what the weather does in the next week or two and see what the ground is like.

AB: I'm going Enceladus. He was impressive in the Gordon Stakes and looks a proper stayer. With Maltese Cross out, I think he's the one who has the profile to step forward and take advantage.

ZC: The unbeaten 3YO Enceladus. His trainer has been winning all the big staying races this year, and I really fancy him to win another with this imposing son of Sea The Stars

Finally, pacemakers – is it getting a bit silly?

AS: Yes, it is. I'm not dead for or against them generally. But when Coolmore are using two pacemakers in a race, it is getting a bit silly. See the Coronation Cup, King George, Juddmonte, etc. For thick people like me, it genuinely makes it difficult to watch races. I'm sat there, eyes fixed on Sugar Island in the Yorkshire Oaks despite it having no chance of winning, when I should be watching one of the best horses in Europe, Kalpana.

HF: Yes. Whilst it isn't only him, the main culprit is Aidan O'Brien, and it's more than just pacemaking. There are obviously tactics around when the horse inevitably falls through the field and almost using that horse as a battering ram. I think of races like the Sussex at Goodwood. Opera Ballo and Qirat were in the race, so if the whole pacemaker thing is as innocent as making sure there's a good pace so it's a fair race, then why did Aidan need to put one in? Those two horses were guaranteed to ensure such a pace, but really he had Dorset and Puerto Rico in the race to aid Gstaad and get Bow Echo beat. Everyone is so against events like the Shergar Cup and when the Racing League is on because "horse racing isn't a team sport", but there are team tactics in basically every Group 1 we've seen.

JBB: Honestly, no. I saw Paul Kealy's opinion in the Racing Post earlier and I think it's just wrong, to be honest. Do pacemakers give an unfair advantage? Maybe sometimes, but a prime example was the Juddmonte. Godolphin and Coolmore both ran pacemakers and it didn't work. If it wasn't for pacemakers, we wouldn't have stories like Qirat and Birr Castle nearly winning. I think the silly part is when yards put horses into races just to disturb other horses, with a prime example being Hawk Mountain in the Juddmonte, where all he practically did was stay on Ombudsman the whole race and didn't allow him to move. Would the Flat be better without pacemakers? Maybe, but horse racing is a sport and every sport has tactics. It is down to the jockey and trainer to figure it out.

AB: I think it is getting a little bit silly. I've got no issue with horses setting the pace, but when you've got multiple runners clearly there to set the race up for one stablemate, it can feel like they're changing the nature of the race. There's a place for tactics, but you still want to see the best horse win on merit rather than a pre-planned team effort.

ZC: If I’m being honest, I can’t say it bothers me that much. But each to their own!